A few more Buddhas
Our last stop was a pagoda high up in the woods. Amidst some unusual rock formations a temple had been built and some Buddhas carved into the rockfaces around it.
There are resident monks here too and their washing line makes for a blast of colour amongst the trees.
Not that colour was lacking in any respect, inside or out! The interior of the temple was still being built but the central collection of Buddhas was unlike anything we’ve seen before.
The wall paintings were bright and freshly painted in a modern style. I rather liked the exuberance of colour and the flashes of fluorescent yellow, orange and pink.
The light made photography a challenge but I was happy to simply capture the spirit of the place.
Though Sok’s stories from the Buddha’s life came to an abrupt close when a shout was heard – someone had fallen into the hole.
How? No idea. As the woman from Georgia said dryly to my Hero, standing next to her, “It’s a big enough hole”.
Thankfully, she was ok, save for a grazed knee, but it brought our temple visit to a close and we made our way back downhill.
Sok wanted us to see the huge reclining Buddha, though, and to explain that this was Buddha deceased, not resting or sleeping. However many times we’ve been told how to tell the difference, we still find it baffling!
Anyway, whilst others concentrated on the figure and the finer details, I’m ashamed to say my eye had been caught by one or two Suffolk Puffs.
The yellow tented ceiling was decorated with small pendants made from three Suffolk Puffs and they were dancing about in the breeze looking rather jolly.
There were other small fabric decorations catching the breeze too. Very effective.
Though whilst I was taking pictures of those, another Buddha was watching silently on.
We made our way back to the bus and returned to the ship through the same landscape as we’d come. As we did, I made a mental note to seek out one or two Cambodian projects to support by means of Kiva once we get home.
A quick turnaround then, for Trivia (not good today!) and the crew show which is always a must-see.
Not forgetting dinner, of course.
