I was recently talking about Siem Reap with a friend who is visiting there soon and we as we looked at some of my pictures I found I found myself reliving the experience. I have been writing this predominantly travel blog for about 8 months now and I am surprised at the number of readers and their widespread locations. Better late than never some would say, so I have decided to do a post about that trip two years ago as some may be interested.
This visit raised some confronting issues with us. The effects of the recent genocide by Pol Pot and his generals and injuries inflicted on the people and environment by the US and their allies bombings are right in your face. A walk anywhere in the streets of Siem Reap brings you face to face with maimed people either begging or selling postcards. Intense poverty sights cannot be avoided. Corruption was visible with an example of our driver having to pay a bribe in our full sight just for not knowing that the police were on the take on that particular road at that time. It was too late to take another road - just pay up. The local money seemed worthless with the US dollar the transaction currency everywhere. Nevertheless Cambodian people who spoke with us at length seemed optimistic for a better future while telling their family's story in a factual way. Families were often without fathers, uncles and male elders in particular, leaving young men who had been unable to go to school in their young years having to take responsibility for their female relatives and young children. We heard from two of these young men that they were having problems with their teenage male relatives who were absenting themselves from school and causing concern with anti social behaviour [ my words]. The men on whom the responsibility had fallen to lead the family were busy working two jobs as well as going to classes to learn languages to be able to earn more money. They felt a sense of real injustice.
It was a long time before I could say much about our experiences - difficult to know what to say when asked.
As is now usual, I did all the research and bookings for this trip online, Doing it this way gives so many more options than going through a travel agency and is a lot of fun. The planning of a trip is very satisfying in that you are creating something for yourself and learn a lot about where you are going before you get there which adds to the enjoyment once you are there.
We arrived in Siem Reap on the morning Airasia flight from Kuala Lumpur - I had managed to get AUD19 flights each way - and were met at the airport by the tuk tuk and driver whom I had engaged for three of our six days there.
 |
| Tuk tuk, Siem Reap |
This pictured tuk tuk was quite comfortable and initially it was a fun way to travel. After we had booked in early at our hotel, Claremont Angkor, we went to the Angkor Temple site office some 8 km from Siem Reap, to collect our three day Temple passes. Many people collect their passes just before sunset and go inside the precinct to view the sunset from Angkor Wat but we decided that we didn't want to be in a crowded situation at that point. We instead went to a silk farm just outside of Siem Reap City.
 |
| Weaver, Artisans d'Angkor |
Artisans d'Angkor was started to assist young Cambodians learn the ancient Kymer handicrafts lost during the genocide period. Today, there are several centres teaching weaving, stone carving and such in the rural areas as well as in Siem Reap and employing a 1000 young people. Students are generally between 18 - 25 years and have their living expenses and an allowance paid during the training period of about 6 months for weaving. They are then employed by the company which was assisted by the European Union in its beginning but is now self supporting. We were taken on a tour by a young man who was clearly proud of his culture, art and organisation, being determined that he established we understood the processes he was demonstraing very well. There were several young mothers working as their baby sat beside them or played at arm's length.
We were able to see the whole process from the hatching of the silk worms to the finished products. Here the threads from ten cocoons are woven together. I forget how long on cocoon gives in thread but remember it as being amazing.
The dyes used were all extracted from various plants.
 |
| Weaving looms at Artisans d'Angkor |
We were able to see several different methods of weaving and the different types of fabrics each one produced.
At the end of the tour we enjoyed looking at very old Kymer costumes on display as well as old photos depicting the different costumes worn by royalty and commoners.
I took a long time to choose some fine silk scarves to take back as presents - the colours were just beautiful!
We then returned to Siem Reap city and had a taste of Kymer food for lunch and while waiting for our meal discussed our first impressions. It was clear that maybe for us a car instead of a tuk tuk would have been a better choice as we found the roads very dusty - not good for asthmatics! After lunch we returned to our hotel for a rest before going to a National Dance and Dinner at a nearby hotel. I had asked the guide to make a booking for a Ramanaya performance but instead found we were at performance which was merely a collection of national dances. This was very disappointing. At the end of this show we found our driver outside with his "cousin' and a different, less roadworthy - looking tuk tuk. He quickly told us that he could not take us for the next three days but that his "cousin" would do so instead - then disappeared into the night leaving us with his "cousin". Shocked at the speed of this happening we arrived back at the hotel where I told the "cousin" that we would not be needing him at all and paid the money for the day's travel. That left us with our passes for the next three days and no transport to get to use them! Oh Dear. Not what was planned!
 |
| Siem Reap street |
Our hotel, the Claremont Angkor, was located near the river and an easy walk to town. It was clean, comfortable, had free use of the internet, a great Indian Resturant on the rooftop . . . and a lovely young man named Savy who worked on reception part time as one of his jobs. He came to our rescue with an airconditioned car belonging to the hotel, I think. He was available to drive us around the sites for two days and so that was what we accepted. In the end we didn't even try to find a car for the third day because we were "shell shocked" and 'templed out".
 |
| South Gate, Angkor Wat precinct |
 |
| Moat, Angkor Wat |
Early morning came and Savy took us first to the famous Angkor Wat Temple. As we drove beside this moat I could see makeshift huts under the trees around and opposite it. Soon, however, we could see the reason tens of thousands of tourists now flock to Siem Reap - the intriguing, spectacular Angkor Wat!
 |
| Angkor Wat, restorations in progress. |
We spent four hours exploring this huge complex about a kilometer long and almost as wide. Built in the 12th Century during the reign of Suravarman II it was a capital city as well as a shrine to the Hindhu god Vishnu. The temple part is like a pyramid with at least three levels, each of which has long corridors around a central courtyard. The walls of the galleries have carvings of some asparas - heavenly beings - and there are about 3000 of them. One of the galleries used to have hundreds of Buddhas but these were either stolen or destroyed during the war. Many are still there, minus their heads. It is hard to understand how someone would so viciously destroy their own country's heritage, and so completely.
 |
| Buddha, Angkor Wat |
This Buddha lost his arms but retained his head whereas most of the others lost their heads.
 |
| The snake has also been vandalised, by Pol Pot's men we were told. |
 |
| Part of Angkor Wat |
 |
| Part of Central courtyard, Angkor Wat |
 |
| The roof levels of each part increased in height, apparently leading to heaven |
 |
| One of the many hallways. This one was beside the courtyard |
 |
| One Aspara |
This young monk and his friend were trailing this tourist and were delighted when he asked if they would like to take a photo with his camera. They both spoke some English which was a bit of a surprise to me, compared with Sri Lanka where I would not expect that such young children in their situation would be able to do so.
We took our time looking around this vast monument to a lost era, stopping to sit and take in the surroundings with people coming and going past us. Although it was a really warm day, we were cool enough in the shade of the towers and in the hallways but soon we realised that we had eaten all our snacks and finished the water and should head for the exit and lunch.
 |
| One corner of Angkor Wat |
 |
| South Gate, Angkot Wat Complex |
We headed to pleasant resturant and Kymer lunch at a place Savy recommended. Of course he received a lovely lunch himself from the management as a reward for taking us there. He explained that to us when we invited him to lunch with us. After this, we headed for what was to be our favourite temple, Preah Khan.
No comments:
Post a Comment