Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Rained in at the Royal Palace.

While visiting Phnom Penh's Royal Palace, we found ourselves captive, held at the mercy of a monsoon downpour. But sheltered in the portico of the Silver Pagoda, we were granted time to admire some of the more unusual elements of the temple grounds. For though Phnom Penh's palace may not have the flash and glamor of Bangkok's, it's still a visually captivating place, with teal painted guardians, faded Hanuman lampposts, and a mash-up of architectural styles.

7 comments:

Prêt à Voyager said...

Looks oh so familiar, I love it! It was quite amazing to walk out my door this am to feel a nice cool breeze instead of feeling overwhelmed by heat and humidity. Seeing the Royal Palace in rain (aka cooler temps) sounds grand!

Thanks again for meeting up!!!!

Anne

kristine said...

the showers are crazy there days, arent they? I am being thundered and lightninged on i Laos right this moment. Love the pictures.

Anonymous said...

Yep, I'm with Pret A Voyager on this one. Cambodia's Royal Palace is best seen on a rainy day in contrast to Bangkok's Grand Palace which glitters in the sunlight. In the case of the Royal Palace, the humidity and intense sunlight has a way of amplifying the blemishes... you can almost see the paint wither. Plus everything looks crisp and newer after a good rain.

It was nice meeting you Xander! I look forward to vicariously traveling SE Asia through your blog (and I won't have to travel 25+ hours to get there!)

Unknown said...

Wow, it looks amazing. I love that pink monkey-- is it Hanuman?

Alexander Santillanes said...

Anne- Low humidity sounds grand! I'll feel so out of sorts when I leave Southeast Asia and no longer take a standard two showers a day.

Kristine- We got insane showers in Phnom Penh! We were truly trapped in stores and cafes at times. And as I type, it's pouring in Bangkok...

Michelle- Was great meeting you to! I hope you had an awesome time in Khao Sok. I'm still in awe of what an unbelievable place it was.

Jess- That is indeed Hanuman. I loved seeing him painted in pink! If only they had sold a mini version in the gift shop...

tangobaby said...

These images are so lovely. I haven't had a chance to check in here for a while, so I am looking forward to catching up.

But the rain seems to make the places in the photos even more magical than they already are.

Lara Dunston said...

Gorgeous pics as usual - this is a particularly exquisite combination.