CAMBODIA
I
somehow feel spiritual, an urge to visit the most spiritual country
in Asia, Cambodia. Here, I go! Booked a 6D5N holiday package from my
usual tour agent - to experience Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, in 2013.
ANGKOR WAT |
DAY
1 - SIEM REAP
Make
a visit to Les Artisan D' Angkor -artisans had the privilege to be
selected for the restoration parts of the historical Angkor site.
Artisans Angkor was selected for this work by Authority for the
Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap – a
Cambodian institution in charge of the preservation of the
archaeological park of Angkor. The artisans is located in the north
east of Siem Reap Province Kbhal Spean (River of a Thousand Lingas)
is an impressive archaeological site display Hindu mythological
images. To view the handicraft, silver plated, stone carving, silk
painting, wood carving, painting, polychromy/gliding and lacquering
work, and a souvenir shop, here.
LES ARTISAN D'ANGKOR |
Next
to the artisans village is the Tonle Sap Lake. The Tonle Sap Lake
also known as the Great Lake is the largest freshwater lake in South
East Asia and the second largest lake in the world – measuring
2,700 sq km. It is an ecological spot designated as a UNESCO
biosphere, in 1997. The lake is linked to the sea via the Tonle Sap
River, which converges with the massive Mekong River in Phnom Penh.
TONLE SAP LAKE |
Fishing
is the only means of income for the villagers where Cambodian
produces about 400,000 tonnes of freshwater fish, yearly. The boat
houses are scattered, some along the lake side and others stand on
stilts in the middle of the lake. The residents here made up of
fishermen living in their boats (canoes) and the hundreds of boats in
a way made up a floating village, here.
HOUSE BOAT |
Children
are an attraction as they are poor – most of them are helping
parents to sell fruits and souvenirs. There are some sold for
prostitution business in town. Like any poverty stricken country,
tourists are warned not to give out money to these children as they
will round you up like bees, and you cannot go back home.
MINGLING WITH LOCALS AT TONLE SAP LAKE |
DAY
2 – SIEM REAP
A
full day to explore Angkor Wat – one of the Seven Wonders of the
World. Here, I just can't get enough of the one day here, as there is
too much mystical things to explore and taking photographs is a
hazzle here, as it is crowded, every second.
MYSTICAL ANGKOR WAT |
Visits
were made to see – Grand Temple Angkor Wat, South Gate of Angkor
Thom, Bayon Temple, Ta Prohm Temple, Elephant Terrace, Terrace of the
Leper King and Chao Say Devoda.
GRAND ANGKOR WAT |
The
Great Angkor Wat (City of Temples) is a Hindu temple, the largest
religious monument in the world built by the Khmer King Suryavarman
II, in the 12th century (1113-1150) in Yasodharapura.
ANGKOR WAT |
The
temple is the best preserved temple showing the classical style of
Khmer architecture – designed to represent Mount Meru – home of
the devas in Hindu mythology. Angkor Wat is dedicated to Vishnu.
GRAND ANGKOR WAT ENTRANCE |
As
I stepped into the grant entrance of Angkor Wat, for the first time –
a spiritual feeling engulfed me. I find myself facing with endless
graceful figures of the dancing Devata (goddess) and marching Khemer
soldiers adorning walls, Statue of Vishnu and the sandstone
monuments, around here.
SMILING BAYON |
I
just fall in love with the Bayon Temple, decorated with 54 gigantic
sculptures consisting of faces of Kannon (Buddhist Deity), Sourire du
Bayon (Smiling Bayon). Taking lots of photographs with Smiling
Bayon, here.
TA PROHM TEMPLE - MAKING OF TOM RIDER'S SITE |
Another
stop over is at the Ta Prohm Temple or better known as Big Roots
Temple House – to view the numerous gigantic aged big roots still
breathing within the temple walls in the so called Larger Angkor Wat
area. A spectacular sight is “The Making of Tom Rider's Movie”
spot where tourists will stop here to take a photograph.
ANGKOR THOM SOUTH GATE |
Lastly,
is the Angkor Thom South Gate – consists of Four Faced Buddha
statue and the Devas Pulling Trunk of Seven Headed Naga. Angkor Thom
South Gate – consists of a large causeway lined with stone figures
which are Devas (God) and Asuras (Demons) well known legen of the
churning of the Ocean Milk. As these figures were partly damaged in
2009, the artisans were entrusted to reproduced and installed 12
heads of Devas and Asuras are now on the current site. The middle
part of the 350m long Terrace of Elephants wall is decorated with
Garudas and Lions. In 2010, artisans reproduced three sandstone lions
which can be seen on the platform.
TA PROHM TEMPLE |
DAY
3 – PHNOM PENH
Phnom
Penh is the capital city of Cambodia – was once the “Pearl of
Asia” however, the city was tarnished by war and revolution, the
Democratic Kampuchea Era and Vietnamese War.
The
city has since risen from ashes to take its place among the “best”
capitals of the region where one can find cafe, bustling bar,
shopper's paradise and world class food, served here.
WAT PHNOM TEMPLE |
WAT PHNOM TEMPLE GARDEN |
In
Phnom Penh, visitors are encouraged to walk about in order to see the
charming city has to offer in terms of history – namely the Royal
Palace, Independence Monument, Victory Monument, Wat Phnom Temple,
Tourl Sieng Museum, Russian Market and the riverfront area.
INDEPENDENT MONUMENT |
To
began my walking tour – stop over at the Independence Monument
built in 1958, designed to end the French rule in Cambodia.
VICTORY MONUMENT |
Nearby,
one can also find the Victory Monument (Cambodia and Vietnam
Friendship Monument) – born out of an understanding between Cambodia
and Vietnam, in 1979 locate at the Wat Botum Park. Currently, the
park is popular with concerts, football and aerobics session after
5pm.
ROYAL PALACE |
Do
not miss the Royal Palace – official residence of King Sihamoni
where one gets a glimpse on the classic Khmer roofs and ornate
gliding, Silver Pagoda and its well-kept gardens. Here, visitors have
to respect the palace, come dressed appropriately and no photography
is allowed inside the Pagoda.
SILVER PAGODA |
The
Silver Pagoda (Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha) is named in honor of the
floor, covered with 5000 silver tiles weighing 1 kg each, adding up
to five tones of gleaming silver. It was constructed in 11892, during
rule of King Norodom.
ROYAL PALACE |
DAY
4 – PHNOM PENH
On
the other hand, the dark side of Cambodia must be looked into – the
Khmer Rouge Revolution which caused destruction to 10,000 people and
2000 children in the 20th century, who had perished in the
Toul Sleng Genocide torture prison which is now turned into Toul
Sleng Genocide Museum.
TOUL SLENG GENOCIDE MUSEUM |
At
the museum, one can recapture torturous scenes and inhuman acts of
the Pol Pot (leader of Khmer Rouge Revolution), at the Toul Sleng
Primary & High School (now the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum). The
45-minute tour is an eye opener as we get to know the tools used to
kill, torture chambers, photographs of prisoners, shackles (tool),
wooden pole turned into torture machine for interrogative session,
skulls and cages used as rooms equipped with a bed, blanket and
bucket for body waste.
RUSSIAN MARKET |
Here,
tour guide Chang Choong gave a brief account on the happening during
the Democratic Kampuchea Era, created on orders of Pol Pot – where
the Tuol Sleng School was used to detain and interrogate prisoners
and this is the 'place' where inhuman torture and killing after
confession were received and documented.
CHAKTOMUK RIVER |
Before,
saying goodbye to Cambodia, we were ushered to cruise in the popular
“Sun Set Cruise” at the Chaktomuk River (The Four Faces River) so
called for its location at the four-branched confluence of the Mekong
River.
SUNSET CRUISE IN MEKONG RIVER |
Day
5 - DEPARTURE
NOVEMBER
27 – DECEMBER 2, 2013
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