Cambodia - land of mystery

Pete and I are in Cambodia now, on day 4 of a 5 day break from Thailand.

Cambodia is an interesting place. It is so poor, with very little
infrastructure. Even in Phnom Phen (the capital), there aren't traffic lights.
What is so weird though, is that all these beautiful French Colonial structures
still exist, so it is such a contrast to see such poverty surrounded by such
development and beauty. Also, the sadness and healing is almost palpable, and I hate Poh Pot more and more with every minute I spend here.

Cambodian food is also good. It is like Thai food, but with a French influence. We have been eating a lot of vegetables and fish, and steamed rice and noodles with every meal. The people are very warm, and often touch your arm and laugh during conversation. They speak English very well, and are happy to boast about their country. They also dress very nice, all of them. Everyone from tuk-tuk and motor drivers to restaurant staff are in pressed clothes, and very professional.

We are currently in Siam Reap (Khymer for Defeated Thais) and paid an early morning visit to Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. Definitely near the top of any list of places to see before you die. The Angkor site is a massive complex of temples built deep in the Cambodian jungle between 800 and 1200 CE, so large in fact, it is one of the few man-made structures that can be seen from
space. Yesterday, we caught a magnificent sunset from atop the three domed Angkor Wat temple, as a massive front of cylindrical storm clouds closed in from the south. A local guard offered to take us to the top main dome for a better view of the sunset ... for a $10 cash "fee" that is...payable, directly and discretely to him.
There were all these signs that said construction and no entry, but he took us back and we were allowed to go up steep stairs and overlook all the trees and other temples as
the sunset. Every pillar is intricately decorated with script and carvings of
people and buddhas dancing.


This morning, we woke up at 4:30am to see the sunrise. Pete and I found a spot
on the water (which was once a moat) in front of the grand temple. All the
other tourists went inside, and we got to enjoy a very quiet and romantic sunrise
over the temple. It was a little cloudy, but beautiful nonetheless. We then
had our tuk-tuk driver show us around. It was only 6:30 so there weren't many
tourists, and in some places we were by ourselves. The most fantastic by far
where the Bayon Temple (or Temple of Faces) and the Jungle Temples. The Bayon Temple is in the Angkor Thom which is surrounded by five gates. Each gates is guarded by 54 gods and 54 demons. The walk in is intimidating and exciting. The Bayon Temple is in the center of the area, and has at least 25 peaks, each with four heads facing each of the directions. You can climb the stairs, and each turn is more fantastic than the next. Everywhere you look, there are eyes on you. It was both magical and haunting at the same time.

The Jungle Temples are temples that have been completely overgrown with trees. The roots of the trees are like nothing I have ever seen before. They are like greedy arms that overhang and grab everything in sight. Many of the large stones have fallen under the weight of the trees that have grown on top of them. There is a small temple inside that if you stand against the wall and pound your chest, it sounds like a drum. They say you can make three life wishes to the spirits of that temple, and pound your chest and they will come true. Everything about the place is a little mystical. Books say that no birds fly over Angkor Wat, and it is believed it is because of the power and spirituality eminating from it. It was true, I kept and eye out and didn't see one bird! There are monkeys that run in the jungle though and we spotted a few of those.