After an afternoon flight yesterday from Siem Reap to Bangkok, Thailand, I and some 5 other intrepid travelers, had the misfortune of being awakened at 2 AM (why not just pull an all-nighter?) to begin the very long journey home.
Bangkok to Tokyo to Atlanta to Tampa. Pick up a rental car and drive another hour to home. Over 10,000 miles and 30 hours later - all with my shirt on backwards! Totally pooped and still trying to get over the 12-hour time difference.
Next trip - China!
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
All Templed Out...
Siem Reap - the Temple Tour, Part 1...
We were out the door by 7 AM in an effort to get ahead of both the heat and the other Asian tourists (most notably the Chinese & Koreans, who are insistent on trampling areas where they shouldn't and posing in front of everything 1 or 2 people at a time). My question is, "What do they possibly do with all those photos anyway?"
We started at the South Gate of Angkor Thom ("the great city"), where we saw the angelic carving of the Jayavarman head, a motif found throughout the temple sites. ( Jayavarman is Sanskrit for Victorious Warrior, with "Jaya" being Sanskrit for "Victorious" or "Successful" and "Varman" being the word for "Warrior" or an expert in martial arts).
The bridge spanning the boat before the south entrance is lined with statues of gods and monsters in various states or repair and renovation. Supposedly, these gods & monsters are said to have been in competition to churn the proverbial sea of milk that would cause the creation of the world.
Angkor Wat, the pinnacle of Khmer architecture, was built under the reign of Suryavarman II during the 12th century. From base to tip, the highest tower is 669' high. The temple moat is 1-3/4 miles around and 295' wide. Angkor Wat is the only temple entered from the west and is the only monument that is a mausoleum. The main temple is dedicated to Vishnu.
The entrance is first gained by crossing the main moat causeway, restored in the 1960s by the French.
We finished the trip with a local wine tasting and some tasty snacks - peanuts, buffalo jerky, frog legs and snake - then headed back to the hotel, totally exhausted, for dinner and a much needed sleep before beginning the very long trip back home.
We were out the door by 7 AM in an effort to get ahead of both the heat and the other Asian tourists (most notably the Chinese & Koreans, who are insistent on trampling areas where they shouldn't and posing in front of everything 1 or 2 people at a time). My question is, "What do they possibly do with all those photos anyway?"
We started at the South Gate of Angkor Thom ("the great city"), where we saw the angelic carving of the Jayavarman head, a motif found throughout the temple sites. ( Jayavarman is Sanskrit for Victorious Warrior, with "Jaya" being Sanskrit for "Victorious" or "Successful" and "Varman" being the word for "Warrior" or an expert in martial arts).
The bridge spanning the boat before the south entrance is lined with statues of gods and monsters in various states or repair and renovation. Supposedly, these gods & monsters are said to have been in competition to churn the proverbial sea of milk that would cause the creation of the world.
3 of the 4 faces of Buddha at the top of the gate entrance.
The Bayon Temple, the centerpiece of the larger Angkor Thom city and containing the most classic, carved faces, is the best loved Angkor temple. These faces are usually set in groups of 4 around a central prang or tower - each face indicating a compass direction.
A tower from the distance.
The classic faces up close.
We then did a quick drive-by of Baphuon, Terrace of the Elephant, Terrace of the Leper King, before ending the morning tour at Ta Prohm Temple.
Baphuon is a temple mount built in 1066 and an important Khmer capital. Bilateral efforts continue to try to piece the temple back together, but with so many jigsaw pieces it continues to be very slow going.
The Terrace of the Leper King, also built by Jayavarman, was supposedly the main viewing stage for the king and his entourage to watch elaborate shows.
The Elephant Terrace in the south end was also a viewing area - so named because of the elaborate carvings of the elephants who trunks made decorative columns.
Using an isolated jungle path to avoid the other tourists, Thai brought us to Ta Prohm, the dynamic jungle temple, composed of 39 towers connected by numerous galleries, with absolutely incredible Khmer Spoong trees and charay vines. This temple was also built by Jayavarman VII in 1186 and was heavily looted in recent years. But it continues to be very popular with tourists.
After a delicious home-hosted meal and quick freshening up, we departed the hotel for the primary reason for this extension - a chance to visit Angkor Wat Temple, whose 5 spires of the main temple are recognized the world over.
Angkor Wat, the pinnacle of Khmer architecture, was built under the reign of Suryavarman II during the 12th century. From base to tip, the highest tower is 669' high. The temple moat is 1-3/4 miles around and 295' wide. Angkor Wat is the only temple entered from the west and is the only monument that is a mausoleum. The main temple is dedicated to Vishnu.
The entrance is first gained by crossing the main moat causeway, restored in the 1960s by the French.
Naga sculpture in front of Angkor Wat
Monks crossing the entrance causeway.
Approach to the main temple.
Incredible statuary.
We finished the trip with a local wine tasting and some tasty snacks - peanuts, buffalo jerky, frog legs and snake - then headed back to the hotel, totally exhausted, for dinner and a much needed sleep before beginning the very long trip back home.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Going With The Flow
This morning we departed to Tonle Sap Lake and the Mechrey floating village.
Floating school donated by Korean NGOs.
Goodbye Vietnam - Hello Cambodia!
Well, our group of 8 was very fortunate to have a much later flight to Siem Reap. The other 6 folks had very early morning wake-up calls & were on their way to the airport before we were even awakened. Turns out that they were delayed an additional 6 hours in Tokyo's Narita Airport on top of the 2 hour layover they already had scheduled. OK, ignorance is bliss, but now Iris and I are worrying about our connecting flights back home. And, in addition to JFK, O'Hare, and Frankfurt Airports, I now have another airport to avoid like the plague.
We were picked up in Siem Reap (which means, "Victory over the Thais") by our new guide, Thai. From the airport we headed to our hotel, the Angkor Home Hotel, for our group briefing and check-in. As Thai was giving out the room keys and assignments, he paused after saying Iris and my names - asking us if it was OK that our room had twin beds. At first we were a little puzzled, then we (and the rest of the group) cracked up when we realized he thought we were a couple. He obviously didn't get the joke, so very gently we told him twin beds were fine.
After a quick walking tour of the neighborhood (noting the nearby ATMs, which surprisingly dispensed American dollars), and the 7-11s surrounding the hotel, followed by a quick tour of the Market, we took a very bumpy oxcart ride through Siem Reap and stopped in for a very short home visit. The poverty of the area was truly overwhelming.
On our way back to the van we stopped to investigate a village anima festival, where we watched local musicians keep beat to one of the women who apparently were seized by the spirit danced until she could dance no more (very interesting).
Our first day in Siem Reap concluded with a very mediocre buffet dinner, tolerated only because there was an Apsara dance show that accompanied it. I believe it was something I ate here that sickened me the next day - the first time in all my travels that I've felt that badly.
We were picked up in Siem Reap (which means, "Victory over the Thais") by our new guide, Thai. From the airport we headed to our hotel, the Angkor Home Hotel, for our group briefing and check-in. As Thai was giving out the room keys and assignments, he paused after saying Iris and my names - asking us if it was OK that our room had twin beds. At first we were a little puzzled, then we (and the rest of the group) cracked up when we realized he thought we were a couple. He obviously didn't get the joke, so very gently we told him twin beds were fine.
After a quick walking tour of the neighborhood (noting the nearby ATMs, which surprisingly dispensed American dollars), and the 7-11s surrounding the hotel, followed by a quick tour of the Market, we took a very bumpy oxcart ride through Siem Reap and stopped in for a very short home visit. The poverty of the area was truly overwhelming.
On our way back to the van we stopped to investigate a village anima festival, where we watched local musicians keep beat to one of the women who apparently were seized by the spirit danced until she could dance no more (very interesting).
My first Cambodian beer - Angkor.
$3.50 for a large bottle!
Delicious!
Draft beer - even more affordable!
Downtown Siem Reap - easily navigated.
Pub Street, the Market Street - pretty much self-explanatory.
Loved this sign.
Yes, this is where you can have the dead skin
on your feet nibbled & eaten by live fish
as you relax!
Bun bo - pastry meat pies.
Pad thai.
Barb & Iris on the oxcart.
The fishing village.
An impromptu festival.
This woman was seized by the spirit
& moved to dance.
Once back in the van, we traveled to The Killing Fields & Choeung Ek Memorial, which was originally a Chinese cemetery before becoming he execution grounds for the Khmer Rouge during their maniacal reign under Pol Pot (1975-79). What is most prominent among the mounds & mass graves is the monument of catalogued human skulls.
Our first day in Siem Reap concluded with a very mediocre buffet dinner, tolerated only because there was an Apsara dance show that accompanied it. I believe it was something I ate here that sickened me the next day - the first time in all my travels that I've felt that badly.
Back to the hotel by remok (motor rickshaw).
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