Angkor Wat

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Well, here we are in Cambodia, at the Gran Hotel D'Angkor Wat, a Raffles Hotel, and simply a magnificent one in terms of beauty, service and amenities. So many people around to serve you and so kind and caring, but then it is a 5 Star and I guess we are paying for it. Anyway, the ruins and the sites, of which there are many here. We visited 3 of them.

The first was Angkor Wat itself, dating to 11 and 12 century, spread over a huge area, originally constructed as a palace and Hindu shrine, then changed to Buddhist as the times changed. It is of course amazing. Limestone construction of huge blocks, no mortar, with towers ascending so high, and 187 steps up a steep stairway to the top. Besides the scale and awesome sight of it, it is so beautifully decorated with bas relief depicting Hindu legends, amazingly still intact after 10 centuries. Most of the smaller sculptures have been looted here and at other sites as well, as have the gems and other art pieces, but without them, this is still an amazing site to walk through. It is surrounded by a moat and the gates have sculptures of Naga (snake), Garuda (bird) and other Hindu iconography.

Our favorite site is Ta Prohm, which is now being studied and catalogued by an Indian-Cambodian group. As you walk through the jungle path and happen upon it you are struck with the thought you have just discovered it. There are huge trees growing out of the building blocks, strangler figs taking over the site, both holding the architecture together as well as destroying it. This is where the Angela Jolie last adventure movie was shot (for those who saw it). Again about a 20 centuries old, built by the king for his mother, a palace and place to worship, first Hindu, then Buddhist. Apsara (Hindu dancing girls) carved into the walls (here as well as all other sites), plus beautiful bas relief of battles and other stories of the king and family, including the face of the king on each of the towers!

The third was Angkor Thom, a site now being studied and catalogued by the Japanese, using a balloon floating above it with cameras photographing it. Huge blocks lay on the grounds with numbers denoting the catalogueing process. Here there were reliefs of everyday scenes as well as battles and other important events: The war with the Champa, Chinese market traders, a woman giving birth, a healer with a patient. And of course ehe ubiquitous apsara (dancing girls with bare breasts).

We ventured into Siem Riep for lunch and a walk around and took a tuk tuk to and from a French restaurant last night. It is hard to deny the children beggars selling postcards and such, but there are so many of them, and once you buy from one they are relentless. "It's not fair. You bought from her. Buy from me!" Manuel ventured into this scenario and not buying from a second child was told to "F... himself. Your family will all die. Your girlfriend will stop loving you!" Very upsetting for him and us.

I now sit her listening to Christmas carols in English in a Buddhist country at a French hotel. We are all so global. Each of our guides has talked about the Khmer Rouge period, lost family members, were put to work as children in the rice fields. Now, tho' there is peace, the government is corrupt and not popular and seen as a puppet of the Vietnamese. Interesting too is that there is no love lost between the Cambodian, the Thais, and the Vietnamese. Lots of animosity on all sides.

But it is Christmas Eve, a time we hope of all people thinking of peace. We are off to Bangkok for 2 days, a dinner with Tom's friend Bill Warren, and a break from being intense tourists. I think I will check out the spa (yes, again) and the pool (first time) at the Sheraton. I send you all love and wishes for a happy holiday. Donna

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Comments

[Marcia Logan]

Angkor Wat
Are you writing us with a travel book open for referencing? You know so much and remember so much about what you've seen. Thanks. Perhaps there is a future occupation in this area for you