We were met by Vibol, our local guide, and what we noticed immediately on arrival was all the new development since we were here 10 years ago; the airport is being expanded, the main road into the city is duplicated on either side with a service lane now and has street lights, it is lined with huge tourist hotels that must be creating a lot of employment for the locals and those who come here from the more depressed rural areas seeking work opportunities.
We were greeted effusively by the Golden Temple Hotel staff who served refreshments as we completed the paperwork in the lobby. Khumers greet each other with a sompiah, holding both hands together and bowing slightly. Rose and Marius showed us to our room where there were more complimentary snacks and cold drinks on offer. Indochina Voyages upgraded our stay at this hotel and we found our bed strewn with rose and jasmine petals, complimentary Traditional Khmer massage and a dinner in the restaurant.
After settling in we tried out the poolside bar and Socheat arrived to collect the books. We shared a beer with him while he enthusiastically showed us evidence of his project to spread English language opportunities to the outlying districts of Siem Reap. He has established local libraries as far as 200 kms away. He had many pictures of excited children receiving the bundles of books and of parents and teachers supporting the project. It was inspiring to see. It turns out one of the wait staff used to be a student of his so that was a nice reunion to be a part of. On realising how many books we had, he called in another friend to help him transport them. Sokhun arrived on another bike and the two of them disappeared in the evening darkness precariously balancing bags and a suitcase. No trouble to them. Sokhun was very impressed by the room number we had been given and was at pains to explain that the number 8 is very lucky, the infinity shape means no openings, no loss of luck. We are in 18 and the 1 added to 8 makes 9, the highest and best number.
We also ventured out, but on foot. We discovered our hotel is just metres down the road from the Royal Crown Hotel, the one we stayed in last time. The location is great, an easy walk back to the river. On our side now are new night markets, on the other side are the old markets and just a block further is the well known Pub Street with the Red Piano Guesthouse and Bar on the corner. This was made famous by Angelina Jolie when she relaxed here while filming Tomb Raider in 2000 and now the place to be seen if you are anybody.
But Siem Reap was a hot spot for celebrities even in the sixties when they stayed at King Sihanouk's guesthouse (now the Amansara) and everyone from Charlie Chaplin to Jackie Kennedy visited. Then the country was decimated by the Khumer Rouge in 1975 and it has been a long, painful journey back but Siem Reap now holds #4 spot on Travel and Leisure’s 2014 World’s Best Cities list and is once again full of tourists.
We were more interested in the streets and alleys with interesting little shops. They are independently owned businesses, started by Cambodians, Cambodian emigrants returning home, or expats with a strong connection to the place and with a social conscience. So much more interesting than strolling those cities where all the main streets look the same, lined with global franchises found everywhere. We chanced upon Wild Poppy which I had read about. Owned by an Australian couple, they employ locals to make and sell the ethically produced products and use local cotton in the designs. Then finished up at the night markets on the way home.
US $1 is roughly equivalent to 4000 Riels
Word for the day
Thank You - or koun (aw kuhn)
TUESDAY
Cambodia is largely a Buddhist country; around 95% of the population practice it. The religion is based around the more than 4,000 monastery temples in the country. Known locally as Pagodas or sometimes Wats, they are administered by monks which you frequently see around town, wearing their distinctive orange robes, with shaven heads and eyebrows. Our hotel backs onto a temple and the chanting began well before daylight. While we were conscious it was happening we didn't find it disturbing because of the peacefulness of the mantras. The monks are basically teachers (or students themselves). As a service they will offer a blessing and we are due to receive this tomorrow afternoon. Meanwhile we roused ourselves for breakfast at about 7:30 and on our way back to our room were fortunate to catch a small part of a service for the nuns of the monastery, all wearing white robes, from the back balcony.
Vibal collected us promptly at 8:30 and we began our tour at the South Gate of Angkor Thom, famous for the colossal faces carved in stone. The massive city was built under King Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century. We advanced to the impressive Bayon Temple, one of the largest Buddhist temples in the heart of Angkor Thom complex.
The moat
One of the guardian statues supporting the entrance
each entrance has 4 massive faces of Buddha
one of the 3 headed elephants that supports the entrance
A troupe of actors were onsite trying to make a documentary but the nosy tourists were getting in the way.
We were given the option to scale the summit at the top of the steps of Baphuon Temple
and since we are in training for Dec we just couldn't decline the offer. This was built mid 11th century, a temple mountain dedicated to the Hindu God of Shiva and the state temple of King Udayadityavarman II.
We walked on through the royal enclosure and Palace area, much of it remains buried or was destroyed by looting and fires since it was made of wood. The trees provided plenty of welcome shade as we then left Angkor Thom via the Elephant Terrace where the Royal party would have been entertained by parades and the like, and the Terrace of the Leper King with its labyrinth and really a crematorium.
Next stop was Ta Prohm Temple, more commonly known as the jungle temple and the one featured in the film Tomb Raider. A very picturesque temple with the massive fig tree roots both destroying and holding it together at the same time. It was founded by King Jayavarman VII as a Buddhist monastery and university in the late 12th century when the country was once again Buddhist.
Thank goodness Vibol called for a lunch break after that stop. We had been hounded by children to buy postcards, fridge magnets and wristbands at every stop and it was so nice to go into a restaurant where they were kept well away from us. We recognise the same postcards from 10 years ago and the blind musicians are playing the same tunes and instruments but now have updated outfits. I worried that the children should be in school but was told they are still on a long annual holiday break, so that was good to learn (if it is true).
Our final stop for the day and by far the most impressive and most complete was Angkor Wat. This architectural masterpiece was constructed by King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century. Surrounded by a massive moat which provides beautiful reflections, we strolled through the galleries, libraries, pavilions, courtyards and ponds. It was first a Hindu, then subsequently a Buddhist temple complex and the largest religious monument in the world. Breaking from the Shiva tradition of previous kings, Angkor Wat was instead dedicated to Vishnu. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious center since its foundation.
followed these happy passengers back to town
Back at the Golden Temple Hotel we were in the pool in no time and Eric was being served a beer before I knew it. We had booked up our complimentary massages for 6pm so had some time to relax and refresh ourselves after all those steps. The massage was fantastic; I had the full body and Eric had the legs and feet.
We dined in tonight compliments of our upgrade. The dinner was fabulous (spring rolls with green mango salad for starters, amok fish and curried vegetables with rice for main and jelly selection for dessert). We matched it with a lovely bottle of Bordeaux Red. Phanit, one of the wait staff approached us when we had finished, keen to know more about the Book Buddies Project so we were able to have a lovely long chat to him about his achievements, ambitions, and how he might be able to assist Socheat.
Word of the Day - Hello - Sur Sday (sur se day)
Wednesday
Our day began with a drive out of town to the intricately carved and well-preserved temple of Banteay Stei. This is one of the earliest temples, completed in 967 AD and dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is a relatively small temple but what is most striking is that it is constructed of pink sandstone with exquisitely detailed carvings that have stood the test of time.
On our way we stopped of to see how the villagers collect and process palm sugar and to but some of those beautiful tiny, sweet bananas, then we had lunch.
Our final temple visit was to Banteay Samre Temple again built by Suryavarman II in the same time period as Angkor Wat. So it too was a Hindu temple but abandoned and lost to the jungle without ever being used by Buddhists. It was named after the Samré, an ancient people of Indochina, who were the ones who rediscovered it. The information centre here was one of the best at depicting the restoration process but the women trying to sell us clothing, tablecloths and decorations nearly drove us mad. On our way back into town we stopped of to see how the villagers collect and process palm sugar and to but some of those beautiful tiny, sweet bananas, then we had lunch.
We followed the river out of town to Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. In the centre of town the homes built right on the river have been removed to beautify and improve the health of the river. On the outskirts and out of town though, the river is lined with homes that extend out into the water where the residents keep fish traps and use it as their means of waste disposal. The term Tonlé Sap really includes the lake and its feeder rivers. The portion that forms the lake expands and shrinks dramatically with the seasons. From November to May, Cambodia's dry season, the Tonlé Sap drains into the Mekong River at Phnom Penh. However, when the year's heavy rains begin in June, the Tonlé Sap backs up to form an enormous lake. For most of the year the lake is fairly small—around one metre deep and with an area of 2,700 square kilometres. When water is pushed up from the Mekong into the lake, it increases its area to approximately 16,000 square kilometres, with a depth of nine meters. This expansion floods the nearby fields and forests, providing a great breeding ground for fish. The dimensions of this increase are hard to picture so here is a map that explains it better. We are seeing it today not yet at its peak but when we traveled out on it, water was all we could see in all directions like an inland sea.
The Tonlé Sap is also unusual for its biannual flow reversal. The river reaches maximum flow in August and September, when the Mekong River (which merges downstream), swells massively as it collects melted water from the Himalayas as well as heavy monsoon rains in its upstream drainage basin which spans China, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand, before reaching Cambodia and finally draining into the delta in Vietnam. Converging with the Tonlé Sap at Phnom Penh, the volume surge reverses much of the flow back up into the Tonlé Sap floodplain. At the start of the dry season, the Mekong River water levels drop, returning the Tonlé Sap River flow to its usual seaward direction, exposing the muddy lake plain. Thousands of people make their homes in floating villages on the lake and we visited one by boat passing by general stores, boat repairs, a Catholic Church, Buddhist Temple, school, restaurants and police station. The homes in the village where we hired the boat are built on stilts up to 10 metres high.
Buddhist temple but also a Catholic Church
Inland sea
Supplies anyone?
On returning to Siem Reap we were dropped at a monastery and offered a blessing by one of the monks. The blessing was a short ceremony, designed to impart good luck, long life and happiness. Fortunately Vibal (who spent 6 years as a monk) was able to tell us what was going on before we were doused in holy water while the monk chanted. Unlike the soothing mantras we heard in the morning this sounded more like an auctioneer in full flight. We had no idea what he was saying but still, entering with an open mind, it was an interesting and calming experience.
While we had been sprinkled with holy water the true believers were doused.
We left the monastery in a tuk tuk for a ride through the suburbs, nothing gets you up quite so close and personal to the sights and smells of a city than in one of these open sided vehicles.
In the early evening it rained then we wandered off looking for the Peace Cafe but were unable to find it. Instead we chanced upon the New Leaf Book Cafe and enjoyed a delightful meal. This not-for-profit cafe has a mission to provide a high quality restaurant experience, so as to generate profits to invest in educational programs in Siem Reap province. The Peace Cafe offers out-reach program in the communities. So while we missed one opportunity we found another way to support the locals. I can't help thinking the Book Buddies Project would meet the requirements to draw support from this venture. On returning to the hotel foyer, the evening staff presented us each with a scarf and t-shirt.
Word of the Day
Cheers - Cholmoy
THURSDAY
We were joined after breakfast once again by Socheat who also presented us each with a scarf, this one a traditional Khumer design. We were very touched, we certainly were not expecting anything. The staff then tied it for me in the traditional fashion (I'm not sure though) and we posed for photographs for them.
Vibal then arrived and took us to the Artisans of Angkor Workshop to see how the local people in many outlying districts are trained in the traditional skills. Silk farms with weaving, stone and wood carving, lacquer ware and silk painting were all on display by the skilled workers who have the opportunity to move to the city and work here. Some are deaf or mutes. There is a showroom where you can purchase items but they also work with the restoration project to replace items stolen or lost. We had seen a new pink sandstone monkey guardian at the lady's temple just yesterday which was completed under this project.
We finished with a stop at a bookshop to purchase a Khumer recipe book (Eric is inspired) and another little ceramic shop I had earlier been interested in and then we made our way back to the hotel to complete the packing and check out. Surprise, surprise! We have more purchases than we had anticipated! Going to need to check in a bag on our homeward flight after all.
We flew the short leg to Sihanoukville and our driver took us on to Otres Beach where we are booked into the Tamu Hotel. The main reason to visit Sihanoukville is the beaches. They are not as crowded as many others in Asia, and Otres Beach is reputedly quite remote and very clean. In deep contrast to the Golden Village we found the style of the Tamu Hotel starkly minimalist but I love it too. Situated on absolute beachfront, the building is concrete with very strong lines, painted white for coolness which dramatically sets off the deep green foliage and blue of the tiled pool. The floor of the reception is sand (barefoot chic), most of the interior walls are painted white and the rest is just polished concrete.
Our room, once again number 18, is spacious with a balcony overlooking the pool to the offshore islands. We ventured through the courtyard to the restaurant on the beach and later went for a long stroll along the water's edge. Otres is a 5km long stretch of clean, white sand. On returning we had a swim and contemplated the last time we swam in the ocean. Can't think of the last occasion. You just don't do it off Singapore or where we have been in Indonesia as the water is too polluted by shipping. After dinner, which we shared with a couple from Perth, we slept soundly with the shoreline breakers lulling us to sleep.
Word of the day Goodbye - lea
FRIDAY
After breakfast on the beach with a refreshingly cool breeze our guide Nina, and driver took us to Ream National Park. On the way we diverted into Sihanoukville which was really fortunate for us as we had been thinking of arranging a trip there tomorrow. Now we figure there is no need, the town had little to impress us. Set on a headland, it is surrounded on 3 sides by the Bay of Thailand and many of the country's small islands can be seen offshore. Sihanoukville is home to the country's harbour, though not deep enough for the biggest ships which transfer cargo at Singapore. There is evidence of lots of construction in and around the town and the beaches seem lined with open air restaurants and hotels. The Golden Lion monument is the most notable landmark.
The park was established to protect its combination of rivers, forests, mangroves, estuaries, beaches, coral reefs, wildlife and marine life. It is divided by a freshwater river called the Prek Teuk Sap which flows through the Park to the ocean. We took a traditional wooden boat from the Rangers' Station along this for about 1.5 hours to Koh Kchong Fishing Village at the mouth, then walked for about 40 mins to Koh Sam Pouch Beach. On the mangrove-lined river we saw a number of fishermen netting, diving for oysters and crabbing. We were amazed at the number of Brahminy kites, we are used to seeing them in pairs but as we neared the estuary they were soaring and diving in every direction. The only other birding highlight was a small flock of milky stork.
There are reportedly 155 species of birds in the park including a few threatened species but we only saw 5 while on the river and not a one when walking.
Rice fermenting for wine production
We had another swim and relaxing afternoon before dinner at our beach side restaurant. A big storm blew up overnight complete with thunder and lightning, we were glad to be resting in our solid concrete bunker as opposed to the thatched A-frames nearby, very similar to what we would have stayed in on Koh Samui 30 odd years ago.
Word for the day
How are you? - Sok sa bai?
SATURDAY
Our schedule just says we are free today, at our own leisure to relax at the beach. And we did just that, watching a number of movies throughout the day as the storms blew through.
Word of the day
I am fine - Sok sa bai na
SUNDAY
After breakfast at Tamu we were driven to Phnom Penh which took almost four hours. Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia, located at the junction of the Mekong and the Tonle Sap rivers. In fact there are 4 rivers in the city and flooding can be a problem at this time of the year. The road was in good condition but it was difficult for the driver with some patches of heavy rain and constant beeping of the horn with every motor bike we overtook (and there were hundreds of them). Traffic in the city was nothing short of chaotic. Not sure how the driver felt about it, as he had very limited English, but I was exhausted when we eventually arrived at the Villa Paradiso on Street 222. He had a lot of trouble finding the street despite the fact that all of the streets are numbered. The scheme seems simple enough: odd-numbered streets run north-south and even numbers run east-west. We eventually checked in to the sumptuous Colonial Garden Room on the ground floor.
After a short rest we were collected by Nina and his driver and taken to lunch at Khumer Surin Restaurant in the downtown area. The food and setting were beautiful and if we were returning I would consider booking in here too. We began the guided tour at the Killing Fields of Choueng Ek where a Buddhist memorial stands to commemorate the 1.7 million victims of the 1975-79 Pol Pot regime. At this site the Khmer Rouge killed many thousands of their victims during their four-year reign of terror. There are many more sites just like this one. more than 300 in all. We knew it wasn't going to be an easy experience to see the evidence of the mass graves and be shown some of the ways the people were brutally murdered. I removed my blessing wristbands here and left them on a grave site as many before me had done, honoring the victims. It was the killing tree and grave of the women and children that really brought me undone. The behaviour was just inconceivable.
We broke the afternoon visits with a wander through the Russian Market, so named because many of the motor bikes in the 80's were Russian and this is where you came to buy spare parts. Apparently nowadays they are more commonly from China and Korea. On our way into town today we passed a lot of the clothing factories like Levis, CK, Ralph Lauren and many other brands. Any of the clothes deemed to be seconds and unfit to be shipped abroad due to very small fault are sold here. You can also purchase fake jewellery, Swiss watches and pirated software at low prices. We came away with some local spice mixes.
Our final stop for the day was Toul Sleng Prison Museum (also known as S21). Previously a secondary school, it was converted into Cambodia's most important prison in 1975. More than 14,000 people were tortured here before being killed either here or at the Killing Fields. Only 8 prisoners survived and only 2 of them remain alive today, Mr Chum Mey is one of them and was signing books at the exit gate to raise money for the victims' families. It is a very distressing place however an important piece in the country's historical and cultural puzzle. Nina explained how his Mum was a victim of the Khumer Rouge. She was forced to leave behind everything she owned except what she was wearing and what she could carry and walk out of Phnom Penh. She survived and when she eventually made her way back her house had been looted and destroyed. She squatted in another home which was later granted to her by the Govt. So many never returned that it was a reasonable solution.
We were dropped back at our hotel and we made our way straight to the poolside bar for a refreshing Angkor Beer to wash away some of the gruesome sights and harrowing stories we have encountered this afternoon. It was certainly a good idea to have read some accounts and historically based fictional stories of the events before coming here so we were a little prepared, but you can't really prepare for what we have seen.
Word of the day
The bill please - Som ket loi
MONDAY
Checking out of here already! Shame, Villa Paradiso is rather lovely.
Before breakfast we took a stroll up to the Liberation Monument. It was already hot and we found Phnom Penh not to be a pedestrian friendly city. Attempts to walk on the footpaths are quickly aborted because of parked vehicles, security barricades or shelters etc. Walking on the road feels like a rather dangerous activity as there are so many vehicles and apparently not many road rules. Traffic flow at intersections is governed by whoever thinks it is their turn to go next. Luckily everyone moves pretty slowly.
dogs don't seen to mind
After breakfast Nina took us to the Royal Palace which also includes the Royal Residence, Throne Hall and two magnificent pagodas in the Palace Grounds. The Silver Pagoda and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha are both magnificent. They were built in the 19th century with French technology and Cambodian designs, and have survived the traumas of the 20th century surprisingly well intact. Another building, the Napoleon III Pavilion, is currently under renovation, but they have cleverly screened it with life-sized images on the drop cloths so it doesn't look too bad.
so quiet and serene here
the throne room
pagoda
renovations screened
taking a peek
It was as we were leaving that we found this map on the wall that visually explained the might of the Khumers in the earlier centuries (12th and 13th). No wonder they are so proud of their history.
And compare that to today.
Next we went to Wat Phnom, built in 1373. It stands on a small man-made hill of 27m. The pagoda is known as ground zero, the central point of Phnom Penh. According to legend a woman noticed a big tree floating down the flooded river and asked her neighbours to help her pull it to the bank. When they did she found 4 Buddha statues nestled in it. She saw this as a sign to build the pagoda, I don't quite understand how she convinced anyone to help her build the mountain but it does mean that this temple is the highest in the city and now has hundreds of statues inside. A Chinese temple was later built beside it. There were many people leaving offerings at both sites.
Our lunch was served at a riverside restaurant. We were alongside the jetty where a Mekong cruising vessel was anchored. We were given a table right beside the performance stag where a young man played the gamelan and a young girl danced in the traditional apsara style. No visit to Cambodia would be complete without at least one performance.
We were dropped at the airport in good time to make our flight. This was much smoother than the outbound journey and we must have had a tail wind as we landed 20 mins early. It has been a wonderful holiday, a good balance of history and culture with some nature and beach relaxation thrown in. We knew we were back in Singapore as soon as we found ourselves walking toward Arrivals and a young girl was walking right into our path with her face buried in a mobile phone, having no clue or concern for anyone else. On the other hand isn't it nice to travel on roads where all the traffic moves in the appointed direction!
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