- Accessible scholarly treatment of one of the world's most iconic sites John Burgess masterfully brings to life the modern history of Cambodia's fabled Angkor temples, from their "discovery" by French explorers in the mid-19th century, through to the latter part of the 20th century, when celebrity visitors included a well publicised one by Jackie Onassis and making Angkor one of the top 3 monuments to visit in the world. An invaluable and riveting book about one of the greatest man-made wonders in the world.

Mannikka takes the reader on a detailed tour of Angkor Wat, moving from the western entrance bridge, across the long causeway to the central galleries, and up to the central tower itself, showing what the design of the temple tells us about Khmer beliefs regarding their king, their deities, and the world around them. Detailed temple plans illustrating measurement patterns and numerous photographs of all parts of the temple accompany the text. Angkor Wat: Time, Space, and Kingship shows clearly the role that astronomy, history, cosmology, and politics can play in determining a structure's format and dimensions. The new methods of architectural analysis pioneered here will serve as a model for architectural historians in Asia and elsewhere.

"Angkor, the temple and palace complex of the ancient Khmer capital in Cambodiais one of the world's most famous monuments. Hundreds of thousands oftourists from all over the globe visit Angkor Park, one of the finest UNESCO WorldHeritage Sites, every year. Since its UNESCO listing in 1992, the Angkor regionhas experienced an overwhelming mushrooming of hotels and restaurants; theinfrastructure has been hardly able to cope with the rapid growth of mass tourismand its needs. This applies to the access and use of monument sites as well. The authors of this book critically describe and analyse the heritage nominationprocesses in Cambodia, especially in the case of Angkor and the temple ofPreah Vihear on the Cambodian/Thai border. They examine the implications theUNESCO listings have had with regard to the management of Angkor Park andits inhabitants on the one hand, and to the Cambodian/Thai relationships on theother. Furthermore, they address issues of development through tourism thatUNESCO has recognised as a welcome side-effect of heritage listings. They raisethe question whether development through tourism deepens already existinginequalities rather than contributing to the promotion of the poor"--Publisher's description.

Written by the founders of HoneyTrek.com, this inspiring book reveals hidden-gem destinations and insider tips for unforgettable couples travel. In these informative pages, Mike and Anne Howard--officially the World's Longest Honeymooners and founders of the acclaimed travel blog HoneyTrek--whisk you away to journeys of a lifetime. Drawing on their experience traveling together across seven continents, they curate the globe and offer tested-and-approved recommendations for intrepid couples, bringing culture, adventure, and romance to any couple--no matter their age or budget. Chapters are organized by type of destination (for example, beaches, mountains, and deserts) to help travelers discover new places and experiences based on their interests. Each entry focuses on a specific region, getting to the essence of each locale and its one-of-a-kind offerings. The authors reveal the best time to visit, the best places to stay, and recommended activities--each with their own adventure rating to illustrate level of intensity. Special features include funny and insightful stories from the Howards' own adventures, expert advice from other renowned traveling couples, and tips to increase the romance and excitement at each destination. A large map shows every location covered in the book, and each entry has a locator map depicting the city and country. Both entertaining and informative, this book is an invaluable resource and inspiration for a lifetime of travel.

A standard description of Coral Castle goes like this: Coral Castle is a love monument built by an eccentric man called Edward Leedskalnin. The Castle is a giant doll house built for Ed's sweet sixteen and his imaginary children. Ed built stone models of household objects like couches, bathtub, cooker, etc to be used by his fictional family. He also created strange meaningless carvings like the moon fountain and obelisk to impress his lost love. Experts have shown that there is nothing mysterious about the castle or how it was constructed, just one man's persistent work. In this book, you will see that all the above statements are false. The chapters ahead will prove beyond any dispute that: 1)Coral Castle was NOT built as a love monument. 2)The Castle is NOT a giant doll house built for Ed's imaginary family. 3)There are NO meaningless objects in Coral Castle, each one has a specific meaning or purpose. 4)Opinions of experts and engineers are fundamentally flawed about Coral Castle. This book was not written to show how Coral Castle was built, but WHY Coral Castle was built. Why did Edward Leedskalnin, a 100 pound man with a 4th grade education, attempt to build the only modern megalithic mystery in the world? In addition to this, you will find answers to other burning questions like: a)What is the real meaning of objects like the Barbecue Cooker and Repentance Corner? b)Why did Ed move to the US from Latvia? c)What made Ed carve strange objects like the Stonehenge and Obelisk? d)Why did Ed carve planets and multiple moons side by side? e)Was Ed afflicted with Tuberculosis? f)Why did Ed choose to build Coral Castle in Southern Florida? g)What is the meaning of the drawing on the red door? h)Why did Ed place dozens of rocking chairs all over the Castle? By the end of this book, I hope you will have a very different view of Coral Castle and Edward Leedskalnin.

Jacquie Mouhot and Paaku the Lotus-Born are divided by six centuries but linked by a common curse. In medieval Cambodia, Paaku is an orphan whose community believes he may be a reluctant incarnation of a god, causing sectarian turmoil for the kingdom's leaders. Meanwhile, in 1921, Jacquie follows the footsteps of her grandfather, a famous explorer, to Indochina, where she becomes immersed in the tragedy of Paaku's history: a story simultaneously unfolding in the intertwined present and past, a story in which she still has a vital role to play.