The Kingdom of Cambodia...Hey Lady!

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It has been a bit over a week since I've returned from my Christmas holidays (or winter holiday as it is called here in Japan), and I thought I should try and share some of my "foreign" experiences. It is incredibly amazing how different a country Japan is compared to the other countries I have seen of Asia. It also made my time away another eye opening experience (my time away from home seems to be full of these!)

My vacation was a blur of 10 flights (yes, 10!) and 2 countries. Alexis and I landed in Siem Reap, Cambodia for 3 days, which was a very short time, so we concentrated on just one area of the country.

One of the main attractions of Cambodia is Angkor, which is located in the city of Siem Reap. Angkor is the capital of the former Khmer (what Cambodian people are still known as) empire, and dates back to the 12th century. Angkor Wat is the largest temple in the complex, and there are many, many others (over 100!), which you can spend days seeing. With only three days, we just tried to see the main ones.

Of all Cambodia's treasures, the richest is its resilient people (~Lonely Planet)

Cambodia...what an amazing country! Wonderful, happy, friendly people, considering all that they have suffered. We had the option of hiring a driver to take us around the Angkor Wat complex or to hire a motorcycle driver (much to my dismay of only paying $1 US for this service, I cherish my head too much....no helmets are provided, or worn by the driver, and we're talking very bumpy, dusty roads!) Alexis and I opted for the driver and car, and were treated to the company of Mr. Hon for 2 days who opened up a bit and shared his experiences of life during the Khmer Rouge regime. If the Khmer Rouge had stayed in control much longer, Mr. Hon said Cambodians would no longer be alive. However, one of my most favourite memories is riding a bike through the Cambodian country side, with the people waving and smiling...such lovely people!

...and smart! The Angkor temples are home to the world's smartest, smallest peddlars. These children, in their efforts to sell postcards, bracelets, and the like, can amazingly speak many languages to the tourists. English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and French were all languages I heard. One boy was having a full fledged conversation with a woman in Japanese...he put me to shame, indeed! Another time, one child offered to sell me a baby..."you buy baby?" "How much?" I said. "1 riel!" (1000 riels are equal to about 25 cents American, so this was a special discounted price for a baby, or a brother who badly wanted rid of his sibling!) Of course I succumbed to buying postcards and bracelets from a few clever salespersons (but not the baby!). "Lady, I found your driver" (this was said after coming out of Angkor Wat and not being able to find our car) "you buy postcards from me now!"

Cambodia is a country which is just beginning to settle from all of its turmoil, and now is becoming a popular spot among tourists, and it's no wonder. It has some of the most amazing temples in the world, which I have read can be compared to the goose bump-inducing thrill of seeing the pyramids for the first time, as well as natural warmth and beauty, in both people and nature.

Hey Lady, as this entry is subtitled, is a phrase that I heard almost a bit too much of in Siem Reap...hey lady, you want a ride? Hey lady, you buy postcard?...but I might be tempted to go back to hear a few more "hey lady"s in the future.

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Photos

Angkor Wat in the Early Dawn
Angkor Wat, just after sunrise...It was an overcast day, but the early morning darkness gradually lightened, unveiling the grand presence of Angkor Wat

Inside Angkor Wat
I felt very, very miniscule...

Looking up....
This was in the centre of Angkor Wat. You could climb to this lookout view, but the stairs were incredibly steep. I read that they had been built that way to force visitors to prostrate for the entire climb up

The South Gate
This is the gate you go through in order to reach the temple complex of Angkor Thom. Angkor Thom's most famous temple is the Bayon

The Bayon
The Bayon is said to appear like a pile of rubble from the outside, and it's not until you enter the temple that its magic is revealed

The Bayon
The Bayon is best known for the many smiling, haunting faces that appear on its towers

Nose to Nose
This picture was insisted upon by a Cambodian tourist, who made sure that I posed exactly right to get the perfect shot!

Bas relief from the Bayon
Most of the temples had "bas reliefs", intricately carved scenes. At the Bayon, some featured scenes from everyday life including a woman giving birth, and people playing chess

Ta Prohm
The third most famous temple of the Angkor complex, Ta Prohm was one of the first temples built. After the fall of the empire, it was left abandoned and was slowly overtaken by the jungle. Restoration efforts have aimed to keep it this way, making it look very differently than the other temples

Ta Prohm
Roots of a silk cotton tree at Ta Prohm, and a Stacey! I should note that the "fabulous" new hair cut I'm sporting only cost me $2 US in Cambodia...it was a bit uneven, and required some personal TLC, but for $2, really, who could ask for anything more?!

Banteay Srei
This temple is one of the most unusual of the Angkor area. It is 25 km from the rest of the temples, and is built mostly from red sandstone. Because of the intricate carvings, it is thought to have been built by women, and the name "Banteay Srei" translates into "Citadel of the Women"

Sunset over Angkor
A lovely view from high above, as the sun sets over Angkor

Monkeys!
One of the best things about riding a bike around the complex on our last day was being able to hop off for photo opportunities, such as these monkeys! However, when they began to approach, we got back on our bikes mighty fast...

1 of 2 Stoplights
Being at the temples, you almost forget that there's the bustling, chaotic city of Siem Reap close by. The city has only 2 stop lights, and this is one of them. I wish you could have been there with us as we rode our bikes, weaving around the traffic...an experience never to be forgotten!

A Common Site
Fruit stands, full of tropical deliciousness, were common to see down many side streets

Comments

[Jaime Armenise]

Stayshi-san.. i'm sooo jealous
Wow.. i'm jealous. it is all so beautiful