Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Discovering the Jungle Temples of Angkor
I have definitely hit one of the high points of my southeast Asia trip: Angkor Wat, Cambodia. This place is absolutely magical. On top of this, I am so excited to report that I met former U.S. President Bill Clinton yesterday at Angkor Wat, where he shook my hand. I should have suspected that he was around as I heard two Cambodian men in the morning speaking animatedly in Cambodian, mentioning Monica Lewinsky. I thought this was odd as that's so 'old news'. But then two British women came up to me and said "Your President is here" which is odd since Canada doesn't have a President but a Prime Minister. Then, someone said they had just met Bill Clinton. Sure enough, about a half hour later as we were scrambling between ruins, the bodyguards appeared and shortly thereafter, the man himself made his entrance. I was happily snapping photos from a slightly elevated area when he spied me, came over and offered his hand. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a photo with him but I swore I wouldn't wash my hand for a while. My Cambodian guide was so impressed!
I arrived in Siem Reap, Cambodia from Chiang Mai, Thailand three days ago via two flights via Bangkok. On my first day here, I arranged a driver and private guide to take me around to the major temples for the day. I can't tell you what an exciting feeling it is to see with your own eyes something that you've seen photos of, read about and have been dying to see for yourself. This is how I feel about Angkor Wat (city of temples). The huge temple complex was built between the 9th and 15th centuries and combines elements of Hinduism and Buddhism. There are hundreds of old temples in the general area called Angkor, stretched out over kilometres. Angkor is considered southeast Asia's most amazing architectural site as is a UN World Heritage site. The temples are set in lush, green jungles and forests and held up surprisingly well over time in some areas. The most famous is the Angkor Wat compound itself with its five lotus-shaped towers. Most of the temples have entryways featuring the naga, the famed king cobras that protect them.
The Khmer empire which built the temples was quite advanced. They built huge moats and lakes around the complex as well as developing advanced drainage systems. The handiwork is amazing: the walls are covered with carvings of great mythical battles as well as the celestial nymphs known as aspara which are everywhere. It's hilarious: some of the breasts of the asparas on the wall have been rubbed so often that they are shiny and smooth. Rubbing is supposed to bring good luck. Alas, most of the Buddha statues here have had their heads hacked off unceremoniously by the Khmer Rouge during the country's civil war. Pol Pot's soldiers sold the antiquities for arms.
The temples really differ significantly. Some have held up well over time while others have been affected by the encrouching jungle. Today, I toured some of the temples which have not held up as well. It's fascinating to see how despite the fact that the Khmer builders cleared the jungle to build the temple, the jungle is now reclaiming the temples. Trees have grown and their roots have grown above and through the walls. Another cool thing about Angkor Wat is the sound of millions of crickets resting in the trees. It's a positively-loud hum which kind of reminds you of a large group of people meditating.
Many Cambodians from across the country visit Angkor and yesterday, I noticed that I was getting a lot of attention. Apparently, Cambodians from outside Siem Reap don't have the same exposure to foreigners and many were very curious to see a black person. I ended up being asked to pose with a lot of groups which was hilarious. I met this really cool couple from L.A. who were visiting the temples with their 20-month old son. They were amazing: the son was strapped to the father's back and up they went to the top of the main temple.
The tuk-tuks in Siem Reap are slightly different than in Thailand. Here, they are basically a motorcycle pulling an area where two to three people can sit. I love bombing through the city on these things. Yesterday, I had dinner at the lovely Foreign Correspondent's Club (FCC) where I bumped into the cool couple from L.A. with their son. I also sampled Fish Amok, Cambodia's specialty dish which is fish curry with coconut milk steamed in banana leaf. Delicious!!
Yesterday, I had a cocktail at the Hotel de la Paix, a gorgeous boutique hotel here. I love this hotel as it incorporates a very strong anti-war, pro-peace message in its decor. It has quotations and song lyrics on the wall and right now, it's featuring a really powerful photo exhibition by a Japanese photojournalist called Taizo Idochine who was killed by the Khmer Rouge while attempting to be one of the first photojournalists to document Angkor Wat during the civil war. He died at the age of 26.
This morning, I rose at 4:30 a.m. to watch the sun rise over Angkor Wat. It was almost a religious experience. It was so amazing to see the lotus-shaped spires slowly come into view. I was hardly the only person who had this idea. Hundreds of tourists made their way over. Today was slightly different as I only hired a driver and relied on the information in my guidebook to inform me about the temples.
General impressions about Cambodians, Angkor Wat and Siem Reap:
Thailand vs. Cambodia: In Thailand (which I loved), the place is so geared for tourists that sometimes the Thai get lost in the background. I think there's less of an opportunity to experience real Thai culture and have a genuine connection with Thai people because of the rampant commercialism and incessant catering to tourists. This is not yet the case in Siem Reap. The place still has an unmistakeable Cambodian feel to it and it is quite easy to make contact with Cambodian people. I feel like I'm merely a visitor and observer in their country which is happily going about its business around me. I don't know how long this feeling will last as there's massive development of hotels and museums going on here.
The Greenback Reigns Supreme Here: I was shocked to discover that the official currency used here are American dollars, although the Cambodian Riel is used for small transactions. Even the ATMs give out American dollars. Cambodians like their cold, hard cash and things are slightly more expensive than in Thailand.
Child Sexual Exploitation is a Firm No-Go Area: All over the city, there are banners and posters which clearly state that those who exploit children will go to jail in Cambodia or their own countries. This is unlike Thailand where everything is pushed under the carpet.
The people are a beautiful mixture of Indian and Chinese: The Cambodians tend to be shorter and darker in complexion than the Thais. Most of them are either Buddhist or Hindu, with 5% of the country being Muslim.
Koreans are everywhere: It is Koreans, not Japanese, who are all over the place here. To the point that at some of the temples, where mine victims perform music on traditional instruments, the bands immediately strike up the Korean national anthem when a group arrives. Which is usually followed by the profering of dubious amounts of the much-loved American dollar.
Tomorrow, I will spend one day exploring the temples and the markets of Siem Reap. On Friday, I head to Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh, via boat.
I arrived in Siem Reap, Cambodia from Chiang Mai, Thailand three days ago via two flights via Bangkok. On my first day here, I arranged a driver and private guide to take me around to the major temples for the day. I can't tell you what an exciting feeling it is to see with your own eyes something that you've seen photos of, read about and have been dying to see for yourself. This is how I feel about Angkor Wat (city of temples). The huge temple complex was built between the 9th and 15th centuries and combines elements of Hinduism and Buddhism. There are hundreds of old temples in the general area called Angkor, stretched out over kilometres. Angkor is considered southeast Asia's most amazing architectural site as is a UN World Heritage site. The temples are set in lush, green jungles and forests and held up surprisingly well over time in some areas. The most famous is the Angkor Wat compound itself with its five lotus-shaped towers. Most of the temples have entryways featuring the naga, the famed king cobras that protect them.
The Khmer empire which built the temples was quite advanced. They built huge moats and lakes around the complex as well as developing advanced drainage systems. The handiwork is amazing: the walls are covered with carvings of great mythical battles as well as the celestial nymphs known as aspara which are everywhere. It's hilarious: some of the breasts of the asparas on the wall have been rubbed so often that they are shiny and smooth. Rubbing is supposed to bring good luck. Alas, most of the Buddha statues here have had their heads hacked off unceremoniously by the Khmer Rouge during the country's civil war. Pol Pot's soldiers sold the antiquities for arms.
The temples really differ significantly. Some have held up well over time while others have been affected by the encrouching jungle. Today, I toured some of the temples which have not held up as well. It's fascinating to see how despite the fact that the Khmer builders cleared the jungle to build the temple, the jungle is now reclaiming the temples. Trees have grown and their roots have grown above and through the walls. Another cool thing about Angkor Wat is the sound of millions of crickets resting in the trees. It's a positively-loud hum which kind of reminds you of a large group of people meditating.
Many Cambodians from across the country visit Angkor and yesterday, I noticed that I was getting a lot of attention. Apparently, Cambodians from outside Siem Reap don't have the same exposure to foreigners and many were very curious to see a black person. I ended up being asked to pose with a lot of groups which was hilarious. I met this really cool couple from L.A. who were visiting the temples with their 20-month old son. They were amazing: the son was strapped to the father's back and up they went to the top of the main temple.
The tuk-tuks in Siem Reap are slightly different than in Thailand. Here, they are basically a motorcycle pulling an area where two to three people can sit. I love bombing through the city on these things. Yesterday, I had dinner at the lovely Foreign Correspondent's Club (FCC) where I bumped into the cool couple from L.A. with their son. I also sampled Fish Amok, Cambodia's specialty dish which is fish curry with coconut milk steamed in banana leaf. Delicious!!
Yesterday, I had a cocktail at the Hotel de la Paix, a gorgeous boutique hotel here. I love this hotel as it incorporates a very strong anti-war, pro-peace message in its decor. It has quotations and song lyrics on the wall and right now, it's featuring a really powerful photo exhibition by a Japanese photojournalist called Taizo Idochine who was killed by the Khmer Rouge while attempting to be one of the first photojournalists to document Angkor Wat during the civil war. He died at the age of 26.
This morning, I rose at 4:30 a.m. to watch the sun rise over Angkor Wat. It was almost a religious experience. It was so amazing to see the lotus-shaped spires slowly come into view. I was hardly the only person who had this idea. Hundreds of tourists made their way over. Today was slightly different as I only hired a driver and relied on the information in my guidebook to inform me about the temples.
General impressions about Cambodians, Angkor Wat and Siem Reap:
Thailand vs. Cambodia: In Thailand (which I loved), the place is so geared for tourists that sometimes the Thai get lost in the background. I think there's less of an opportunity to experience real Thai culture and have a genuine connection with Thai people because of the rampant commercialism and incessant catering to tourists. This is not yet the case in Siem Reap. The place still has an unmistakeable Cambodian feel to it and it is quite easy to make contact with Cambodian people. I feel like I'm merely a visitor and observer in their country which is happily going about its business around me. I don't know how long this feeling will last as there's massive development of hotels and museums going on here.
The Greenback Reigns Supreme Here: I was shocked to discover that the official currency used here are American dollars, although the Cambodian Riel is used for small transactions. Even the ATMs give out American dollars. Cambodians like their cold, hard cash and things are slightly more expensive than in Thailand.
Child Sexual Exploitation is a Firm No-Go Area: All over the city, there are banners and posters which clearly state that those who exploit children will go to jail in Cambodia or their own countries. This is unlike Thailand where everything is pushed under the carpet.
The people are a beautiful mixture of Indian and Chinese: The Cambodians tend to be shorter and darker in complexion than the Thais. Most of them are either Buddhist or Hindu, with 5% of the country being Muslim.
Koreans are everywhere: It is Koreans, not Japanese, who are all over the place here. To the point that at some of the temples, where mine victims perform music on traditional instruments, the bands immediately strike up the Korean national anthem when a group arrives. Which is usually followed by the profering of dubious amounts of the much-loved American dollar.
Tomorrow, I will spend one day exploring the temples and the markets of Siem Reap. On Friday, I head to Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh, via boat.
