(A long overdue post)
Only one week into teaching and we had a week off for Chinese New Year. So naturally I took advantage of the situation and traveled to Cambodia for a week. My friend Wes and I spent two days in Phnom Penh and three days in Siem Reap visiting the remarkable temples of Angkor.
We jammed packed our days so I won't go into too much detail about everything since the blog would then be way too long (instead of just long).
Our first full day in Phnom Penh, we hired a private tuk-tuk driver from our hotel who took us around the city for 9 hours. We would not have been able to do everything if not for our driver.
Our first two stops centered around the Khmer Rouge genocide. Although emotionally difficult places to visit, the Killing Fields of Cheoung Ek and the Toel Sleng S-21 prison were very powerful and full of history. We took an audio tour of the Killing Fields which explained the events at the site in much detail - the history of the genocide, the mass graves, the methods of torture, the stories of the torturers and the tortured. There is a large memorial stupa which houses 900 skulls which have been removed from the graves. Very powerful.
Memorial Stupa at the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek
The S-21 prison was a former high school that was converted into a prison and torture center to house victims of the Rouge before shipping them to Cheoung Ek. The images and stories made me nauseous. And to think it all occurred between 1975 and 1979. A quarter of Cambodia's population, including most of the intellectuals and professionals, were murdered by Pol Pot and his followers.
S-21 Prison, formerly a classroom
The rest of our stops were lighter in subject. We visited the Royal Palace grounds. No one is allowed inside the palace but the grounds are a sight to see themselves! Remarkably intricate architecture with minute details covering every square inch. I was so impressed by the architecture in Cambodia, even though at this point I had hardly seen anything!
Royal Palace
Royal Palace
Wat Ounalam (where one eyebrow of Buddha is kept), Wat Phnom - the Temple on the Hill - and the Central Market, closed out our tour.
Hardly skipping a beat, we walked down to the river front for dinner where we met a lovely couple living in China and spent the next couple hours talking to them.
The next day, we went to the National Museum. Small but full of relics from the Temples of Angkor and with good history and background information about the religions and progression of the country.
Our afternoon and evening consisted of one long hot bus ride to Siem Reap. The aircon on our bus emitted air warmer than the outside air and with no windows that could open except for two at the very back of the bus, I was grateful to be sitting in the last row. Regardless, the bus ride was worth it, considering the incredible temples of Angkor.
A three day pass into the Archeological Park, two days with a personal driver and one day on bike, supplemented by a book with detailed descriptions of each temple we visited, I was one happy traveler. We visited so many temples, I can't tell about all but I will mention my favorites.
Entrance to the Archeological Park
Day two was a 13 hour day starting with sunrise at Angkor Wat and finishing with the sunset on the side of a steep hill. Sleep? Who needs it!
Ta Prohm
The Temple of Trees
Growing out of the walls of this remarkable temple are trees, the two hugging each other for support as parts of the temple crumble away. Cast in shadows due to the trees, it's no wonder why "Tomb Raider" used Ta Prohm as one of the sights for the film.
Ta Prohm
Ta Prohm
Angkor Wat
The most famous and the world's largest religious building. It is the only temple opening to the west as it was built to honor Lord Vishnu, the Hindu deity.
Sunrise at Angkor Wat
Bayon
The temple with 216 faces - My favorite
Bayon is located inside Angkor Thom, the ancient capital city of the Khmer empire. There are 54 towers, each decorated with four faces of Avalokiteshvara. The outer walls are covered with bas-reliefs often depicting scenes of daily life in 12th century Cambodia.
Bayon
Bayon
Banteay Srei
The Citadel of the Women - My other favorite
This temple is farther away but well worth the 45 minute ride. It is constructed out of pinkish limestone and is referred to by many as the crown jewel of Angkorian art. Delicate and elaborate stone carvings cover the walls of this temple.
Banteay Srei
When not at the temples, I was doing yoga at Peace Cafe, eating delicious salads and guacamole, drinking fruit shakes, exploring the night markets, biking through the outskirts of town, joking with all of the tuk-tuk drivers, and watching traditional Cambodian dance performances.
A jam-packed, spectacular trip.
No comments:
Post a Comment