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Published: February 5th 2012
Cambodia.
Damn these flies !
Oh, they're not flies, someone's knocked over a box of currants (mmm currants).
Damn these currants !
Well, after a four hour flight from Kathmandu to Bangkok, quick overnight stop in Bangkok (so nothing really to report as all we saw was the airport, which was massive, and the inside of a hotel room, which was quite small by comparison), then, next morning, an hour's flight from Bangkok to Siem Reap (in a cartoon plane!), and here we are in Cambodia.
And it's hot. Very hot.
I hear it's a bit cold (snigger) in the UK at the moment (guffaw). I'm sorry. Sorry. No, it's not you. Sorry. It's just so warm and sunny here.
Nepal seems like a distant dream already, and Cambodia appears to be a different kettle of fish altogether. While the Nepalese were a sort of cross between the Indians and the Chinese, Cambodia is much more oriental.
Mind you, like Nepal, a lot of them seem to be smiling (or is it wind, or is it 'cos they look Chinese, or both, or something else?). Perhaps it's us being British. Maybe we're so
used to seeing miserable faces, that anyone who is not British looks happy by default (or has wind).
Anyway, a relaxing drive (yah book sucks India) to the hotel (which is lovely), a quick massage (and yes, I did get the pretty one, finally), din-dins and bo-bos (with a small uninvited guest).
After a good night's rest, a traditional Cambodian breakfast ( freed igg, bikan, boikd barnz, domado, tarst and cirfee ), we were picked up and whisked off to the Angkor temple complex.
This was main reason we came to Cambodia, to see the famous Angkor temples, in particular:
Angkor Wat ( pronounced Anchor Wot ).
What ?
Yes, that's right.
No, I mean what did you say ?
Oh sorry, Angkor Wat ( pronounced Anchor Wot ).
Wot.
Angkor Wat ( pronounced Anchor Wot ).
No, I know what it's called, I was just repeating what you said.
What ?
Stop this now.
Angkor is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia. Stretching over some 400 km2, including forested area, Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals
of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century. There are over 200 temples here, but most of them have yet to be excavated. There's approximately 40 of them in various states of repair, the most popular being Angkor Wat (pardon, shh), Angkor Thom (wot, shh, pardon) and Ta Prohm (made famous in the first Tomb Raider film, shh, pardon, wot). All of these were built around the 12th century.
Angkor Wat (shh, pardon) was saved to the end so we could be there at sunset. Angkor Thom was the first stop. Originally a Hindu temple ( as was Angkor Wat, pardon, shh ), it was taken over by Buddhists who tried to obliterate the original Hindu stuff, but then later Hindu's came back and tried to obliterate the Buddhist stuff. So you get a wierd mix of both. (If you ask me they both need their heads banging together).
Of particular interest to me in Angkor Thom was an ancient carving of what appeared to be a Stegosauruses. Yes, the dinosaur! (Not sure whether that's Buddhist or Hindu?) It is possible they came across a skeleton I guess, or maybe Eric Von Daniken has been
up to more mischief?
On then to Ta Prohm, temple ruins overgrown with huge tree roots. Mind-blowing. Gives you an idea of just how long these things have been there.
And finally, Angkor Wat ( pardon, shh, he's talking ).
Wat can I say ? Again, one of those places you just have to go to. Originally a Hindu temple to Vishnu, it demonstrates the same schizophrenic qualities of part Buddhist and part Hindu.
We hung around til sunset, exhausted, hot, sweating. Stopped for a cool drink and met a mischievous young local girl called Li, old beyond her years. She tried, half heartedly, to sell us stuff but ended up buying our daughters off us for 1000 Riel a piece ( sorry Fran, Binx - not sure how that happened ).
Home, shower, din-dins, wine, blog, bed.
Couple of chill days now before Phnom Phen. Hopefully, nothing much will happen tomorrow (need rest) so probably won't update the blog for a couple of days. Will probably just wander round town when the sun goes down and check out the night life.
Night night.
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Love the piccies of the tree roots growing over the ruins and the stegasaur very interesting, wots the night sky like out there any unusual phenomena to report. Keep Blogging xx