To "Ta Prohm"

Known to many travelers as the "Kingdom of Contradictions," the Kingdom of Cambodia is exactly that.  From beauty to neglect, rich to poor, and even new to old, Cambodia is filled with hidden treasures for the curious traveler to uncover.  That's where we head to today, so buckle up; we are about to travel not only across the globe from our last destination, but also back in time: hundreds of years ago!

Ta Prohm Temple in Angkor, Cambodia.  Photo courtesy of visitwonders.com

The Ta Prohm Temple is known by several different names.  Depending on who one is speaking with, this same temple may be referred to as the "temple of Angkor" or "Rajavihara."

Sometime between the 12th and 13th Century, the Ta Prohm Temple was built under the order of Khmer King Jayavarman VII.  The temple was originally built to be a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university.  It then became a very well-known temple, but as the Khmer Empire fell, Ta Prohm was abandoned.  It went centuries without any visitors.

Roots are seen growing through the temple.  Photo courtesy of WordPress.com

Finally the 21st Century comes around, as do some visitors.  The Ta Prohm finally had somebody wondering about its history and try to restore its natural beauty.  Unfortunately, there is not a single photograph of the original, functioning temple - which makes sense considering that was hundreds of years before the camera was invented - but nevertheless, there is no possible way to fully restore the temple.

In 1992, UNESCO added Ta Prohm to the World Heritage List.

As of 2013, the Archeological Survey of India has maintained most of the temple, making sure that it is safe for visitors to walk into.  Many of the restorations were done by scratch.  The Archeological Survey of India is content with the rehab that was put in, for they wanted to make sure that the temple was safe, yet still showed the neglect it received throughout the centuries.

 

Inside the temple.  Photo courtesy of WTFoto.com and tripideas.org

Legend has it that King Jayavarman VII constructed Ta Prohm in honor of his family.  Details inside the temple are modeled after his mother, father, brother and guru.  Remains of those artifacts still reside inside the temple.

There is much, much more history and beauty than I can put into words in this week's blog post.  If you are interested in learning more about the Ta Prohm Temple, start off with a virtual panoramic tour, provided by Air Pano.

That's all for this week!  Remember to stop by next Wednesday as we reveal the next hidden wonder. Until then!

Say "Neigh!"

Hi friends, welcome back!

Have you ever noticed that many of our destinations are pretty timeless?  That is, most places that we have visited weren't made or created just yesterday.  Today's hidden cove is different; it may have not been created just yesterday, but it was created about one and one-half years ago.  Buckle up and get ready for the ride!

Being only 246 miles away (for us Midwesterners, that's about a six and one-half hour's drive) from last week's destination, today we are visiting The Kelpies in Scotland.  Imagine this: you're driving on a highway, already accompanied by naturally beautiful scenery, when you see two horse heads towering 100 feet above you!  What's that I hear?  You're saying, "neigh, I don't believe you?"  

The Kelpies, photographed by stevehuffphoto.com

Do you believe me now?

In October of 2013, street artist and sculptor Andy Scott completed the sculptures that now mark the beginning of the Forth and Clyde Canal.  The canal was actually extended to accommodate for the Kelpies, which opened to the public in April of 2014.

If you're wondering why Andy Scott created two 100-feet tall horse heads, you probably aren't from Scotland.  You see, these monuments celebrate the history of Scotland and its horse-powered heritage.   The Kelpies' name is also significant, for it reflects the mythological transforming beasts that have the strength of ten horses.  This, then, is comparable with the transformational change and endurance of Scotland's inland waterways.

When asked about the design, Andy Scott stated:

"The original concept of mythical water horses was a valid starting point for the artistic development of the structures ... I took that concept and moved with it towards a more equine and contemporary response, shifting from any mythological references towards a socio-historical monument intended to celebrate the horse's role in industry and agriculture as well as the obvious association with the canals as tow horses."  

Want a three-dimmensional view of this sculpture?  You can get that without traveling to the Kelpies!  Check out this video: 

And as if the sculpture alone isn't enough, the lighting at night time makes it completely awing! 

 

Photo courtesy of dailymail.co.uk and roseparks.co.uk

If you are lucky enough to visit these horses, there is more to do than simply take a selfie.  The Kelpies has its own visitor center, available to provide tourists with tons more information than I have provided here and even guided tours.  

The Kelpies are actually set in a park called The Helix, so once the tour is over and ten selfies are taken, visitors can take part in daily events listed on The Helix's website or simply walk the trails, go cycling, perform some water sports, or even take part in a community volunteer event.

That's all we have for this destination!  Remember to come back next week as we discover another hidden cove.  Have you found any hidden coves while traveling or in your hometown?  Let me know!  Comment below or feel free to e-mail me at hannahtadey@gmail.com. 

Luck of the Irish

Hello, friends!  It has been a while since we last caught up, so let's jump right in.  By the way, happy St. Patrick's Day!  In honor of the holiday, today we are traveling to Ireland.  Buckle up, this is about to be a dazzling ride!

Ireland.  Photo courtesy of www.naturalhistoryonthenet.com 

Today, Ireland is mainly known - and celebrated - for its beer, along with the high alcohol tolerance of the Irish people.  Although St. Paddy's Day is a great reason to grab a beer with some friends, there is much more to this breathtaking country.

Don't believe me?  Well, let's take a quick look some of the places and things Ireland has to offer its 7.3 million yearly tourists:

Guinness

Photo courtesy of Guinness.com

What's a tribute blog to Ireland without their famous Guinness beer?  If, today, you drink some sort of alcohol, make sure it's a Guinness.    After all, the average Irishman drinks 34.6 gallons of beer each year!  According to Ireland Favorites, Guinness has to be poured the proper way in order to have the best taste: "In a clean tulip glass tilt glass at 45 degree angle and fill to 3/4, let the Guinness settle for 90 seconds or so, fill remainder of glass leaving creamy head on top. Admire nicely poured Guinness for a few seconds letting it again settle, take first sip and savor."

Castles

Photo courtesy of untapped cities.com

When looking at a bird's-eye view of Ireland, one would see two main things: greenery and castles.  Castles play a major role in not only the architecture of the land, but also the history.  Now in the 21-century, tourists can go on tours of historic castles, and even rent out rooms in the smaller castles.  When researching some of the castles in Ireland, one smaller one stuck out: Belle Isle Castle.

Belle Isle Castle

Photo courtesy of Belle-Isle.com

The Belle Isle Castle may look mediocre from the outside when compared to other castles.  I mean, look: there's no moat, no high towers for the guards, nothing of that sort.  What this castle does have, however, is Irish charm and character.  The Belle Isle Castle is one that can be rented out to tourists for weddings, parties, or even a couple's getaway.  The rooms are renovated, so they have a more modern charm rather than a "this castle was built in the 1500s and I can tell, but not in a good way" charm.

One can choose to stay directly in the castle or can stay in one of the several cottages on the estate.  If the group has a large number of guests, such as a family, there are newly renovated holiday cottages that can sleep up to eight guests.

When the couple, wedding party, or group of close friends books a stay at the castle, there is much more to do than simply exploring the castle.  With private fishing lakes, shooting ranges and sailboats on the estate, there is more to do than a day's time allows.

That's all I have for you this week!  Have a safe St. Patrick's Day, and remember to join me back here next week when we reveal my next hidden cove!