A look at Siem Reap, Cambodia

Crossing Bridges had been in its fifth establishment. Was held in Siem Reap, Cambodia, it really impressed each participant. Four tooearly mornings, six days capturing, five nights reviewing; they were all magnificent. As it is well-known, Cambodia is exotic.

Keeping her magical beauty behind the shadiness of her jungles, sincerity of Cambodians’ smiles and greatness of her historic temples. Six days of hunting could be and could be not enough to picture her every side.
Scheduled for six days from November 11 to 16, 2008, 55 photographers from four South East Asia countries – Vietnam (Photo.vn), Singapore (Clubsnap.com), Malaysia (PhotoMalaysia.com) and Indonesia (Fotografer.net) – came one to two days earlier. Since Singapore was in turn to take charge, seven participants from Clubsnap had already been in Siem Reap two days earlier with Eddie Ng Kwok Yong leading, who was then the coordinator of CB5.

Among 55 participants from four different countries, Indonesia (Fotografer.net) had the biggest quota – 18 photographers coming from Medan, Jakarta, Solo, Surabaya, Balikpapan and Manado, plus an Indonesian living in Yangon, Myanmar. Impressing, Surprising This photographers’ enthusiasm excited Eddie Ng coordinating CB5.
“The cooperation between photographers from different countries was great. It was. But in CB5 what warmed my heart was during non-shooting times (on buses, during meals and after dinner activities); participants playing lots of jokes with participants from other countries, and we had a larger number of irrepressibly funny people from each country that kept things light-hearted,” said Eddie.

Alike Eddie, Kristupa Saragih, the leader of Indonesian participants, said “Another thing impressing is the enthusiasm of members from four countries to attend this trip. It shows that CB is important among the countries in Southeast Asian region.” With a lot of excitements, more than 55 cameras and tripods began their days of exploring Siem Reap’s magical sides.
For Indonesian participants, the day began in H-1; exploring the Bayon sites in Angkor Thom temples complex. With tuktuk, a motorcycle driven cart a la Cambodia with only two or three people fitted, they were on bad and even muddy roads with almost no wayside lighting.

Thus, this was eased by Angkor’s beautiful temples, bright blue sky and great sunshine. More of, the Bayon, Baphuon, South Kleang and North Kleang sites brought in their exoticisms through ancient reconstructed ruins, corridors with pillars, four entrance gates of four compass points, a pool with geese and 200-meter bridge-like construction with artistic pillars.

“I impressed with the destination. Angkor brings kind of magical feeling for me personally,” Kristupa admitted. The next day – the first scheduled day – began with capturing the crowd of a traditional market on one of the waysides in Siem Reap.
Though physically similar with ones in Indonesia – slummy, bad parking, bad driving, traffic jam – this market is photographically interesting. Fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices, meats, pottery/glassware and tent food-courts are more than enough to capture along with the crowd.

Ayahuasca Mestizo Shaman Javier Arevalo in the Amazon Rainforest – Part 2

In the second part of the interview with Javier, we continue to explore the use of Healing plants and Ayahuasca. discusses his involvement with the shamanic Plant medicines of the Amazon, and Ayahuasca in particular. Javier was interviewed by Howard G Charing and Peter Cloudsley in the Peru, Amazon Rainforest 2000.

Does each shaman have to find it all out for himself or is there a body of knowledge handed down?

The maestro goes with the apprentice into the wilderness and gives him the different plants and it is like a test or trial to overcome. The maestro is usually a member of family. In my case both my grandfather and my uncle were maestros. You go off deep into the forest with your maestro and make a very simple shelter or ‘tambo’. A shaman must not live in a big house, its just for sleeping and dieting.

How long do you have to diet the plant?

Just one day to know its process, the next day you move onto another. This is if you do not return to the city, you can get through a lot of plants. This is different from dieting a plant for a month say.

So does every condition or illness have a particular plant to remedy it or is it a spirit energy which comes through the plant which can cure many things?

One plant may cure lots of ailments. A particular plant has a spirit which can either heal or kill. As for example with another shaman (who we worked with earlier) , who had not dieted Ayahuasca correctly and poom! it caused fever and people caught colds.

So why would a plant kill or cure?

Because an hechicero (sorcerer) also learns from the plants. He may for example learn from dieting a plant which has spines or phlegm which could be good for certain things. But if he is bad no one can stop him and in the night ‘ffoooo’ he uses it for harm or to kill. These are the brujos who come back from the forest with eyes red like the huayruro (red beans with black spots). He is a bad shaman and we have to cure the people they harm.

Who would want to do such things?

There are some people who have a squabble with someone, and then they go off to see a brujo and say “this Senora talks too much and has insulted me, kill her and I’ll pay you”. They pay them and they do harm.

But the shaman who made us ill did not do it intentionally.

No, of ignorance. It was a shaman from the city not from the forest. He went away and left us to mop up the ill effects. He may have had a good teacher but does not diet, he is very fat! (People in the jungle are rarely fat.)

In addition he probably eats the day of the session and that is why he threw up himself!

How does this affect Westerners?

It doesn’t matter, they will probably throw up and not have any vision because when he blows he has condiments on his breath. However, it matters much less if the clients have eaten or not stuck rigorously to the diet. The important thing is that the shaman diets.

Note: There is much discrepancy between shamans concerning the question of vomiting. Some say it is necessary for the body to rid itself of what ever is necessary and that if they are not sick they might get ill. (Ayahusaca is often referred to as La Purga.) Others say if you vomit you will not have such good vision and on no account should a shaman vomit.

Why and how did you become a shaman?

I never thought of being a shaman. I took Ayahuasca from 14 years old just to clean my stomach. Later my father said I heard you chanting, you are going to be a shaman. I don’t want to I said. Later when I was 20 my father died from sorcery so then I wanted to learn in order to take vengeance. During my apprenticeship I had a change of heart and understood that God knew best in such situations.

Why did the brujo want to kill your father?

Because he was a curandero who had cured someone who had been harmed by the brujo. It happens because we curanderos undo the work of the brujos and they get angry with us. This is the famous spiritual battle between the brujos. When you cure you send the bad magic back to where it comes from and the brujos get their own dirty medicine back. This is why there is a fight between the good and the bad.

Amsterdam’s not so Seedy Red Light District

The erotic shop windows are just one aspect to the Red Light District, but there are also countless sex shops, peep shows and many brothels throughout this pretty district.

It could be said that this debauchery on display is one of the reasons Amsterdam is so famous, and its definitely fair to say this part of the city really does leave nothing to the imagination. However, despite the seedy connotations the Red Light District may conjure, the District is beautiful, clean and extremely safe.

One of the most talked about aspects to the Red Light District is the peep shows. If you’ve heard stories about what happens in the peep shows, the likelihood is they are true. There are various clubs which have shows, entry is not cheap, but it usually comes with drinks. The show consists of 4 different scenes which rotate throughout the night. What are these erotic scenes? There is a heterosexual scene, a lesbian scene, a dominatrix scene and a woman performing an erotic dance while doing various tricks (like smoking from her vagina).

The question on your tongue, do they actually have sex on the stage? Yes. The performers have full blown sex right in front of your very eyes. The heterosexual pair does not just have missionary sex, but doggie style, they perform the 69er, and the lesbian scene fulfils every man’s fantasy. The dominatrix scene even involves member from the audience (no sex, don’t worry!) There is nothing left to the imagination in these shows.

The various scenes last about 10 minutes each and they rotate throughout the night. The clubs are clean and viewing the shows is comfortable and interesting to say the least. The later the night becomes the busier the clubs become, and every night throughout the week this area draws a crowd.

The Red Light District is not the only raunchy area of the city. Amsterdam is also home to the sex museum, which takes a look at sex through the ages. The museum is in a different part of the city, and it is relatively small and contains some interesting information about sex although it mainly consists of pictures on walls and magazine clippings.

The Red Light District in Amsterdam is a unique. It’s not seedy visiting the area if you stay on the main streets and respect the girls. I.e., taking photos of girls is not at all acceptable. It’s definitely worth visiting this area and seeing what Amsterdam is famous for (a part from the cafes) – the shop windows and peep shows.

Borneo Orangutan Holiday | Borneo Adventure Trekking Kalimantan

more info www.gtbtours.com
Borneo Advenure Tour 15 Days

Tour Code : GTB / BRN / 02
Participant : Minimum 2 Person
Departure : Daily
Price : will send upon request !

DAY 01. BALIKPAPAN ON ARRIVAL
Fly From Bali or Jakarta , Leaving for Balikpapan. Arrive at Balikpapan Airport. Pick up and Meeting service by our local Staff. Free at Leisure ,Dinner Service and Overnight at the hotel (D).

DAY 02. BALIKPAPAN-LONG LUNUK-TIONG OHANG
After Breakfast , Transfer to the airport for a pioneer small flight to Long Lunuk. Proceed up stream Mahakam river by motorized canoe to Tiong Ohang. Accommodation in local house with basic facilities (B,L,D)

DAY 03. TIONG OHANG-MUARA HUBUNG-ATIKOP HILL-MUARA SAITE
On motorized canoe passing rapids to Muara Hubung. Start to trek and climb the Atikop hill on the way to Muara Saite Camp. Overnight in tents (B,L,D)

DAY 04. MUARA SAITE-SUNGAI BEKANA-ARINGE
Through out primary rain forest, the trek is going deeper. Our next jungle camping is in Aringe. Meals prepared, and overnight in bivouac (B,L,D).

DAY 05. ARINGE-MULLER RANGE
To day, we’ll trekking fullday to reach The Muller Range,the highland between East and West Borneo. Overnight in tents (B,L,D)

. DAY 06. MULLER RANGE-SUNGAI SABANG
Passing the border of East and West Borneo on Muller Range. Go down the hill to reach Sungai Sabang in west side of Borneo. Overnight in tents (B,L,D).

DAY 07. SUNGAI SABANG-LUBANG DUNGAN-BUNGAN LEA
Continue the trekking through hills and river to Bungan Lea. Overnight in tents (B,L,D).

DAY 08: BUNGAN LEA-BRAKAN
Trekking along the river, up and down the hill to Brakan. Overnight in tents (B,L,D).

DAY 09. BRAKAN-SUNGAI BULIT-DATAH OPET Another trekking day to reach Datah Opet, through Sungai Bulit. Overnight in tents (B,L,D).

DAY 10: DATAH OPET-BURU HONGKANE-TANJUNG LOKANG VILLAGE Continue trekking to Tanjung Lokang. Overnight in tents (B,L,D).

DAY 11. TANJUNG LOKANG VILLAGE
Free program at Tanjung Lokang Village for rest and relax. Overnight in local house with basic facilities (B,L,D).

DAY 12. TANJUNG LOKANG-KAPUAS RIVER-NANGA LAMPUNG-PUTUSIBAU
Down Stream of Kapuas River, passing some rapids to Putus Sibau. Overnight at simple hotel (B,L,D).

DAY 13. PUTUSIBAU-SINTANG-PONTIANAK
Leave Putusibau by public bus to Ponianak via Sintang. Overnight on the bus en route (B,L,D).

DAY 14. PONTIANAK
Arrive in Pontianak early morning. Procced to hotel for rest.(B,L,D).

DAY 15. PONTIANAK – DEPARTURE
This is the End of this Long Adventure , After Breakfast at your hotel, transfer to the airport for your next destination ( B )

Priced Included :
Airport Pick up at Kalimantan ,Land Transports on trip,Boat Charter on Trip, Cook During The Jungle Trekking, Porter , Hotel Accomodation, tent Accomodation, Local house accomodation,Breakfast , Lunch, dinner on Trip , Mineral Water, Coffe /Tea on trip, Guide Fees, Entrance Fees, Donations.

Priced Excluded :
Return Airfares, Return Airport Taxes, Soft Drinks, Beers & Any Alcohol Drinks, ETC, That we Doesn’t Copy to this Page.

Borneo Orangutan Holiday | Borneo Adventure Kalimantan

Adventure Travel Guide

There are many places that you can go on an travel adventure. Regardless of where you intend on travelling, always be sure to check out all of your options. Going on vacation is best when you are going to a place you’ll enjoy. North Africa is a wonderful place to visit at any time of the year. Not only is this continent very large, there are hundreds of interesting places to see. Algeria, Egypt, and Libya are three must see countries in Africa.

Although Algeria is not visited much, there are still many wonderful things to see here. The biggest of them all is perhaps the Sahara Desert. The sheer size of this desert will pull you in and keep you occupied in whatever adventure travel you choose to embark upon. You will also see many great Roman ruins in Algeria. This makes the country a great place for those interested in history.

No adventure travel would be complete without touring the ancient country of Egypt. The magnificent Pyramids of Giza and the White Desert are just two of the wonders in this place. If water travelling is your desire you will want to check out the Nile River. Be careful of the crocodiles though! The Nile is a beautiful place rich with life. People say it may very well be the lifeline of the entire continent of Africa.

Although Libya may not be an incredibly popular place to travel, it still has much to offer. Have you ever ridden upon the back of a camel? You will have the option to travel that way in this country. For those interested in World Heritage Sites, Libya offers you quite a few spots to check out. Make sure to check out the Leptis Magna when in Libya, one of its museums.