Footnote to All Prayers-C.S. Lewis
He whom I bow to only knows to whom I bow
When I attempt the ineffable Name, murmuring Thou,
And dream of Pheidian fancies and embrace in heart
Symbols (I know) which cannot be the thing Thou art.
Thus always, taken at their word, all prayers blaspheme
Worshipping with frail images a folk-lore dream,
And all men in their praying, self-deceived, address
The coinage of their own unquiet thoughts, unless
Thou in magnetic mercy to Thyself divert
Our arrows, aimed unskillfully, beyond desert;
And all men are idolators, crying unheard
To a deaf idol, if Thou take them at their word.
Take not, O Lord, our literal sense. Lord, in thy great
Unbroken speech our limping metaphor translate.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Pictures: Second Half of the Trip
Here's a few more pictures.
View of Nha Trang from Vin Pearl Island
Looking north on the beach
Rice paddies in Vietnam
Typical Saigon street traffic...motos everywhere. There's an estimated 4.5 million in the city.
South gate to Angkor Thom in Siem Reap
At the Bayon temple...my favorite of the Angkor ruins. All those towers have faces carved into them looking out at the four cardinal points.
A quiet spot around Angkor Thom.
My three comrades walking to the east (back) side of Angkor Wat.
At Angkor Wat.
The trees destroying man's work by wedging roots between the stones at Ta Prohm. The whole temple is like this, which makes it quite popular. Part of Tomb Raider was filmed here.
Banteay Srei. A tiny, but beautiful temple north of most of the ruins.
With our tuk-tuk driver Mr. Hant. He was our driver for most of our tour of Angkor. A tuk-tuk is basically a moto pulling a trailer with seats. We did most of our local travel in Cambodia in these.
On the (in)famous bamboo train in Battabong.
Moving one of the trains off the rails when you met someone coming the other way.
La Fini
View of Nha Trang from Vin Pearl Island
Looking north on the beach
Rice paddies in Vietnam
Typical Saigon street traffic...motos everywhere. There's an estimated 4.5 million in the city.
South gate to Angkor Thom in Siem Reap
At the Bayon temple...my favorite of the Angkor ruins. All those towers have faces carved into them looking out at the four cardinal points.
A quiet spot around Angkor Thom.
My three comrades walking to the east (back) side of Angkor Wat.
At Angkor Wat.
The trees destroying man's work by wedging roots between the stones at Ta Prohm. The whole temple is like this, which makes it quite popular. Part of Tomb Raider was filmed here.
Banteay Srei. A tiny, but beautiful temple north of most of the ruins.
With our tuk-tuk driver Mr. Hant. He was our driver for most of our tour of Angkor. A tuk-tuk is basically a moto pulling a trailer with seats. We did most of our local travel in Cambodia in these.
On the (in)famous bamboo train in Battabong.
Moving one of the trains off the rails when you met someone coming the other way.
La Fini
Respect in Bangkok
"Umm...I think we're supposed to stand." Somewhat hesitantly, Andy, Ashley and I got out of our chairs while we heard giggles behind us. On screen were the words, "Please stand to pay respect for the king."
Part of the reason we were able to find cheap tickets was that the return flight included a 13 hour layover in Bangkok. Sitting in the airport for that long didn't really appeal to us, so we decided to go into the city, even though it meant we had to pay an airport tax. We went to a restaurant that Andy had been to the previous year, and then we walked around for a bit. Nearby was a mall, and we figured if the tickets were cheap enough, why not catch a movie? The showtime was 3:50, but we quickly realized that was the time they were going to let us into the theater. After the usually run of previews, they showed a propaganda piece on why their king was so great, told through the eyes of a little kid. Then there was a short film that seemed to be conveying a message that people shouldn't riot next week when they release the verdict on a former gov't official, because it disrupted people's lives the last time there was unrest. These were in Thai, but it was easy to figure them out. Then the words flashed on screen. Unsure, we hesitated until figuring it was the appropriate thing to do. Why else would they have it in English as well? What followed was what I assume was the national anthem with grainy old videos of the king through his life, helping the people and the country of course. I've never experienced anything like it. Sure, we pay respect to those in high positions, but only when they are there in person. More often than not, we stand for the national anthem or the like, which transcends an individual. An interesting encounter with monarchy.
Part of the reason we were able to find cheap tickets was that the return flight included a 13 hour layover in Bangkok. Sitting in the airport for that long didn't really appeal to us, so we decided to go into the city, even though it meant we had to pay an airport tax. We went to a restaurant that Andy had been to the previous year, and then we walked around for a bit. Nearby was a mall, and we figured if the tickets were cheap enough, why not catch a movie? The showtime was 3:50, but we quickly realized that was the time they were going to let us into the theater. After the usually run of previews, they showed a propaganda piece on why their king was so great, told through the eyes of a little kid. Then there was a short film that seemed to be conveying a message that people shouldn't riot next week when they release the verdict on a former gov't official, because it disrupted people's lives the last time there was unrest. These were in Thai, but it was easy to figure them out. Then the words flashed on screen. Unsure, we hesitated until figuring it was the appropriate thing to do. Why else would they have it in English as well? What followed was what I assume was the national anthem with grainy old videos of the king through his life, helping the people and the country of course. I've never experienced anything like it. Sure, we pay respect to those in high positions, but only when they are there in person. More often than not, we stand for the national anthem or the like, which transcends an individual. An interesting encounter with monarchy.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Images of Siem Reap
The sun hitting giant stone faces, hundreds of years old. The monkeys fighting over scraps of food. Gray water buffalo standing in the mud. Thin white cows tied by the side of the road. Little boys peeing in full view of everyone. Barefoot children in school uniforms walking in the dust. Motos with whole families piled onto them. The smell of incense in the dark shadows. Bumping up and down, up and down as we throttle along, passing all the other tuk-tuks. Hearing stories from our driver of his relatives during the Khmer Rouge era. Linchen covered stone. Climbing up steep staircases carved ions ago. Land mine victims. Beggars. Vendors. Quiet, picturesque scenes in the forest. Loud, bustling, tourist areas. Fresh fruit. Looking over the jungle from on top of a pyramid temple and hearing languages from all over the world. Trees as living destroyers, tearing down man's stonework. Sweating. "Cold water? Our water is the coldest!" Singing acapella in front of a Cambodian church. Smiling. Dust. Heat. More heat. Seeing Hinduism and Buddhism clash/meld in somewhat confusion at the Angkor ruins. Houses on stilts. Realizing why people take siestas during the heat of the day. Being our own tour guides. Having a favorite cheap restaurant where the guy recognizes us. Bartering. Taking multiple cold showers a day. Marveling at the size and scope of the Angkor ruins. Thanksgiving to God for safety and this opportunity.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Some Pictures
Here's just a small sample of the trip so far.
First meal in Cambodia. We were the only foreigners in the market and everyone was staring.
Tuel Sleng Prison (S-21), the secret prison of the Khmer Rouge in Phnom Penh.
Killing Fields...words cannot describe.
Canoeing(?) on part of the Mekong Delta tour. The women paddling made me help, which I think was a form of fat tax.
A participant in the floating market on the Mekong in Cantho.
Looking northeast from central Nha Trang. It's beautiful and relaxing here.
First meal in Cambodia. We were the only foreigners in the market and everyone was staring.
Tuel Sleng Prison (S-21), the secret prison of the Khmer Rouge in Phnom Penh.
Killing Fields...words cannot describe.
Canoeing(?) on part of the Mekong Delta tour. The women paddling made me help, which I think was a form of fat tax.
A participant in the floating market on the Mekong in Cantho.
Looking northeast from central Nha Trang. It's beautiful and relaxing here.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Week 1
So just a quick update on the trip.
We stayed in Phnom Penh for a few days to start things off. Got our visas for Vietnam, visited Toul Sleng (S-21), the Killing Fields, and the Royal Palace. Toul Sleng and the Killing Fields were shocking and numbing much the same was Auswitz was for me. Words really cannot describe the experience of standing inches away from human skulls. We also got to meet up with some CRC missionaries who knew some of my family from Nigeria. The city was a bit more developed then I expected, but there was still a stark contrast between the rich and the poor. Lots of motorbikes as very few people seemed to be walking around. On the way to Siagon I saw a lot of the countryside which was a bit more rustic, but there's still a lot evidence of rapid development.
Siagon was a bustling place with even more motorbikes (an estimated 4 million of them for 6 million residents). Crossing the street was always an adventure, but you could pick up the pattern quickly. We visited the War Remnants Museum which was interesting mostly for its onesidedness. The only things listed were the horrors of war inflicted by the Americans as if the VC and NVA were innocent victims. It would have been much more beneficial if it showed the horrors of war in a balanced manner, but I guess propaganda is to be expected. Next, we took a two day tour of the Mekong Delta. A lot of it was pretty much geared for tourists, but we got to see a fair amount that we probably wouldn't have experienced on our own. Much of what I saw there reminded me of pictures of the slums in the Philippines that I've seen. I've seen quite a few churches here which has surprised me. Vietnam seems much more modern than Cambodia.
After a night bus, we're up at Nha Trang (google earth it) which seems much more laid back. The beach is nice and there's some islands off the coast that we can explore. Looking forward to the next few days here immensely.
Vietnamese food is delicious and cheap! The French colonial influence is evident in the availablity of baguettes everywhere which is making me very happy.
Wish I could write more, but there's not really time as I'm in an internet cafe and the best stories are told in person anyways.
We stayed in Phnom Penh for a few days to start things off. Got our visas for Vietnam, visited Toul Sleng (S-21), the Killing Fields, and the Royal Palace. Toul Sleng and the Killing Fields were shocking and numbing much the same was Auswitz was for me. Words really cannot describe the experience of standing inches away from human skulls. We also got to meet up with some CRC missionaries who knew some of my family from Nigeria. The city was a bit more developed then I expected, but there was still a stark contrast between the rich and the poor. Lots of motorbikes as very few people seemed to be walking around. On the way to Siagon I saw a lot of the countryside which was a bit more rustic, but there's still a lot evidence of rapid development.
Siagon was a bustling place with even more motorbikes (an estimated 4 million of them for 6 million residents). Crossing the street was always an adventure, but you could pick up the pattern quickly. We visited the War Remnants Museum which was interesting mostly for its onesidedness. The only things listed were the horrors of war inflicted by the Americans as if the VC and NVA were innocent victims. It would have been much more beneficial if it showed the horrors of war in a balanced manner, but I guess propaganda is to be expected. Next, we took a two day tour of the Mekong Delta. A lot of it was pretty much geared for tourists, but we got to see a fair amount that we probably wouldn't have experienced on our own. Much of what I saw there reminded me of pictures of the slums in the Philippines that I've seen. I've seen quite a few churches here which has surprised me. Vietnam seems much more modern than Cambodia.
After a night bus, we're up at Nha Trang (google earth it) which seems much more laid back. The beach is nice and there's some islands off the coast that we can explore. Looking forward to the next few days here immensely.
Vietnamese food is delicious and cheap! The French colonial influence is evident in the availablity of baguettes everywhere which is making me very happy.
Wish I could write more, but there's not really time as I'm in an internet cafe and the best stories are told in person anyways.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Leaving on a jetplane...
Two days and a wakeup (early) until Cambodia and Vietnam. I still have some things to do, but I think things are looking good. I've done some planning and most of the important stuff is taken care of, I think. Notable exceptions would be travelers insurance and getting a Typhoid vaccination. The former is necessary, the latter we'll see about tomorrow. I'm assuming the doctor will know better than I do.
I found out that I can shoot a RPG (rocket propelled grenade) for $200 in Cambodia...it's awfully tempting, but I think the price is a little out of my backpacker budget. I was going to see if people wanted to live vicariously through me and help sponsor me, but then decided that was too selfish. It will be a great trip even without blowing something up.
Hopefully the next time you'll hear from me, I'll be in a warmer climate. Please pray for safe travels for the four of us.
I found out that I can shoot a RPG (rocket propelled grenade) for $200 in Cambodia...it's awfully tempting, but I think the price is a little out of my backpacker budget. I was going to see if people wanted to live vicariously through me and help sponsor me, but then decided that was too selfish. It will be a great trip even without blowing something up.
Hopefully the next time you'll hear from me, I'll be in a warmer climate. Please pray for safe travels for the four of us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)