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Published: November 17th 2007
Cambodia Airport
Another Culture!Angkor Wat
A brief one-hour flight and we go back in time to the Khmer archaeological treasures of the 11th and 12th Centuries! Gone is the hustle/bustle of Vietnam as we meet the gentle, serene people of Cambodia. A quick refresh and we venture into the moist humidity of this fascinating place.
The Temples we visited were once hidden by the jungle and re-discovered by the French in 1864. The overgrown finger like roots of the song trees have become one with the porous sand and limestone building blocks of these ancient holy places. The enormity of the task faced by the industrious builders of the time and the fact that they are so complete after hundreds of years is further testimonial to the advanced construction techniques employed over 1000 years ago are truly awe inspiring! Surrounding these structures are two hand-dug reservoirs to feed this civilization’s rice growing populace of over one million.
All temples constructed at this time face east and new beginnings except for the enormous temple at Angkor Wat (facing west, the funereal ending). Originally an Hindu temple it became a Buddhist temple prior to its disrepair (Teams from Germany, France, Thailand, and Vietnam have
assembled to renovate different areas). This Wonder of the World is clear evidence of familial dedication and engineering expertise. Less serene than our first visitation site today (hoards of tourists may account for some of the differential), its sheer magnitudes is humbling and amazing!
A quick bus ride returns us to our hotel room for rest, refreshment, and renewal. Not ones to relax conventionally, I pursued an overlooked notice about learning a local craft. The lotus flower plays an important role in the life of Cambodia, not the least of which is decorative. So off we headed to the spa, not for massages, but to explore the art of flower petal folding. Six young women were generous with their time and patience. It was difficult for us to reproduce their work (these artists have tiny child-sized fingers), but we gave it our best … and the locals were mesmerized by our attempts bringing many to the scene to photograph us and our efforts. Apparently, not many tourists have expressed an interest in learning their craft (especially large American males)!
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