CAMBODIA

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 12^th 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 20^th 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