My Angkor Movie

Passage to Angkor
Uploaded by imogen_ph

Presenting my Angkor movie. The file runs for 4 minutes 12 seconds. Click on "Play" to start the movie. Turn up the volume. If the video stops and starts, just let it load until the end, and then replay. It should go smoothly then. Known to work in IE (on PC) and Firefox (on Mac). Freezes up on Netscape (PC) in my case, but that may be due to a glitch in my Shockwave plug-in. I don't know about other browsers.

The song is Somewhere Only We Know by Keane.

Is this the place we used to love?
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?

Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on.
So tell me when you're gonna let me in,
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin.
And if you have a minute why don't we go,
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything.
So why don't we go, somewhere only we know,
Somewhere only we know.

Images from Angkor # 3

Sunrise over Angkor Wat, 2/13/2007

The sun rises over Angkor Wat, the temple considered to be one of the most perfect architectural structures in the world. Built sometime in the 12th century under the rule of Suryavarman II, it took 37 years to accomplish. How many suns have risen and shone over Angkor Wat? This thought alone is staggering.

Images from Angkor # 2

South Gate, Angkor Thom. 2/11/2007

Angkor Thom or "Great City", measuring about 900 hectares, is said to be one of the largest cities in its heyday (from the 12th to the 17th century). It was built by Jayavarman VII, the most prolific Khmer god-king known for building some of the most magnificent temples in all of Angkor. One reaches the South gate through a causeway flanked by 54 gods on the left, and 54 asuras (demons) on the right, each row tugging on an end of a great naga (a multi-headed snake), depicting a scene from the great Hindu creation myth of the Churning of the Sea of Milk. On top of the 75-foot gate is a tower with four faces representing each of the cardinal directions.

Images from Angkor # 1

The walls of Nirvana are lined with apsaras.
2/11/2007, Angkor Wat, Cambodia.

On the list of the things that I will miss

Before I get into that, here's an interesting tidbit. Yesterday, Elliott fans found out that Amazon has Elliott's debut album available for pre-order. By the end of the day, Elliott sat at the top of the Movers & Shakers (which lists the top gainers within 24 hours), with a stratospheric 10,000% increase in pre-orders. (I kid you not.) This happened with no clip of any kind, no track list or any other information, not even a picture, nothing but his name. Unreal, huh? This morning, the cd cover was revealed. Behold the Elliott Yamin debut album cover. I much prefer if they had used this, though. Or even this.

Anyway. I'm finally leaving tomorrow for Bangkok. (Angkor here we come!) A couple of music events I will miss, which I hope some of you can catch for moi:

• AOL's Exclusive First Listen - a full preview of Elliott's new single Movin' On. I'm not sure whether people outside the US will be able to access it. Wouldn't hurt to try though. In any case, if AOL doesn't work, wait a bit and I'm sure the song will turn up at youtube or at numerous blogs. Go check Elliott's AOL page here.

• The digital release of Movin' On on February 13. Ah, will somebody please text me and tell me about it? *batts eyelashes*

• American Idol will offer up its "Best of the Rest" auditions tomorrow night. Keep your eyes (and ears) peeled for a Korean soul singer named Paul Kim. That's right, an Asian soul singer! Word has been good on this guy's chances. Check out his myspace here (clickie!), he has 4 songs posted there. I love his voice, very soulful, quite John Legend-y, only silkier.

• I've never paid much attention to the Grammy awards, but this time I would like to watch it. Too bad I will still be out by the time the show airs (Feb. 11 in the US). Sting will reunite with The Police for the opening number, plus John Legend, John Mayer, and Corinne Bailey Rae (who I have heard much about) will be performing together. I guess I'll catch these on youtube too.

I think that's about all. If I'm able, I will try to post from Siem Reap. Until then, ciao for the while. Will be back after a week.

Movin' On indeed!

Sony/ATV has finally put up a sample of Elliott's first single, Movin' On, which will be available digitally starting February 13.

(Frack, I'll be in Angkor then. L, my friend, gift me with this one through iTunes ha? *smacks lips*)

Listen to the sample clip on youtube or at Rickey's.


`Cause you know as time moves on
I won't always be around
And I'll be gone and I won't always be down
`Cause I'm leaving it up to you
And you know this much is true
As time moves on it's gonna be gone
And I'm movin on.

I know it sounds crazy but I just can't do this
It feels like we're wasting time so I'll get to it...

[Thanks to momzcool of royalmisfits.com (formerly yaminions.com) for transcribing the lyrics.]

Addendum: The clip was originally up at the Sony/ATV website, but after several hours it was pulled. (Perhaps it was put out there for professionals in the industry, they did not expect E fans to find it so quickly.) Naturally some fans were already able to record it, so the clip is now in even more accessible sites (as I posted above). February 13 can't come soon enough.

Contemplating Rumi & Roses

"In the driest whitest stretch of pain's infinite desert, I lost my sanity and found this rose." -- Rumi

My sincerest thanks to my co-workers, oy!

[A few more rose pics in my Flickr gallery. All taken with the SE K800i.]