A trip to Angkor Wat

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Another bus was required for our departure from Vietnam and entry to Cambodia. We arrived into Phnom Penh a feeling a little uneasy because of what we heard about tourist theft and because time was not necessarily on our side we knew that this country would be more of a flying visit compared to most of the others. After one night in Phnom Penh we got a bus to Siem Reap. The poverty of the country struck us and its people are clearly still recovering from its tragic recent history

The journey to Siem Reap was an interesting one. Within 10 minutes we heard a choke followed by a splash. A local guy had just thrown up and was running down the aisle with a trail following him. Testament to the Asian's inability to travel. As is the style, the bus stopped after a few hours at a mini-market, food stall area. As usual we were surrounded by children trying to sell us their goods which in this case was either fruit or deep fried crickets. On any other ocassion we'd jump at the chance but we weren't sure the vendor washed her hands so we said no! There was one girl in particular that Vicki was frantically trying to evade. After about twenty minutes of Vicki hiding behind Conor's back, Conor finally noticed it. On the child's chest there was a black furry spider about the size of a man's hand. "Jesus look at the size of that spider!" came out of Conor and back on the bus we hopped!

When we arrived in Siem Reap we found it hard to remember that we were in Cambodia. It is a lovely town but very westernised. We had planned on booking a tour through the hotel but when we started discussing it with the manager we got some funny looks from another tourist. It was all very cloak and dagger but finally he got us alone and told us we'd be much better off trying to find a tuk tuk driver would take us around for the day for a cheaper price. First thing the following morning we set out on a search for tuk tuk driver and we weren't looking for too long. Unh agreed to take us to all the major temples for a measly $10. This would probably be what he earned for the day because we left at 8am and returned at 5pm, giving a sense of the average wages for these people. He waited on us hand and foot and was nothing but friendly. Thanks Unh!

The Khmer civilisation dated between the 8th and 13th centuries and its Hindu and Buddhist kings built many magnificent stone temples, the most famous of which is Angkor Wat - the largest religious building in the world. After Cambodia's years of internal struggle, the temples are once again a big draw for tourists from all around the world and are certainly one of south east Asia's most popular attractions. Some people devote an entire week just to visiting the temples because there are so many of them and so much to see in each one. We only had a day so we took in the most popular and spectacular on offer and even at that, by the end of the day we were "templed out!"

After our temple adventure we asked Unh to stop off at the town's children's hospital for a few minutes. A Swiss doctor moved to Cambodia a few years ago and set up this hospital. Recently there has been an outbreak of dengue fever among children and the hospital is crying out for blood donations. Unfortunately the locals are not sufficiently informed about it so nearly all of the donations come from tourists. Vicki, being a seasoned veteran at giving blood was very keen to do her bit and make a donation with Conor in tow. Vicki practically had to be turned upside down to get the equivalent of a can of coke's worth of blood out of her but the can of coke we were given after it no doubt helped replace it all. The blood shot out of Conor!

After our flying visit to Cambodia we crossed the border and went back into Thailand. We probably didn't get a great sense of what the country was about but it was another interesting country to add to the list

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Photos

The Great Unh
Our tuk-tuk driver who took us around the temples of Angkor

Conor prepares for the day
Wearing a lovely Cambodian scarf

Vicki's head replaces that which was lost
Angkor Wat

Vicki at the threshold of history
Outside the main gate

A means of transport
One way you can see the temples

Khmer sculpture
Along the main entrance

Temple entrance
Familiar buddhist influence

Conor struggles up the stairs
Characteristically steep steps

Phimeanakas
Late 10th to early 11th centuries

Thommanon
Early 12th century

Thommanon II
Minor temple

Trees slowly destroying the temples
The trees sprout up over centuries from bird leavings

Srah Srang
It's the same water for over nine centuries

Angkor Wat
The world's largest religious building

Graphic relief
One of many battle scenes along the temple walls