OHM'
I spent 9 days in Cambodia, where tropical rainforests and dusty orange earth laden the land. Bustling markets filled with elephant printed genie - Harem pants(which you end up buying 10 pairs of) take the fore, tuk tuks/tricycles, mopeds, motorcycles and push bikes crowd the streets bustling streets and wooden stilt houses, with thatch and tin metal roofs dot the countryside. Still re-building from a war that tore its social fabric to threads, it's people stay resilient and remain some of the friendliest in the world.
I primarily chose Cambodia because I was captivated by the idea of its temples, ancient ruins overrun by the leafy rainforests in its midst, spiritual epicentres that re-connect you with your understanding of the world. I wanted to explore the religious Khmer sites and get my Lara Croft Tomb Raider on. To weave in and out of the temple grounds, to pop my head in and out of window frames and doorways and walk ornately decorated hallways, all to the sound of buddhist prayers being chanted and gongs sounding and resonating like a pulse through the air.
We enter Siem Reap, I like to call it temple town! A charismatic Cambodian city with an energy reflecting the tourists that visit.
Everyone who visits Siem Reap finds themselves at the main drag - Pub street. Pub street provides a vibrant nightlife. Lined with restaurant, pub and club, it's lit up with Vegas inspired neon lights. Night markets border either side giving one the chance to practice their haggling skills. Although once you get down to about US$1 for something priced US$20 you begin to think have you become drunk in haggling power, especially from people who probably need the money rather than the corporations back home whose prices we don't even question. Back to Pub Street, it comes to life at night, as travellers return from the their days out venturing. Siem Reap is also the base city for which people can explore the the Angkor city, the once captital of the Khmer civilisation.
From 9th - 15th centuries the Khmer civilisation built various temples and religious sites in its capital, from which its leaders ruled the empire. The largest and most revered of these being Angkor Wat. The world's largest religious monument ever to be built, floating in a lake and surrounded by a monolithic moat. Built as shrine to worship the gods, it is also believed to be a palace and the home of King Suryavarman II, as well as his final resting place. Although debate still surrounds Angkor Wat's purpose as the Khmer populous that once inhabited its walls moved from a region, leaving what we know today of Angkor Wat largely interpreted from the many inscribed galleries that decorate the temple walls.
Angkor Wat is one of the busiest places I have ever visited, I have never seen so many tourists in one place, it rivals the numbers of Times Square in New York or Bondi Beach on a hot summers day. But like these sights crowds relentlessly gather, even at the break of dawn to take in the sight of this majestic complex. Astonishing the world for its sheer size as well as its intricate structural design, the stone structure stands incomparable to any other building of the world, and an architectural marvel.
The saddest moment was watching the crowds walk away, leaving behind scraps of rubbish from their takeaway meals and snacks. It's disgusting to think a person could stand in front of a beautiful scene and and consciously taint it with trash.
Following the big boy Angkor Wat other temple sites dot the surrounding region. Most take short 5 minute tuk tuk rides from temple to temple, but taking the time to walk or cycle around the grounds is quite relaxing. Away from the crowds and noise, the calm of green foliage frame the scenes, cool winds rustling up leaves and the shade of the tree's block out the heat of the sun, coming across smaller abandoned temple buildings.
The next set of temples are a lot less inhabited by the tourist crowd, they are also less preserved, but adds to its mystique. Giant trees with their over grown root systems have engulfed parts of the temples, with root systems largely visible and reclaiming their space.
People still gather in the temples to pray and worship. Smoky clouds of haze rising form incense sticks fill the air, bundles of candles glimmer as they light buddha statues. Accidentally, but thankfully I stubble across a few of these groups praying, usually as try to find myself, navigating the dark insides of the temple towers through tunnels and hallways. I Take my time to take part in the Cambodian Custom, paying my respects to the culture and to the travel gods for guiding me well thus far, leaving my incense stick in offering to Buddha and receiving a seima string bracelet.
Throughout Angkor Thom, The Bayon and Bantreay Srei, another level of stone masonry is displayed, with hundreds of giant Buddha faces topping columns and so intricately carved designs that cover entire temples. Devatas (Female demigod figures) dance along the walls and with carvings telling the history of the Khmer embellish the columns. Beautifully built by devoted patrons, standing the test of time. The temples are national icons anchoring themselves into the fabric of the Khmer civilisation that reminds them of their history and culture. It is the simplest task of the traveller or any international visitor to respect a culture and its people, in order to help conserve these pieces of history.
And here I take my next stab at the rude and uncultured tourist type.
For the Khmer and Buddhists alike, these temples are religious sites of profound importance, attributing great meaning to these sites with their religions. In the buddist way it is customary and expected of those entering to be covered until the knee and past the shoulder. Even in the heat of Midday. And yet still spotted wandering the grounds are inconsiderate and unmindful tourists, not respecting the cultural environment in which they visit. Along with this are those tourists not taking reverence to the historical importance of sites. A few of the temple areas were made famous from the Tomb Raider movie. Today those areas are fenced off, the immense foot traffic beginning to burden the site. Yet those pesky lewd tourists are at it again, climbing over obvious sign laden fences to get an ill taken photo of themselves in a doorway which I assume will not garner many Facebook likes. Kinal who had been showing me her Cambodia was disappointed and hurt by the blatant lack of respect.
We journeyed on through Cambodia headed for Bangkok along the way taking in more of the Cambodian countryside and culture.
The Tonle Sap lake, where waterside villages are built not alongside the river but rather in it. Their homes built on high stilt bases, a fishing village whose populous has adapted their lifestyles to the tides and water levels.
The markets of spider town, where fried spider is a booming in this niche market of insect eating patrons. They're not to bad actually, as you can presume with a lack of meat and don't taste much like anything. Crispy and light, the main thing to get your head around is the hairy fur that tickle those taste buds whilst you chew. Tarantulas replace toy dolls and act as the pets of these young girls, giving visitors the chance to handle the live version before they attempt to swallow freshly fried afternoon snack.
The Battambong Bananna Train. Which is more motorized cart than actual train. Bridge impass along the train route where we stopped to watch the sunset.
