Friday Foto: Angkor Thom, Cambodia

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Angkor Thom (literally, "Great City"), is located in Cambodia, and was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire. Established in the late twelfth century by king Jayavarman VII, it covers an area of nine square kilometres.

I visited Angkor Thom during my month long stay in Cambodia during February 2011, and was left overwhelmed by the scale and beauty of this great complex. Like the other stunning temples around Siem Reap – Angkor Wat being probably the most famous – Angkor Thom has suffered from weathering, wars, and from the stupidity and vandalism of the Khmer Rouge during their murderous reign.

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Thankfully though, much remains to be admired (and photographed), by the hordes of visitors that swarm over the great temple sites and ancient cities of Cambodia.

Most of the great Angkor ruins have vast displays of bas-relief depicting the various gods, goddesses, and other-worldly beings from the mythological stories and epic poems of ancient Hinduism (modified by centuries of Buddhism). Mingled with these images are actual known animals, like elephants, snakes, fish, and monkeys, in addition to dragon-like creatures that look like the stylized, elongated serpents (with feet and claws) found in Chinese art. [Source: Wikipedia…]

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One can only marvel at the size and scope of the thousands of bas reliefs carved into the laterite from which the buildings of Angkor Thom are constructed. How many artisans and sculptors worked – though slaved may be a better word – for how many years to build, carve and shape these ancient cities and temples? And in an age when the average life expectancy of most Khmer people would have been less than 50 years, how many spent their whole working lives on these monumental construction projects – living, working and dying within the shadows of these buildings?

Definitely, worth a visit, and should be in the Top 10 of any travellers ‘bucket list’.

Angkor Thom in popular culture
The film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider features several characters visiting Angkor Thom during their trip to Cambodia to recover the first piece of the Triangle of Light.

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Go Folk Yourself Summerfest

I recently discovered the wonderful Kickstarter website. Kickstarter enables visitors from all around the world to provide financial support for projects of all types under the following general categories: Art, Comics, Dance, Design, Fashion, Film & Video, Food, Games, Music, Photography, Technology, Theater, and Writing & Publishing.

The idea works like this: individuals or groups seeking funding for their personal projects post details and offer a range of incentives to financial backers in the hope they will raise enough money to see them complete whatever project they are working on.

Kickstarter
In essence, Kickstarter is a great way to fund creative projects. The organisers behind the site believe that a good idea, communicated well, can spread fast and wide, and that a large group of people can be a tremendous source of money and encouragement. The internet of course, is perfectly suited to this type of concept, and the rise of Kickstarter, and similar sites, is a testament to the collective power of the internet, coupled with social networking and the ability for internet users to safely and securely make micro payments as low as one dollar.

Why do people, like myself, support projects? Some support projects because the know the people behind the project, others like me do it because they are hooked by the idea and the concept behind a particular venture. Still other people will support a project for the rewards offered by project creators, and so it goes.

Since Kickstarter is focused on creative projects, it is a great way for artists, filmmakers, musicians, designers, writers, illustrators, explorers, curators, performers, and others to bring their ideas to life.

While non-US citizens are able to pledge financial support for Kickstarter projects, they are currently unable to start their own projects. However, the Kickstarter team are working on this issue and hope to be able to offer ways for non-US citizens to launch their own projects via the site.

Scammers and Charlatans
“But wait a minute,” I hear you say, “what’s to stop people raising money for a non-existent project and simply pocketing the money.”

While there are no absolute guarantees that project creators will actually follow through and complete their projects, let alone start them, there are some safeguards built into the whole process. For a start, project creators have to ‘sell’ their ideas to potential backers. They do this by keeping in constant contact with backers through regular email and video updates and other forms of electronic contact. You can write to project organisers and ask them questions, or leave public comments on the project page, and interact with them in other ways.

In addition, most people seeking funding for their projects come to Kickstarter with a past history of work in the project area they are raising funds for. For example, if a band is raising money for their latest album, they may have already released other albums, or at the very least have a band website you can check out. They may also have Facebook, MySpace and Twitter profiles in the bands name where you can check that they are who they claim to be.

None of this guarantees that a project is legit. However, given that project organisers need to set a minimum of 30 days (and in many cases 60 days) to raise money for their ventures, backers have plenty of time to follow the project and withdraw their support if they think someone is running a scam.

Go Folk Yourself Summer Fest
A good example of this ‘due diligence’, can be seen with one of the projects I am currently supporting: the Go Folk Yourself Summer Fest, currently being planned for Williamsburg’s Cooper Park, Brooklyn, New York.

NOTE: If video doesn't load click on link to view on the GFY Kickstarter page

Go Folk Yourself (GFY) is a Music Video Newsblog that promotes independent artists in Brooklyn. This volunteer organization has organized over 15 shows in the past year, and is now planning to throw a free festival showcasing the best of Brooklyn’s independent and folk musicians!

Each show they produce is posted online, and the organization has its own website and YouTube page. Reading through the information on their Kickstarter page, reveals several video’s, updates, and a breakdown of the budget they have put together for their GFY Summer Fest.

As of this writing, the Go Folk Yourself Summer Fest has 43 Backers, $1,705 in pledges, and 26 days to reach their target of $5,500. If they don’t reach their target, project funding fails, and backers are not billed for their pledges.

To learn more about the way you can support Kickstarter projects, or start your own, make sure you read through the Frequently Asked Questions. As I wrote a few weeks ago in a piece called  It Doesn't Take Much to Make a Difference, there are a host of great ideas out there looking for support and funding, and Kickstarter and other sites like it make it easy to do this with a minimum of fuss and risk.

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Macy’s July 4 Fireworks

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Today is July 4th, Independence Day in America. So happy birthday, America. I’m sure you will celebrate in your usual style: with patriotic speeches, flag-waving, unbridled commerce, and of course, lots of fireworks.

2011 marks the 35th year that the Macy’s department store will be staging their famous fireworks display in New York City, and the spectacular demonstration of pyrotechnics will also celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty, as well as the nation’s 235th birthday party.

Undoubtedly the country’s largest fireworks display, vantage points along the Hudson River between 23rd and 59th streets will be at a premium when more than 3 million New Yorkers and visitors, pack the area before the first of more than 40,000 fireworks rises into the night sky. Meanwhile, millions more will be watching the event on television.

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Last year, at this time, I was making my way to a vantage point along the Hudson River to see my first Macy’s July 4th fireworks display. I had great expectations for this famous event, having read and heard about it from time to time over a period of many years.

Unfortunately, when it finally came and went, I couldn’t help feeling that the actual event was something of an anticlimax to the hours of waiting in stifling heat and long lines that snaked their way to the too few Port-a-loos, hot dog carts, and drink vendors.

Maybe I am hard to please, but I don’t think so. Having arrived at the park along the West Side Highway during the afternoon, I expected to find an exciting program of music and family friendly events scheduled throughout the day. After all, what are three million people supposed to do before the first rocket blasts into the darkness at 9:00PM?

The answer, it seemed, was – not much.

As the minutes ticked into hours, and a hot, humid day turned into a test of endurance – especially for those who had arrived early – there was not a lot revellers could do but conserve their energy, eat overpriced junk food, drink lots of water, and wait.

And wait.

At some point during the afternoon the crowd was woken from its torpor to the sight and sounds of a military flyover featuring a number of air force fighters that followed the path of the Hudson River up the length of Manhattan before returning down the river and disappearing into the blue haze.

That, if you didn’t include the occasional police helicopter passing overhead, was pretty much the extent of the afternoons entertainment. That, and a New York City fire department boat spraying jets of water high into the air as dusk fell, which, to be honest, was probably the highlight of the day for me.

Apparently, again this year, “Revelers along the viewing areas will enjoy a FDNY Fireboat Water Show and a military flyover of four F-15's from the Air National Guard's 104th Fighter Wing.”

The theme for the event in 2011 is Gift of Freedom, and in addition to saluting the lady in the harbor, Macy's will also commemorate the 10th anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001 with a tribute in light during a soaring rendition of Amazing Grace. All in all, it is bound to be an exciting, spectacular and emotional finish to America’s birthday celebrations.

The most obvious question remains: was it worth the hours of waiting, and would I do it again? I know, I know, that’s two questions. Ultimately, I would have to say, Yes, it was worth the hours of waiting, and No, I wouldn’t do it again.

Having arrived in New York City just days before July 4, I was keen to experience this national holiday in the company of millions of New Yorkers and fellow visitors, and I’m glad I made the effort despite the heat and the hours of waiting. However, this is one event I am more than happy to cross off my bucket list in favour of any number of other choices available to the visitor in New York City on Independence Day.

Be that as it may: Happy 235th Birthday, America. I hope you have a great day.

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