SEE THE LIGHT

A new photographic exhibition, Symbols of Angkor, which opens at 4Faces café and gallery tomorrow night, features the work of local snapper Ota Verveka, formerly of the Czech Republic and a Siem Reap resident since October 2006.

Ota, who runs a peanut business, worked for Czech media as a photographer before migrating to the Reap, and when he’s not packaging peanuts, he’s “light observing”.

He says, “These days, I just try to observe the light and energy that I can feel all around me and they protect me.” Indeed.

He says his photographic exhibition displays the stone carvings in different Angkor temples in detail.

He explains, “These details are evidence of the fact that nothing in Angkor temples was built up by accident. Everything has its visible spiritual sense and intention. It is possible to see similar symbols all around the world, particularly in ancient Egypt.

“These pictures discover that even if we think we are a more advanced society than the ancient ones, the contrary is a fact. We have lost mystery and our modern technology can’t compensate. That’s why most of us are separated from the real world.”

But the reality is that Verveka is a captivating photographer and his images are well worth viewing.

WHO’S COOKIN’?

Emmanuel Garde is the new executive chef at Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, having started at the beginning of this month.

His career spans 20 years and includes experience in Hilton and Hyatt hotels in Europe and Russia.

He has worked in many well-known restaurants such as Croquembouche in Fontainebleau, Vendôme at Park Hyatt Paris and other Hyatt restaurants in Paris and Moscow, where he first earned his executive chef stripes.

He says he is “amazed” at the dedicated passion of his staff at the hotel and adds, “They are willing to learn, and this will definitely play a part in creating a great journey in this fabulous landmark hotel.”

But the proof of his pudding will, of course, be in the eating.