eby harvey photography

FunSpot! (Or New Hampshire, Part 2).

2012-01-10T15:46:00.001+09:00

New Hampshire, Part 1.

2012-01-10T15:39:00.003+09:00

Jasmine and I drove from NYC to Providence to Boston to Meredith, New Hampshire to see our dear, wonderful, beautiful friend Sarah Adams who we became best buddies with in Seoul. It was a lovely few days and so nice to get into nature away from the concrete jungle that is New York City.

We woke up in quite possibly the most picturesque (quiet!) place on earth (Matt's family's cabin on the lake), ate big time breakfast at Sunny and Pa's, hiked, ate more, played video games at FunSpot (the "World's Largest Arcade") and had a grand old time.

Haaahvahrd.

2012-01-10T15:32:00.000+09:00

Harvard is pretty. I saw Chelsea Clinton. And ate Indian food. So there.

Mike Hamm, Rest in Peace.

2012-01-10T15:15:00.000+09:00

My good friend Mike passed away this past Saturday. It was unexpected and happened very fast but if there is one thing I've learned about Mike in the past week or so is that boy-oh-boy was he loved. Like woah. He was magnetic and endearing and earnest and simply a GOOD human being. I am sad to have lost a NYC TexPat and will always remember the day I took this photograph of Mike in Coney Island.

We had just rode the Steeple Chase and the ride tech gave us an extra turn on it for free. He wasn't particularly eager to have his photo made after the rickety ride and a few beers but I knew the combination of his awesome shirt and the bright purple wall behind the boardwalk would look amazing.

Along with so many others, I will miss this face and never forget him. Love you Mike.

World's Smallest Brewery Opening

2012-01-10T14:49:00.001+09:00

Y'all.

I've been totally a wretched supposed photo-blogger in 2011 and hope to remedy that in 2012. It's been a crazy 7 months since moving to NYC but I haven't been documenting it with my "real" camera. Damn iPhones. They make life too easy.

Anyway...here are a few Landrie took during our Grand Opening back in August. They cute.

The Mermaid Parade! (Part C)

2011-06-21T14:45:00.002+09:00

One last installment...

Donny Vomit and his hotty girlfriend.

Just some mermaids on horses.

favorites.

this makes me laugh.

Miss Coney Island Leftovers 2011

Zak and Zoe

Zak and Melissa rockin out

The end.

The Mermaid Parade! (Part Deux)

2011-06-21T14:41:00.003+09:00

So a lot of Saturday involved standing around. Here are some shots from the hour (and a half?!) before we actually started moving.

Donny Vomit. (The Human Blockhead)

Thats Leah and Zak.

Not sure who this fool is..

Getting antsy...

Noah, Zoe, Lan and Meag

Ally. So pretty.

Zoe. Bein' fab. (As usual.)

One of about 1287 photos Corey was asked to be in.

crew.

The Mermaid Parade! (Part One)

2011-06-21T14:31:00.002+09:00

So one of the biggest events at Coney Island is the annual Mermaid Parade. It was also one of the biggest projects I, personally, have been working on since starting my job working for Shmaltz this summer. For those of you who may not know, I'm working for a beer company in NYC (we make He'Brew and Coney Island Lagers...both of which are unfortunately not in Texas). It's delicious.

Anyway...hilarious, crazy, fun day. Here's some proof :)

This is Matt. He is one of my favorites.

This is Zoe. She is my amazing roommate. And sexy to boot.

Luciana and Lillia. Lillia is Matt's. All day I was referred to as "Matt's Babysitter" by a bunch of other Shmaltz employees - awesome.

Look at my beautiful, beautiful friends.

<3

I mean, be cuter.

That's Luciana's dad. He pretty much saved the day.

Coney Island Pre-Storm (Figurative + Literal)

2011-06-21T14:23:00.000+09:00

My buddy Alfonso! Love this man.

Pre-Mermaid

2011-06-21T14:21:00.000+09:00

My little worker bee roommates preparing their fab costumes for the Mermaid Parade. Seriously, I live with two of the most talented and creative people I've ever met.

Will and Jen Get Hitched!

2011-06-03T20:57:00.000+09:00

One of my oldest (note: Kindergarten) dearest best good friends, Will Neuhaus, got married at the beginning of May. The wedding was easily one of the more fun ones I've been to. We excursion'd to La Grange and Round Top, Texas for a truly incredible day/night. So many old friends. So glad I could be a part of it.

Congrats y'all!

p.s. I promise now that I have moved to Brooklyn, I will get inspired and take more faux-toez.

Tiny little church in La Grange, Texas

He was magical.

Haden.

Ashley + Elliott

My favorite parents in the world.

Clark!

CIRCLE 7, wooooooooooooo!

My Zach.

Wayomafied + Zach

adios!

best photo of the night.

Houston Zoo

2011-03-30T23:46:00.002+09:00

NOTE TO SELF: Never, ever, EVER go to the Houston Zoo during Spring Break. Worst Idea ever. Regardless, baby elephants are the cutest things on Earth.

PHOTO CREDIT: Charlotte Rogers, 7 :)

Maggie and Freddy

2011-03-30T14:09:00.000+09:00

I've never been very good at taking my camera out in Houston...I don't get inspired by things that are so familiar. But maybe that's what makes a good photographer (ipso facto, not me).

Anyway, had a lovely day/picnic during "Spring Break" (which wasn't quite a break for me) with Charlotte and L. Fred at Memorial Park. These are her precious pups, Maggie and Freddy (bro/sis Border Collies). And a few of Lucy for good measure.

Wind Chimes

2011-02-17T15:16:00.000+09:00

Lucy Dog

2011-02-17T15:15:00.000+09:00

High Line

2011-02-17T15:13:00.000+09:00

30 Rock

2011-02-17T15:12:00.000+09:00

what a Beautiful, Beautiful human being.

MOMA

2011-02-17T15:11:00.002+09:00

John Reagan + Mason Dixon

2011-02-17T15:08:00.001+09:00

Feed The Animals

2011-02-17T15:06:00.003+09:00

If Found: Return to Brooklyn Zoo

2011-02-17T15:06:00.002+09:00

Lingerie Partaay

2011-02-17T15:02:00.000+09:00

perv.

"what....is....this....?"

Alahambra

2011-02-17T15:00:00.000+09:00

Mr. Chow

2011-02-17T14:58:00.002+09:00

Domestikated

2011-02-17T14:57:00.002+09:00

NYers

2011-02-17T14:56:00.002+09:00

The Standard Biergarten

2011-02-17T14:55:00.002+09:00

Mott Street

2011-02-17T14:54:00.000+09:00

snowpocalypse 2k11

Graham Smith Hails a Cab

2011-02-17T14:52:00.000+09:00

i luv SF

2011-02-12T08:45:00.002+09:00

Muir Woods

2011-02-12T08:43:00.001+09:00

We made the trek out to Muir Woods on the first day of the torrential storm that hit the west coast in December. Maybe not brilliant (as we were soaking) but it was so cool to see these Red Woods - some of which are nearly 1000 years old.

camel toe.

Helen In The Backseat

2011-02-12T08:40:00.000+09:00

H took some photos that encapsulated three significant moments:

1) the first time the three of us (Tom, Eby, Helen) were together since we lived together in Spain four years ago
2) crossing Golden Gate bridge
3) the first time I drove in 18 months (on a wet, cold day in San Francisco - probably not the best place to re-get my training wheels)

Don't worry, we survived.

Apples 2 Apples

2011-02-12T08:36:00.000+09:00

Had a wonderfully great time with my girl Mary who came to hang with Tom and I on several occasions while I was in San Francisco. There was a photoshoot involving dancing and ridiculous hats but I figured it would be better for everyone involved if they didn't exist on the Internets. Here are two from Apples 2 Apples. I hear that your final cards reveal your true identity...I wasn't totally sure about the "Patriotic" one but the rest seemed pretty dead on.

SFMOMA, Part 3 (B+W)

2011-02-12T08:32:00.003+09:00

Two of my bestest friends in the whole wide world in one art museum. And they don't mind having their picture made. A girl don't get much luckier.

SFMOMA, Part 2 (or Gold Beads)

2011-02-12T08:30:00.002+09:00

SFMOMA, Part 1

2011-02-12T08:29:00.002+09:00

Bathtub in the Mission

2011-02-12T08:27:00.001+09:00

Graffiti Alley

2011-02-12T08:26:00.000+09:00

Holy Grail

2011-02-12T08:23:00.000+09:00

Nearly 18 months without decent beer and the first mart Tom takes me to boasts this impressive collection. Reason #27 I love America.

El Rey del Parque Delores

2011-02-12T08:22:00.002+09:00

It seems only appropriate that my farewell and welcome into the United States were with Tom Comitta in San Francisco. Here are some from our picnic in infamous Delores Park.

Namaste

2011-02-10T12:18:00.000+09:00

Jim Rip Leah...(goodbye in Khmer)....last Cambodia post!

The Royal Palace

2011-02-10T12:17:00.001+09:00

The Royal Palace of Cambodian Royalty (it is essentially a monarchy, even today) has been occupied since 1866. It is a beautiful place and the majesty of the place is really phenomenal.

Wat Phnom

2011-02-10T12:11:00.000+09:00

Wat Phnom is a Buddhist temple on a hill in Phnom Penh built in 1373. The city is actually named for the temple and the story is kinda cool.

Legend relates that Daun Penh, a wealthy widow, found a large koki tree in the river. Inside the tree she found four bronze statues of the Buddha. Lady Penh constructed a small shrine on an artificial hill to protect the sacred statues. Eventually this became a sacred site and sanctuary where people would make blessings and pray.

Sambo

2011-02-10T12:07:00.001+09:00

Elma, my CouchSurfing host, is good friends with Sambo a 60-year-old elephant and survivor of the Khmer Rouge. Twice a week, Elma brings baskets full of fruit to Sambo's owner. Their story is pretty miraculous. As a 10-year-old boy, her owner used to sneak into the forest and feed Sambo. In the mid-1970s, Cambodians could barely feed themselves, let alone a two ton animal, but he did. Years passed and he didn't see her. Then 20 years later he found her wandering around outside the city somewhere. They've been together ever since. Yay happy tears!

I fed Sambo, I kid you not - 200 bananas.

National Museum of Cambodia

2011-02-10T11:57:00.000+09:00

S21 (Security Prison 21)

2011-02-10T03:43:00.001+09:00

There were many such prisons as S21 which is now a memorial and museum. S21 was a boys high school turned maximum security prison, torture and interrogation center. While Cambodians want all but to forget their recent, catastrophic past, it is important (in my opinion) to be able to see how ruthless and selfish this group of people, known as the Khmer Rouge, were.

If you know nothing about the Khmer Rouge then you should know this: they were a "Communist" group with only one agenda - the cleansing of Cambodia to serve their ideals. Anyone who proved a threat to their cause (ie: intellectuals and anyone who wore glasses, politicians, journalists, doctors, artists, musicians, monks, priests, etc) was executed and everyone else was forced into slavery - as farmers, agriculturalists or militia. The Khmer Rouge didn't want anyone to think for themselves or contradict their ideas for what would make a "fair" society.

Current estimates of the number of deaths hover around 3 million (the population estimates just before the Khmer Rouge ruled was about 7 million). I met several Cambodians who had family members killed and the talk of it as if it was just a fact of life. On my plane ride back to Korea, I met a man and his wife who fled to Thailand (which is what many lucky Cambodians tried to do, not always succeeding).

Here are some photos from S21.

The Killing Fields

2011-02-10T03:26:00.000+09:00

These photos are not for the faint-of-heart. My "Dark Day" as a friend called it, took me to the Killing Fields and S21 prisons. The Killing Fields were a site of mass execution where hundreds of thousands of Cambodians were killed in between 1975-1970 (the Khmer Rouge's reign).

The skulls were organized in a tower by gender and age. These were 12-15 yr old boys.

Street View from FCC + Temple at Night

2011-02-10T03:11:00.002+09:00

Outside the Royal Palace, Phnom Penh

2011-02-10T03:10:00.000+09:00

Phnom Penh

2011-02-10T03:09:00.000+09:00

After five sun-filled days in Sihanoukville, I headed inland to Phnom Penh, the capital. Phnom Penh has a very recent and very sad history. A week before I arrived was the tragic bridge stampede, in which over 300 people died. But even more impressionable on the psyche of the Cambodian people (and really the world) was the Khmer Rouge regime. I won't go into a long-winded diatribe of the Khmer Rouge and Pot Pot & Co. but it was easily the most horrific and bloody genocides the world has ever seen, and it ended only a few short years ago. I highly recommend reading more about it if you are interested (I think it was something that was gravely over-looked in American history text books), but there will be more photos to come on the subject later.

Wa-whaaa. Anyway, PP was great as I had my first CouchSurfing experience with Elma, and beautiful, wonderful Filipina who had been living in PP for about 8 years. She showed me a side of Phnom Penh I would have otherwise never had a chance to see and was so generous and welcoming to a complete stranger.

Anyway...more pictures to go and then I am FINISHED! with Cambodia. It took a bit longer than I ever expected to edit but there were enough photos to edit to keep me busy for the past 6 weeks. Here you go.

EcoSea Dive Trip

2011-02-05T09:39:00.000+09:00

I went on a two-day dive trip with EcoSea, about two hours from the coast of Sihanoukville. While the actual diving was pretty no-frils (visibility was about 3 feet the entire time but we did see a seahorse), the night we spent on the island was one of the best of my trip. Keya, Sam, Nico and I befriended this Norwegian chick and a Cambodian man and his friends (who now I cannot remember their names for the life of me). The Cambodian guys had 20+ bottles of whiskey and the 5 of us managed to finish 6 while playing King's Cup...ugh. Needless to say the next morning's dives were not pleasant. Either way, it was great to meet some other Americans and Canadians and have a generally great two days.

my humble abode

Sihanoukville Sundown Action

2011-02-05T09:24:00.000+09:00

Laura (Australia) and I shared several $0.25 beers and ate delicious food on the beach as we watched the sunset. Then came the firedancers. So heady.

Sihanoukville Sunset Action

2011-02-05T09:22:00.002+09:00

Sihanoukville II

2011-02-05T09:21:00.000+09:00

Sihanoukville

2011-02-05T09:20:00.000+09:00

Alright, now that Siem Reap is done (I promise, I will get these pictures done and out of thttp://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3274671309039836214he way I am so sick of looking at them/thinking about them)...on to Sihanoukville. I took an overnight bus and met a really nice couple on the way down that started a non-profit Project Enlighten to help Cambodian kids and students get an education and be resourceful. Check it out, they are great great people working for a wonderful cause.

I didn't spend too much time in Sihanoukville (its a coastal town with TONS of backpackers and Cambodia's only real excuse for a "resort" town). It was my first time on my own since arriving in Cambodia but I ended up meeting some great people. Laura (Australia), whom I met on my first night in Phnom Penh, and I hung out a few days. I did an overnight dive trip where I met Nico (Texas!) and Sam (NY) and Keya (Canada). Then came back for another night to hang with Nico, Sam and Tash (Australia). Not too many pictures either...

Arrival (5am) shot.

Sokha Angkor Hotel

2011-01-26T15:06:00.000+09:00

My friend David worked at the Sokha...it was a beautiful hotel and noteworthy because it used to be a prison. Pretty cool, eh?

Silk Farm

2011-01-21T04:30:00.000+09:00

I was a little resistant to the idea of going to a Silk farm seeing as I had no need for silk and it just sorta seemed like a kitschy thing to do. But Andrew insisted it was really interesting and boy am I glad we went. I had no idea what a lengthy process it was and how fascinating it truly is. I took way more photos than I've posted here and there are several key steps missing, but I put the ones I thought most photogenic :)

Step 1: Plant mulberry bushes
Step 2: Put silkworm larvae in with said mulberry leaves and let them go to town

Step 3: Fatten 'em up (they eat for about six weeks straight...)

Step 4: Let 'em start their spinnin...(cocoons take about 3 to 8 days to make)

Step 5: Take the cocoons and get 'em ready for treatment (FACT (that I didn't know): the cocoon has both types of silk: raw and fine. Raw silk is the outside layer and fine, the inside.)

Step 6: Put cocoons in boiling water and then the silk somehow magically unwinds and becomes tiny tiny threads (this part may have been the coolest, but I didn't get a good photo)
Step 7: Silk is this yellow color so these beautiful ladies spool it before it gets dyed.

Step 8: Prep for dying

Step 9: Dyed silk is then put onto spools.

Step 10: Silk is dyed into several colors using tumuric, black/blueberries, indigo, etc etc

Step 11: Ladies be weavin' (I made this baby cry)

Lolei

2011-01-21T04:13:00.001+09:00

Lolei is the northernmost Hindu temple of the Rolous Group. It was in a pretty shoddy state but a French guy and a Cambodian girl were there taking measurements and photographs with plans to help restore it. A small Buddhist temple was built adjacent to it.

Bakong

2011-01-21T04:05:00.001+09:00

Bakong was probably my second favorite Angkorian temple. About 19km from Siem Reap, this temple is part of the Rolous Group and was built in the 9th century (ipso facto: Hindu) and was the first temple built of sandstone. It is surrounded by a large moat. Since a village was built around it there were tiny school girls walking around the outside and it was a beautiful spot to be at sundown. Andrew told me that every new year there is a huge party where they play games, drink, bands play and they all watch the sunrise the next morning. Sign this girl up.

she copied me.

Preah Ko

2011-01-21T04:04:00.001+09:00

Preah Ko is one of three temples in the Rolous Group (all about 15-20km away from Siem Reap). All are a bit defunct and decrepit but Andrew and I had fun goofing off just the same :)

Bayon and Angkor Thom (Part 2)

2011-01-21T03:48:00.000+09:00

Back to my favorite temple, Bayon. My previous visit and info here.

I honestly can't remember/find the name of this temple

2011-01-21T03:46:00.000+09:00

whoops.

Either way, I met a precious old man with no teeth who blessed me and told me some stories about this temple. There were jewels, gold and beautiful bas relief's inside this temple in the inner sanctum. In the 70s when the Khmer Rouge ransacked all temples, they cut off all the religious imagery in this temple as it was sacrilegious to their "cause"...more to come on that.

this man was so cute...he said a prayer, flicked water all over me and tied this flower to my bracelet :)

Banteay Srei

2011-01-21T03:27:00.000+09:00

Banteay Srei is a 10th century Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva. It was built solely by women and is about 25km northeast of the main Angkor temple group. One reason it was built so far away is because it is closer to the mountains and therefore closer to the source of red sandstone. This temple is particularly revered for its intricate carvings, but it was a little too crowded and over-hyped for my liking.

At a few of the main temples there are Land Mine Victim bands...all of the members were injured by landmines (which was and still is a huge problem in Cambodia, now mostly just in the countryside). There are estimated to be 4 to 6 million landmines still buried (and undetonated) in Cambodia. If you want to read more about land mines and how you can help go here.

Untitled

2011-01-21T03:20:00.002+09:00

Siem Reap Public Gardens

2011-01-21T03:18:00.002+09:00

Wat Bo

2011-01-21T03:16:00.000+09:00

One of my non-temple days I wandered around Siem Reap. I stumbled upon Wat Bo, a small Buddhist temple, and spent 45 minutes talking to a monk (who asked me for my email address). The temple itself was quite ornate...there was even a secret crawl space the monk showed me. During the Khmer Rouge, monks were among the first to be executed so they hid in this attic for days and days. Crazy.

David's Birthday Party

2011-01-21T02:43:00.000+09:00

We (Denny, Andrew, David and Kong) went out to the Baray (man-made Angkorian period lake) for David's birthday. We swam, ate chickens (or were they ducks?), rice, crickets, and drank lots of beer. This place reminded me of Austin. Ya'll would love it.

pretty sure he was listening to Rhianna on repeat

Children of Kompompluk

2011-01-21T02:21:00.001+09:00

While Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world, I don't think I ever saw what I would consider true "poverty" until visiting this village. I spent most of my time in the two biggest cities and in a backpacker beach resort, so it wasn't until Kompompluk that I really realized I was in a third world country. The children in the "high part" of this village (ie: the water wasn't high enough in a certain area so kids could play on the ground) were beautiful and curious and friendly. I loved taking pictures of them and some of these are my favorite of my entire trip.

swatting flies

School + Temple in Kompompluk

2011-01-21T02:14:00.000+09:00

These kids were so cute in their uniforms - not sure if this was "recess" or just how school works in Cambodia but they were funny.

these little girls were playing a game where they jumped over a way-too-high string. It was pretty hilarious.

Kompompluk

2011-01-21T02:01:00.000+09:00

Kompompluk is a small "floating" village about 30km from Siem Reap. Andrew and I rode out there early one morning and while I was a little hesitant at first, it did not disappoint. I have been to floating markets in Thailand, but this actually was a village on stilts. Most of the houses, further out into the lake, had stilts about 10m high. It was pretty incredible. As December is approaching the dry season, the water was still pretty high but not as high as it can get. Kompompluk is on the edge of Tonlé Sap, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.

Siem Reap Night Market

2011-01-21T01:51:00.000+09:00

Phnom Bakheng

2011-01-19T06:22:00.002+09:00

Across the moat from Angkor Wat is Phnom Bakheng - a Hindu hill temple popular with tourists for watching the sunset over all of Angkor. I was more entertained by the massive number of people trying to take a picture (and millions of Koreans with their tripods) than the actual sunset, but in hindsight, it was pretty beautiful.

looking north - out there, that's Thailand

A lady fell down these rather treacherous steps and broke her leg...an ambulance had to get up a hill that is generally only frequented by humans and elephants.

Angkor Wat

2011-01-19T06:14:00.002+09:00

The most famous of all the temples in Angkor, and the one that gave it it's name is Angkor Wat (which translates to "City Temple"). As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation — first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. It is the world's largest religious building. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors. Nearly 750,000 people visit Angkor Wat each year.

crossing the moat...

reflecting pond

preggo

Pre Rup

2011-01-19T06:03:00.000+09:00

Going back in time a bit Pre Rup was built and dedicated in 961 or 962AD. It is a temple mountain of brick, laterite and sandstone. The temple’s name is a comparatively modern one meaning "turn the body" which reflects the common belief among Cambodians that funerals were conducted at the temple, with the ashes of the body being ritually rotated in different directions as the service progressed.

Ta Som

2011-01-19T05:54:00.002+09:00

Ta Som is a small temple with only one shrime built by Jayavarman VII for his father. Left mostly unrestored but a different type of tree was growing on this one...I met a pretty cute little girl here...

Neak Pean

2011-01-19T05:39:00.000+09:00

Neak Pean is an artificial island built on the baray (man-made lake/reservoir) at Preah Khan by Jayavarman VII in the 12th Century. According to Wikipedia...

Some historians believe that Neak Pean represents Anavatapta, a mythical lake in the Himalayas whose waters are thought to cure all illness. Neak Pean was originally designed for medical purposes, as it is one of the many hospitals that Jayavarman VII built. It is based on the ancient Hindu belief of balance. Four connected pools represent Water, Earth, Fire and Wind. The ancients believed that going into these pools would balance the elements in the bather, thus curing disease. In the middle of the four healing ponds is the central water source. There is a statue of Bahala (Bodhisattva Guan Yin transformed into a horse), as a symbol of drowning prevention.

Preah Khan

2011-01-19T05:33:00.000+09:00

Preah Khan was built on the site of Jayavarman VII's victory over the invading Chams in 1191. The name translates in modern Khmer to "holy sword", but is derived from the meaning of the original — Nagara Jayasri (holy city of victory). The temple was dedicated to Jayavarman's father, and was commemorated with carvings of over 30 deities. Its wealth included gold, silver, gems and pearls - it also served as a Buddhist university with almost 100,000 attendants and servants (with 1000 teachers).

I personally was getting a little tired of temples at this point and only took a few pictures...this temple (like Ta Prohm) has also be left mostly unrestored and the trees here were phenomenal.

Monks Outside Angkor Wat + Road to Siem Reap

2011-01-19T03:56:00.002+09:00

these motorbike drive-by shots didn't turn out half bad.

Bayon and Angkor Thom (Part 1)

2011-01-19T03:54:00.001+09:00

Angkor Thom, built in the late 12th Century, literally means "Great City" and was the last enduring capital city of the Khmer Empire. Angkor Thom is actually a complex consisting of several Buddhist temples - my favorite of which (and without a doubt my favorite of all the temples I went to in Cambodia) is Bayon. Bayon, at the center of this city, was Jayavarman VII's state temple, with the several other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north. I liked it so much I made David take me back a second time a few days later. These are shots from my first visit.

Motorbike + Mango Pit Stop

2011-01-19T03:42:00.002+09:00

Being Blessed

2011-01-19T03:41:00.000+09:00

At several of the Buddhist temples in the Angkor complex there are little old ladies or men who sit near a massive statue of Buddha and bless visitors with red bracelets and a prayer. Andrew and I were blessed and told me their prayer was all about good luck and good future.

Ta Keo

2011-01-19T03:33:00.001+09:00

One of the tallest temples at Angkor Ta Keo is thought to be the first built entirely of sandstone around 1000AD.

Ta Prohm

2011-01-10T15:24:00.001+09:00

If there is one temple you might recognize (other than the iconic Angkor Wat), it is Ta Prohm. Made famous (or at least identifiable) from the film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Ta Prohm is one of the most important temples at Angkor due to the fact that it was erected as a Buddhist monastery and university. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Ta Prohm has been left in a similar condition in which it was found. The incredible Spong trees grow over the stones to create an eerie, mesmerizing feeling that you are absolutely not in the 21st century. Definitely a crowd-pleaser, this one.

Andrew!!

Koreans EVERYWHERE. Seriously, could not escape them.

slangin'

I was wearing my Buddha every day for two months until I broke it playing Kinect. Damn technology.

Seriously...these trees were out of this world...

Banteay Kdei

2011-01-10T15:10:00.000+09:00

Before I go too much further, I should mention that the temples at Angkor are both Hindu and Buddhist. The Angkorian period began in AD 802, when the Khmer Hindu monarch Jayavarman II declared himself a "universal monarch" and "god-king." It wasn't until the end of the 12th Century that a descendant of Jayavarman II (Jayavarman VII to be exact), departed from the faith of his ancestors and adopted Mahayana Buddhism. The temples built from this time until the fall of the Angkor Empire (in 1431) were Buddhist, not Hindu. Banteay Kdei was one of these first Buddhist temples to be erected at Angkor.

Srah Srang

2011-01-10T14:57:00.000+09:00

The monarch's private baths (or baray), Srah Srang was dug in the mid-10th century.

Prasat Kravan

2011-01-10T14:48:00.000+09:00

There are a lot of temples at Angkor (over 1000 according to Wikipedia...) but only a few still standing. I am going to do a separate post for each one (and include a link in case you have any interest in learning more about them). This is the first one, Prasat Kravan. Not too exciting, but hey, its a temple right? Right.

First Day in Siem Reap

2011-01-10T14:40:00.000+09:00

This is David.

If you ever go to Siem Reap, you should meet this guy. Best tour guide ever.

Also, this food we are eating, while you might not be able to discern what it is, is incredible. The one to the right is called "amok" - probably the most famous Khmer dish. Served with either chicken or fish, its kind of like coconut curry with tumeric, collard greens (or something!) and all sorts of other secret delicious stuff. Omg.

The Kingdom of Cambodia

2011-01-10T14:35:00.000+09:00

I can't lie, I am pretty exhausted only half-way through my Cambodia edits to make too much of a comment about my trip...but I will tell you it was amazing and beautiful and fantastic.

To go into a brief description of my trip...I left Seoul on November 29 with 6am temperatures hovering around 20F and arrived in Phnom Penh at 6pm and 90F. Needless to say, I had to shed some layers.

The next morning I headed to Siem Reap to meet friends of friends (my co-worker at my school in Seoul had a best friend - Denny - who moved to Siem Reap seven years ago). Denny's "brothers" David and Andrew were Khmer (or Cambodian) and they graciously showed me around the temples and Siem Reap for seven days. It was pretty incredible seeing the temples with an "original Angkor boy" (ie: he sold books and trinkets there when he was a kid). The temples were even more breath-taking and magnificent than I imagined...and my expectations were pretty high. We swam in the West Baray (reservoir/lake of the Angkor Empire) and had a party for David's birthday on the Angkor grounds (his family has lived there for generations), went to a "floating" village, went to a silk farm, ate so much delicious Khmer and Indian food, and generally had a fantastic time drinking way too much Angkor beer/riding motorbikes, etc etc.

Then it was on to Sihanoukville (the main port town of Cambodia and its only "resort" destination; ie: backpacker central). I took an overnight bus and met two incredible NGO-ers from Flagstaff, Arizona. When we arrived that morning we hung out on the beach and they bought me breakfast as I couldn't yet check into my hostel. The following day I went on an overnight dive trip with a Texan, a New Yorker and two Canadians and slept on a tiny island inhabited by monkeys, dogs and a handful of out-of-control Cambodian drunks (12 bottles of whiskey between 10 people...that next morning wasn't fun lemme tell you). Our four dives were under-whelming but we did see some seahorses and crazy-lookin' fish.

Two days later I made the trek to Phnom Penh. I CouchSurfed for the first time and it was incredible. I was shown the most unwavering, incredible hospitality by a complete stranger, Elma. She is from the Philippines but has lived in PP for 8 years with her German husband and 7 cats and 8 dogs. (I didn't stay with all them though...she had another apartment nearby). PP was beautiful and also sad. Home to the S21 and Killing Fields, Phnom Penh has seen its fair share of horror, starvation and devastation for the next several centuries thanks to the horrific Khmer Rouge who killed millions only a few decades ago. While Cambodians don't like to talk about it, they are some of the most gracious, hard-working, beautiful people I've ever met. I spent my five days in Phnom Penh, roaming the many markets and streets, feeding Sambo (a 60-year-old elephant), visiting temples and also working at a soup kitchen that fed the homeless. Elma took me to the Philippine Embassy's Christmas Party to play bingo with about 200 other Philippine expats living in PP. Hysterical.

Anyway, this turned out to not be a short summary whatsoever, but there are lots and lots (and lots) of photos to come. I will continue to upload until they are all up (not all, but the decent ones anyway).

Enjoy! And if you ever want to go to Cambodia, I'll gladly be your tour guide ;)

The Phil In Two Phorms

2011-01-07T02:51:00.001+09:00

The Phil. What a guy. Gonna miss this kid that's for sure. First person I met to share my love of Phish in Korea. I gave him my Phish poster I've had for almost 9 years. I think he looks especially good in blue.

air mattress taco

Last Day of School :(

2011-01-07T02:48:00.000+09:00

I don't think I could appropriately summarize my 16 months of teaching in Korea. I don't want to sound trite and blabber on about how it was "one of the best years of my life" and "changed my life" but both of these things are true. It's hard to quantify/qualify an experience with words, but there were so many things about this year that forced me to grow up a little bit (and also regress at the same time).

Living alone was so much better than I ever anticipated. Living in a country where you don't know the language and no one around you knows yours led to so much frustration but also so many hilarious, awkward encounters. Korean food ranks up there in the top one or two foods for me. My best friend/wife of several years (Helen) and I got to spend a year being goofy slobs, cooking, teaching, watching far too many movies and LOST, running, and generally over-analyzing everything together. I met a few folks who I will be friends with til the end of time (Sarah, Matthew John J. Hennessey Baker, Nick the Dick, David, Kristine, Emily, Sean, Scott, Mikey, The Phil, Steve, Jasmine, Jon, Frank- I'm talkin to you). And became better friends with old friends (Clark and Brandon).

Regardless. My reason for going to Korea was to teach. And while the way that I was forced to teach was not exactly what I thought best (or my style of teaching), I love love loved (most of) my kids. The last day was rough and I definitely got teary more than a few times. It's strange knowing that I won't see any of these kids again...and even weirder to think, "will they even remember me in a year?" Either way, they left a pretty significant mark on me and I will miss them.

Here are some photos of my favorite classes on the last day.

Lucy

Pizza Party....(Back Row:) Tony, Tom 2, Eric, Bella, Rosa, Lucy, Tom; (Middle:) Ellen, Reese, Julie; (Front:) Sunny and Eileen

Bella, Lucy, Tom

Joseph, Charlie, Harry

(Back Row:) Charlie, Lina , Olivia, Wendy, Julia; (Front Row:) Sunny, Harry, Joseph, Jenny

Phamily Thanksgiving

2011-01-07T02:11:00.001+09:00

In the last two months I was in Seoul, I had the very fortunate chance of meeting an entirely new group of people, musicians, artists, etc. This was the group I had been unknowingly been looking for all along in Korea (of course I didn't find it until the end). They are the biggest reason I've been considering going back in the Spring. Ultimately, I know I couldn't recreate the scene/experience that I had this Fall but I love these people with all my heart.

Steve (the biggest Deadhead I know :)), had an amazing Thanksgiving Party at his place. He was great host and his wife and daughter flew in from New York for the occasion. The night went something like this: whiskey/wine, music, food, music, food, wine. It's pretty amazing to be 7,000 miles from home and feel like you are part of another family. I will never forget this motley crew and am especially thankful for Sarah, Matt, Steve, Phil, J.J., Don, Alecia, Zee, Fred, Dave, Patricia, Soju Matt, etc etc. lots of <3

Isabell

In my element - with the 10-year-olds...

Steve's Thanksgiving Speech/Toast

Matt Mangano and Tim

Steve and J.J.

Matt and Patricia (Texas represent!)

J.J.'s a Dirt Bag (The Phil in background)

party animals - Steve, JJ and Matthew John J. Hennessey Baker

My besties - Sarah and Helen

Love this, love you MJJHB.

thisth isth mah sexthy posth - Soju Matt and Tim

Who knew a brilliant saxophone player could do a damn-good Neutral Milk Hotel rendition on the guitar!?

My Favorite Class All Year

2011-01-07T01:50:00.000+09:00

The last three months of working in Korea, I was able to teach a special "supplemental" speaking/grammar class. I saw these three kids William, John and Annie two days a week for about two hours each day. We had so much fun watching "Annoying Orange," Inspector Gadget and talking about baseball. These kids are super smart and I am happy I got to hang out with them for a few months :)

Annie, John and William

The Blog Formerly Known As Seoul Shakedown Party

2011-01-03T15:34:00.002+09:00

I would imagine the majority of viewers of this meager phlog are aware that I am no longer in Korea (last teaching day was November 27). It was a pretty stellar 18 months and I have been seriously debating going back (although that is lookin less and less likely now that I'm back in the world of good beer). Unfortunately, I haven't made much time for photo-ish and have about 25GB of photos to edit from Thanksgiving Phamily Style, my solo trip to Cambodia and Spanish reunion in San Francisco.

My resolution is to edit these photos within the next two weeks. And get better at walking on my hands. And learn German. So hold tight...

Seoul Lantern Festival 2010 (서울 등 축제)

2010-11-19T02:28:00.002+09:00

The Seoul Lantern Festival was up for the G20 Summit that happened here last week. I didn't hear about too much chaos regarding the summit other than LOADS of cops everywhere. The festival was awesome - with 27,000 lanterns from 24 countries down on Cheonggyechon, how could it not be?

Barry Obama right on top!

Japan had the lanterns DOWN.

China

Baskets! Tied together! I am going to make these...

Bulguksa Temple (불국사), Gyeongju

2010-11-17T23:20:00.002+09:00

Gonna have to cite Wikipedia on this one...

Bulguksa is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in the North Gyeongsang province in South Korea. It is home to seven National treasures of South Korea, including Dabotap and Seokgatap stone pagodas, Cheongun-gyo (Blue Cloud Bridge), and two gilt-bronze statues of Buddha.

The temple is classified as Historic and Scenic Site No. 1 by the South Korean government. In 1995, Bulguksa was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List together with the Seokguram Grotto, which lies four kilometers to the east.

The temple is considered as a masterpiece of the golden age of Buddhist art in the Silla Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. kingdom. It is currently the head temple of the 11th district of thistrict of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism.

Anapji Pond (안압지) at Night

2010-11-17T23:09:00.000+09:00

This artifical pond was build in 674AD by King Munmu. After the fall of Silla (935), the pond fell into disrepair for many centuries...it was dredged, rebuilt and excavated from 1975-1986 and now the pond and replicated building serve as copies of the original Banwolseong Palace. Almost 33,000 pieces of historic relics were excavated from the site. Cool! And prettier at night.

Tumuli Park, Gyeongju (경주)

2010-11-17T22:56:00.001+09:00

We headed to Gyeongju this past week for some ancient Silla Kingdom action and fall foliage. I have to say the leaves were the most beautiful I think I've ever seen and Gyeongju wasn't too shabby either. It was really really a cool place. Capital of Korea for over 1000 years, starting in 57BC. Old.

Here are some snaps from Tumuli Park - the mounds are actually tombs of ancient Silla royalty and their families. One Cheonmachong (or "Heavenly Horse Tomb") was excavated, and heaps of gold crowns, jewels, ceramics and other personal belongings were found. Neat stuff.

Concentration Camp

2010-11-17T22:44:00.004+09:00

Not A Shoe Cubby

2010-11-17T22:44:00.002+09:00

where we found Helen's shoes Saturday morning...

Itaewon Street Rats

2010-11-17T22:43:00.000+09:00