photos of Angkor Thom

I am always on the lookout for new photos as I work on my 2nd book to keep me busy till my first book gets back from my editor. AndI am always researching and searching for photos to help me picture the time when my characters lived. I found this site with some fabulous photos that I hope you all enjoy. http://tripideas.org/angkor-thom-cambodia/

The link I found I had to copy and past but then after pasting it in the google search I was able to view. if I can figure how to fix I will. The photo, I am going to have to check and see in my book of bas reliefs which king it is. Being Angkor Thom I would think it is Jayavarman VII but not sure.
enjoy!!

The Apsaras...

This is another example of these women in motion. I firmly believe these women were real, breathing, living day in, day out at Angkor. Serving in some way. Some may have been just dancers, I think their purpose there was broader. Whether they were dancers, guardians, protectors, wives to officials, lovers to the

King and or someone in the royal family. These women lived and breathed. Their image has been preserved for all time for us to behold but wonder who they were. Oh, to have but a day with them...

Things

Well it's been a while since I have done a post. I am really itching to write but have no time. That's what happens when you have to work for a living and your kids are home on vacation. It's taken me two weeks to come to terms with the lack of time. The first couple days I was so stressed because I couldn't sit down and write. I know it will only get worse as my summer work schedule will start the 4th of July week-end. BUT though I can't write I can read and do research and also help my son Brendan on TRTF,the movie(The Road to Freedom). I told him I will help in a anyway I can. I am looking into any way I can get publicity for my book, it's a learning process and also now for his movie which will be released on a limited basis around the country and overseas.
So though I have been silent on the 2nd book, I am always working on it, just not getting many pages written. BUT I haven't planned on this one being a fast book. It's going to be much more in detail then the first. The first was the ground breaking book, my debute. Hopefully with this book I will gain an audience and an interest in The Kings of Angkor. I am anxiously awaiting to get my manuscript back from my editor to start on the editing.
When I do research I bounce ideas off my friend Kent Davis who is a lead researcher for the Apsaras. I read articles and then write up an email and if he is in the states he gets right back to me.
I was reading an article of his and it had this photo that I am going to put on here. When I saw the photo of the Apsaras and Devatas I could almost see the motion, like I had caught them moving. I think I read somewhere a description of them, this one group as nymphs, I think it's fitting. so I wanted to enclose it. I think if I have my way this will be my life's work. write novels so I can hopefully live off the income and then conduct research on these fascinating women who once lived.

Angkor Wat at Sunrise

The Queens

Jayavarman VII had two queens. At the time he came to the throne he was in his 60s and lived to be 90 or older. Pretty good considering the time he lived. I am sure like any of the kings of his time ,in that area of the world he not only had his queens but also multiple wives and concubines. BUT unlike the other Kings of Angkor he had two queens who reigned at the same time, with him. They were also sisters... Fortunately I have the photos from a Cambodian American who has been doing research on them. Where once many thought they were only Apsaras, with her work you can see the difference. The only thing we know of them is in the reliefs at Angkor Thom and Preah Khan. Just reliefs, no written history, just pictures in stone. So making one of the queens, Indradevi 3 dimensional is going to take all my creative powers. I had already created her, Indradevi, before I knew she really existed. I had named her Devi then found out one of his Queens was Indradevi... talk about one of those moments. Anyway I will be showing you more here about her as I find out. This 2nd book and the 3rd will be about the reign of the greatest King of Angkor Wat and his queen. Their story is too much, too big to confine to just one book. He was the builder King, the Buddha King. Once he was able to get the Cham out of his country he reigned in peace and built. He and his wives were the royal trio or triad, building roads and hospitals. Taking care of their people. The queens while they both lived, taught, were his wives and advisors. His building of Angkor Thom dwarfed Angkor Wat. If you look at satellite photos you can see the difference.
Well now that I have written for a while maybe I can sleep.
I just added a photo of a satellite image. In the photo you can se Angkor Thom in the upper left and then Angkor Wat below it.