Thursday, December 17, 2009
The Temple Within a Temple Within...
Prasat Preah Vihear is like a Russian Doll. Everytime you open one, there is another one inside. The series of stone steps leading up through the 800 meters of stairways and temples actually begins in Thailand. The mountain and temple are at the border and years of fighting over who gets what have ended (so far) with Cambodia owning the temple. There has been a truce of sorts with a market place at the base that is actually in Thailand. It was a zone of understanding where visitors from Cambodia could shop and then return home, without having a visa.
Each level of Temple forms a concentric circle around the mountain so that each time it looks like you have finally reached the last one - only to find there is another temple a long climb ahead.
Each level of Temple forms a concentric circle around the mountain so that each time it looks like you have finally reached the last one - only to find there is another temple a long climb ahead.
Bike Ride to the Top-Cambodia
The last part of getting to the top of the mountain to see the Pasat Preah Vihear Temple is 20 minutes on the back of a motor bike. The path is too rocky and steep for a car. The 2 brave guys in the center took us up the mountain for "a hair-raising, 20 minute ride up gradients of up to 35%." (Lonely Planet Guide to Cambodia). They were right!
Free Range Cambodia
After you leave the city of Siem Reap, paved roads disappear
and the dirt road becomes a dusty free for all. There are no fences so everything roams freely everywhere. In the 2 days we travelled I saw only a dozen cars but there were 100s of motorbikes, bicycles, water buffalo, ducks, kids, cows, chickens, dogs - all wandering around the streets or sunning themselves in the middle of our lane. In many places the road was a cloud of red dust with holes big enough to hide a volkswagon.
It took over 3 hours to reach our first destination - the ancient temple of Prasat Preah Vihear that sits high atop the Dangkrek Mountains at the highest point in Cambodia.
and the dirt road becomes a dusty free for all. There are no fences so everything roams freely everywhere. In the 2 days we travelled I saw only a dozen cars but there were 100s of motorbikes, bicycles, water buffalo, ducks, kids, cows, chickens, dogs - all wandering around the streets or sunning themselves in the middle of our lane. In many places the road was a cloud of red dust with holes big enough to hide a volkswagon.It took over 3 hours to reach our first destination - the ancient temple of Prasat Preah Vihear that sits high atop the Dangkrek Mountains at the highest point in Cambodia.
6 AM - Leaving Siem Reap, Cambodia
Off on our 2 day temple excursion, we passed this lone guy bathing in "The King's Swimming Pool," part of the Seim Reap complex of ancient temples.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Temple Driver
Snake is my driver as we explore the many temples of Siem Reap. Today we are heading on a 2 day trip to temples further out in Cambodia. For me it is a chance to get to know Cambodia, beyond the lovely and tourist oriented Siem Reap.
Snake knows his country well and speaks great english with a British accent. He worries about it because the guides make better pay if they speak with an American accent.
I wonder about this because in the 10+ days that I have been traveling I've seen only 2 American visitors. Most of the tourists that I've seen are from France, Austria, or Sri Lanka.
Snake knows his country well and speaks great english with a British accent. He worries about it because the guides make better pay if they speak with an American accent.I wonder about this because in the 10+ days that I have been traveling I've seen only 2 American visitors. Most of the tourists that I've seen are from France, Austria, or Sri Lanka.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Temple Touring
The road between the town of Siem Reap and the temples is beautifully maintained with trees creating an arched canopy overhead. You can tour the temples on a rented bicycle ($2 a day), the back of a motorcycle ($6 a day), a tuk tuk ( a motorcycle pulling a cart with a canopy) for $10 a day, or air conditioned cars for $25 a day. The elephant is $15 but they are not allowed inside the temples. A hot air balloon over the temples is $140 for 15 minutes.
Ta Prohm Temple and the Tree War
This temple dramatically shows the war between the 1200 year old temples and the strangling fig trees that have to be consantly cut back. Almost every guide book on the temples has one classic picture of the head of a Buddha with the roots of a tree surrounding the head. It's a photo all the photogrphers hope to catch. Unfortunately, those roots were trimmed several months ago and it may take a few decades for them to grow back.
Angkor Wat - Siem Reap, Cambodia
The temple of Angkor Wat is famous for being the largest religious monument in the world, for being the eighth wonder of the world, and for being the greatest pride of the people of Cambodia
. It is part of a massive collection of temples throughout Cambodia built by Kings between 800 and 1150 AD. The temples seem to be a combination of palaces, religious temples, and memorials. They combine both Hinduism and Bhuddism in inventive ways that even today is completely accepted by the Cambodians that I have talked to. The current religion is a little of everything and very tolerant of all.
. It is part of a massive collection of temples throughout Cambodia built by Kings between 800 and 1150 AD. The temples seem to be a combination of palaces, religious temples, and memorials. They combine both Hinduism and Bhuddism in inventive ways that even today is completely accepted by the Cambodians that I have talked to. The current religion is a little of everything and very tolerant of all.Sunday, December 13, 2009
Greetings from Cambodia
I've been here in Cambodia for 2 days. The town is Siem Reap and it is known as the site of the largest religious temple in the world - Angkor Watt. This picture is actually one of the small temples along the road in the town.
Yesterday was spent going through 7 of the smaller temples and today I meet with my guide Snake
to visit Angkor Watt. We've timed it for the money shot everyone here is looking for: when the sun sets on the temple it turns golden.
If you saw the first Laura Croft Tomb Raider movie you have seen one of the temples of Angkor Watt.
Yesterday was spent going through 7 of the smaller temples and today I meet with my guide Snake
to visit Angkor Watt. We've timed it for the money shot everyone here is looking for: when the sun sets on the temple it turns golden.If you saw the first Laura Croft Tomb Raider movie you have seen one of the temples of Angkor Watt.
It's All Relative
I Love this sign. A US Dollar is equal to about 34 Thai Bhat so the sign isn't really a deterant
. My other favorite sign was at a 24 hour restaurant: "We're never close."
. My other favorite sign was at a 24 hour restaurant: "We're never close."
Floating Traffic Jam
Combine the usual tourists at the floating Market with all the folks who have the day off for the King's Birthday and you have floating gridlock. After 15 minutes of going no where my rower took us back to the dock.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Pulling You In For A Deal
This is a literal pull, as each boat owner has a long hooked pole and as you float by they hook your boat and pull you in to pitch their products. The one thing I find refreshing is that after 3 "no thank you"s you are then pushed on to continue your boat trip. In many countries there is no limit.
Floating Market
The one central theme of the trip so far is food. Food is everywhere - in parks, in alleys, on street corners, at markets. Where ever you turn there is someone with a wok and a flame or a knife and a pile of fruit. And it is always delicious
and unbelievably cheap.
One variation of this is the floating market where food is served to you from boats. It took about two hours to get to the closest floating market (Damnoensaduak). You then flag down a boat where you are paddled throughout the market, or you can just stand on the shore and the boats will come to you.
and unbelievably cheap.One variation of this is the floating market where food is served to you from boats. It took about two hours to get to the closest floating market (Damnoensaduak). You then flag down a boat where you are paddled throughout the market, or you can just stand on the shore and the boats will come to you.
View From My Hotel Room
From my balcony you can see the buildings on the other side of the canal and the one with its own roof garden.
My Bangkok Home
With the help of a travel guide, I picked the New World City Hotel, an inexpensive but centrally located hotel, close to the major tourist attractions.
My room overlooks one of the canals and the hotel has created a green archway to hide the view of the canal-side houses from guests who sit outside by the canal having morning coffee.
It has become my home away from home and when I travel to Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam on various trips, I will be returning here as my base. I think everone knows me as the American who has mangaed to blow out all the power in her room two days in a row and also the one who tries to speak the language (very badly).
My room overlooks one of the canals and the hotel has created a green archway to hide the view of the canal-side houses from guests who sit outside by the canal having morning coffee.It has become my home away from home and when I travel to Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam on various trips, I will be returning here as my base. I think everone knows me as the American who has mangaed to blow out all the power in her room two days in a row and also the one who tries to speak the language (very badly).
The King's Birthday
On Dec 5, the King Of Thailand, HM King Bhumibol Asulyadej turned 82 and the country is still celebrating the event. This photo was taken on Ratchadamneon Klang Road (the Kings Road) and the entire road was completely covered in lights. Houses
, Businesses, and roads are covered in his picture with banners and ribbons everywhere. The biggest surprise to me were the fireworks that began at 10 pm every night. No one warned me and my first night of jet lag, I turned in about 9. When everything went off at 10, I thought the hotel was under attack.
, Businesses, and roads are covered in his picture with banners and ribbons everywhere. The biggest surprise to me were the fireworks that began at 10 pm every night. No one warned me and my first night of jet lag, I turned in about 9. When everything went off at 10, I thought the hotel was under attack.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)