I know I’ve complained about the heat a bit but it is strange how you just learn to cope with it. Made easier by the fact that there seem to be very few bugs around at this time of year. At home, heat goes with the great Australian salute – swatting the constant barrage of flies. It is odd not to have to do that here.
Our day at the temples started early – 7.30am – so that we could fit it all in. I would have liked to visit for sunrise but we were exhausted and would have been so tired that it may have been a downer.
Nat gave a commentary on the various sites in Siem Reap as we passed. He seemed very appreciative of the efforts of foreigners who started various programs that help the local community. The local children’s hospital, Kantha Bopha Paediatric Hospital, was founded by a Swiss doctor – Dr Beat Richner – and he plays the Cello at a concert every Saturday evening to help raise funds to keep the hospital operating.
As we drove by the hospital, I saw a huge sign that said ‘Danger – Haemorrhagic Dengi Fever. Ahhhhh, what! Nat explained that he’d had it last year and that it is carried by mosquitos. Thankfully, I didn’t see many mozzies but, those I did see, died a quick death just in case.
In the last few years the Cambodian government has made it a requirement for anyone visiting the temples to buy a visitor pass which displays your photo and details. The ticketing station was packed with buses full of Vietnamese tourists but Nat took us straight up to a window to get our photos taken and sent us back to the airconditioned comfort of the car while he waited for our passes to be processed. When he returned and gave us our passes, he stressed that it was very important to keep them dry and legible or the inspectors at each site would not allow us entry.
I think it cost about US$20 per person for a one day pass.
Many of the temples, including Angkor Wat, are very close to Siem Reap but I had requested to visit Banteay Srei (The Citadel of Women) which is about a 45min drive. The drive was fascinating as we passed through local villages and Nat answered my never ending questions. Again, as much as I wanted to stop and take photos, we were on a tight schedule so I didn’t ask.
Banteay Srei was stunning. Built around 960AD from pink and yellow sandstone, it has a lovely warmth about it. The carvings are some of the best in any of the temples. As with all the temples, the carvings depict the religious stories and characters. Nat was very knowledgeable about their history and was a great storyteller, pointing out the specific carvings and explaining them to me.
When we arrived, and again when we were leaving, we were swarmed by traders all chanting the “one dollar” phrase. Turns out they say that to get you interested and, once they know you are, they say “No, not one dollar – 20 dollar” or whatever price. I am very good at dismissing them but Monte was constantly swarmed (although, it probably didn’t help that I told all of the ones that swarmed me that I had no money on me and pointed to Monte saying “he’s got the money” LOL).
We had to drive back to the other temples and, this time, I took advantage of having a private tour to stop in a local village and get some more photos. I bought the hat you see in one pic because I was turning into a tomato and it was only just 9am. Again, the locals were very welcoming and obliging if we asked for a photo. The ones I took photos of never asked for “one dollar” but I gave them one anyway because it is such a significant amount to them. I don’t know whether that is really the right thing to do in the long term though.
To be honest, I would have been happy to wander around this village all day and take a million photographs (well, I didn’t have a million dollars so that might have presented a problem) but we had to move on to the next temple.
Our next stop was at Pre Rup built around 961AD. In the centre of the lower level it has a coffin or ‘cistern’ and nearby is the crematorium. Unfortunately, much of the history of ancient Khmer (Cambodia) is an interpretation of clues found around the place as no official record exists. This means that guides and guide books may not be consistent in the information that is given to the visitor. Doesn’t matter though, it’s the vibe. Walking through these temples and dreaming about the civilisation that walked the very same paths some 1000 years ago is mind-blowing.
I did wonder about how fit the people were back then because there are so many, very steep, stairs. It turns out that these temples aren’t like churches etc where the masses congregate to pray. They were built to dedicate to the gods and only a few people were allowed inside to ‘look after’ the statues – clothing them in fresh cloth everyday and giving them various offerings. There were many more temples built, the building materials determined by the wealth of the builder, but many haven’t survived the ravages of time. Obviously, the ones we can see now were built by the richest people – usually the kings who had enormous wealth.
We climbed all the stairs to get to the top for some gorgeous views. Getting up was not really a problem but getting down was a whole other story. Nat walked down forward as if he was on a normal staircase but I opted for the safer backward crawl. The last thing I wanted was to fall and end up in a Cambodian hospital.
After leaving Pre Rup, Nat figured we probably needed a break at the restrooms. There are no facilities at any of the temples so you have to grab the opportunity when it arises. There was one rest stop on the road side that had western toilets available. If you were a local, you had to pay to use them. Tourists didn’t have to pay. Let me just say that they were adequate.
Actually, at first, I wasn’t going to use them and decided to wander around the local food market. I walked past one stall that had skewered chicken and fish and noticed that they were covered in flies. As the trader saw me looking, she picked up a stick with a plastic bag tied to the end as if she was being very careful about keeping the meat clear of flies. As soon as I’d walked past, she put the stick down. All the food was laid out on tablecloths in the heat and open to the local bugs. I can only imagine the protest my stomach would scream if I’d dared to eat any of it (which would never, ever even be considered I might add). As I walked further along, I came to the local butcher. Again, meat laid out on a dirty tablecloth in the open and heat and absolutely covered in flies. I have no idea what the meat was and I didn’t dare ask. Nat said that they eat everything, spiders, cockroaches, dogs!
I have never seen the Lara Croft – Tomb Raider movie but I’ve seen a couple of pics of Ta Prohm where part of it was filmed and I was keen to see it. Unfortunately, we arrived with a bus load of Vietnamese tourists and I had to wait for ages to get any photos without a mass of people in them. I know that they need to preserve the temples and stop the destruction the millions of annual tourists are causing but I was disappointed that they had roped off so many sections and put in platforms for people to stand on to be in photos. As much as I could, I tried to get around these recent additions as it takes a bit away from the authenticity of the whole thing.
Basically, Ta Prohm has these awesome parasitic trees that have taken over the temple, winding their roots through the stonework. The trees themselves are very soft wood which I discovered when I was able to press my finger in it and it left a small dent (hmmmm, remember what I said about those destructive tourists?). One of the guards took a liking to me and led me out to a spot to get a great photo. He was very nice.
I filled my CF card half way through and, as I’d left my others in the car, had to keep pinching Monte’s as he was a bit more frugal with his shooting.
Ta Prohm was built by King Jayavarman VII (Jaya = victory, Varman – shield or protector) around 1186 and only took 5 years to build which was pretty good considering. He dedicated it to his mother and had the principal deity, Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) carved in her likeness. The small section where the statue was kept had a tower inset with hundreds of jewels which were looted over time. He must have loved his mum.
After visiting Ta Prohm, it was time to head back into Siem Reap to a local restaurant for lunch. I was glad of the break but, after lunch, my legs screamed in protest. After having a rest, my muscles had decided to pack it in and weren’t very happy about returning to all the climbing. Bad luck, they had to do as they were told. It was not without pain though.
I’ll start another post for the rest of the day.
