Tales From a Female Traveller

The Road to Angkor

http://au.blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-a6zLd1M9bqXYFufi8VqDDClTLg--?cq=1

Well, the whole reason I wanted to come to Cambodia is of course Angkor Wat. And anyone who knows me knows that my complete obsession for history needs to be fulfilled. No longer do I have to get Richard to tape the History channel specials for me or get stuck into a text book, I can actualy see the real thing with my OWN eyes. Take my OWN photos and have my own experience. So when we arrived in Siem Reap and bought our 7 day pass for US$60 I knew we'd use every single day of it.
We decided to start off small and build up to the main attraction, Angkor Wat itself so for the first day we hired bike's for US$2 each. The proceeds of the bike's go back to the shcool we visited. Boy was it tough... we got through a few of the smaller temples first like Prasat Kravan and when we arrived at Banteay Kdei it pelted down with rain. Banteay Kdei was actually quite big and was very sprawled out. I think it's here on our first day that we spent SO much money on gifts than we did during out entire 7 day pass. But the kids were just so cute and inviting that you just can't resist buying whatever it they are selling, and in a country with no social security system, this is.. actually how they make their living. So when they're looking up at you with their huge brown eyes and pleading with you to spend a measly little dollar... who are you to refuse? So in total, I think I bought 3 books on Angkor, 2 Kramas (traditional Khmer scarfe), a zillion Post card sets, a kaftahn like shirt with an elephant on it, a few bracelets and a whole bunch of stuff I don't even remember. But there was something different about these kids... they were still kids. A lot of the time they get so consumed with trying to make a buck for their family that they forget they can goof around. But these kids were just adorable, and even if we didn't buy anything, they would come out with these drawings they've done of their homes or their families and offer them to you as a gift along with a grass woven bangle. I chatted with a 16 year olf girl who wished she had blonde hair and loves going to school... imagine that, a kid who loves school because they actually GET to go!!
The picture link that I'll post here isn't entirely in order... so just bare with me.
So anyway, after Banteay Kdei we headed across to Sras Srang where we watched some kids fishing in the moat with nets. They wade out into the water and drag behind them a net with holes to catch tiny little fish they'd put in a bucket. We decided to go down and help them gather the fish for a while and after we'd had enough we decided to see the ruins of Sras Srang temple, which overlooks the moat... littlew did we know that the kids were actually following us. They weren't trying to sell us anything, which was a nice change, they were just curious and when they realised we had digital cameras they could see themselves on they really hammed it up and we all had a great time!! Unfortunately it came time for us to leave and when we got on our bikes they came running after us waving to us and yelling out "goodbye, thankyou, good luck for you!" It's a common theme among Khmer's to wish you the best of luck, even if you've only paid a moto driver to take you up the road, you a sure to be wished good luck. It's common for Buddists to give to those less fortunate than they are, never lose your temper under any circumstances and always, always.. keep your manners.. so wishing someone good luck at the supermarket after they buy some gum is just a part of life, and they mean every bit of it.
I won't go into all the temples we visited because there is something like 36 of them (and yes, we had temple burnout by the end of it all) so I'll just mention a fewof the more memorable one's.
It's hard to pick a favourite temple but I did love Bayon, Ta Phrom (the one used in the movie Tomb Raider) and of course Angkor Wat.
Ta Phrom has these massive tree roots that have grown right over the top of the temple and as you're walking through, tiny purple butterflies flit past you and you feel like you're on the Tomb Raider movie set...
Banteay Samre was another favourite, not because it was spectacularly still standing, but because of the story our Tuk Tuk Driver/Guide told us about it. Way back when it was built there were many farms that surrounded the huge palace structure (which is in a huge cross formation an stretches for miles), but one farmer specialised in growing sweet cucumber and he would give some of his cucumbers to the King as an offering because the King just adored them. So one night, the King got a craving for these sweet cucumbers and left the palace alone to sneak into the farmers crop and help himself to some cucumbers. Little did ke know that the farmer was up guarding his crops from hungry cows and heard the King getting stuck into his cucumbers. So to protect it, he hurls out a spear which kills the King immediately, and the farmer heads off to bed. In the morning the farmer heads out to see what he had stopped from stealing his crops the night before when he is struck down with complete horror... it wasn't a cow he had killed.. it was the Kind!! So, not knowing what to do and fearing for his life, he bury's the King under his bed. Meanwhile, the palace has awoken to find the King missing, and for many weeks they wait for his return until finally it was decided that he was not coming back and the only thing left to do was to search for a new King. So the palace held a massive celebration in the name of the old King, and started the search for a new one. Now, the King, before he was accidently killed by the farmer, had an Elephant who he just adored, and the elephant was normally always with him during any formal occasion... so, because the elephant was the King's best friend, the palace decided to let the elephant choose the new King.
The farmer, who was in the crowd was struck with fear at this though and when the elephant stretched out it's trunk and touched the farmer, the farmer grew that full with fear he ran off into the jungle to hide, thinking the elephant had found it's master's killer. While he was gone, the palace erupted in jubilations, the elephant had chosen it's new King...
It took a little while for the farmer to come to terms with it, but eventually, he was crowned King, and the country lived happily ever after. No one knows if the elephant actually was pointing out it's master's murderer, but that farmer became one of the most beloved King's Cambodia has ever known.. they still love him even today and you can find paintings of him everywhere. Samre... in fact, means farmer.
Bayon is simply awesome. We managed to find the best guide in the whole complex and he was so knowleadgable on the history of Cambodia. It turns out that he studies with an Australian run school in Cambodia, so we had a special bond the whole time. he was simply great and he took us to every single important part of Bayon. He even took a few photos of me "kissing the Buddha" and translated when we had our fortunes read by the resident sooth sayer. Apparently, I have mor luck than I need, I am going to be very happy in life and very successful.. good enough for me. Bayon was even more memorable because afterwards we stopped for lunch where a little 10 year old boy befriended us and ended up giving us a tour of the surrounding temples inculding the Elephant Terrace... he was so hot that Byron gave him his hat and a drink and he was so thankful that all he could do was grin.
Preah Khan was another temple that was a little memorable, Byron liked this one more than me but we bought a CD from some disabled musicians who were actually very very good.
Banteay Srey wasn't all it was cracked up to be and it was made worse by two asshole people who refused to move so we could get a clear shot of the temple with it's moat.
Neak Pean was an earlier temple that used to be filled with water, 4 pools to be exact and it is formed in the shape of a cross... ironically, it was though to have healing powers and most people called it a hospital.
East Mebon is a temple that is full of massive stone Elephants and it used to be surrounded by water... it is located in the East Baray which is now dried up. It was used as a shipping port at one stage. It's hard to picture when everything is dry now and surrounded by jungle.
We watched the sun set at Phnom Bakheng which was comepletely un-inspiring. The walk up though is back breaking. It's built on top of a huge mountain.
West Mebon is located on an island in the West Baray and is still full of water. You access the island by boat and when we arrived the kids befriended us and tought us some khmer.
The North Gate is one of the entrance gates to Angkor Thom (which means city of Angkor) in which Angkor Wat (temple of Angkor) is located. It has huge Bayon like faces perched on top of the gate.
We also visited Bakong which is in the Roulos Group of temples located East of Siem Reap where again, it poured with rain. The bonus was that we got to have a water fight with the kids at the temple.
Finally, there is Angkor Wat. We arrived at bout 5am to watch the sunrise at Angkor. It rises from behind Angkor throwing it into a beautiful sillhouette. We spent a good three hours here and had already been the day before. It was a brilliant way to end our 7 days.

posted by Lucyspeak @ 7:12 pm