Day 4: In the Footsteps of Angelina

Ever since we booked this holiday I have been worrying about Day 4.  The itineray specified 'You will have to hike through the jungle.'  Was I man enough for an intrepid expedition in 35 degree heat after 3 days of extreme sightseeing?  As a poshpacker, was I allowed to go poolside instead?  I found an article in the Sydney Morning Herald about poshpackers.  I liked what I was reading (apart from the stipulated age bracket) so I did the quiz to checkout my travel cred and, with a score of 9/10, I achieved official poshpacker status.  It says poshpackers like to take things easy and that must be why I wimped out of the jungle hike.  Richard stayed behind to keep me company (yeah, right - he's an opportunist) whilst Louise and Ian made an impressive slog deep into the jungle to see the River of a Thousand Lingas (phallic symbol of the Hindu god Shiva) and Banteay Srei - a pretty pink sandstone temple.    

Louise & Ian: The Happy Trekkers

The Lingas are sandstone carvings set into the river bed

Meanwhile Richard and I lazed around.  I had a massage and then we had lunch.  That's it.

Little room by the pool for massage

     

Richard & Kindle: The Happy Slackers

 

Is that someone peeping at you?

After lunch we headed to Ta Prohm, a tumbledown temple near Siem Reap.  These ruins have been overgrown  by the jungle in a bizarre, interdependent existence.  The trees intertwine with the temple to the point where neither would stand if the other were taken down.   Both giants loom intriguingly, evoking an atmosphere of ancient menace, which was used to great effect as a location for the film Tomb Raider and the daring adventures of Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft. 

Me in Ta Prohm.  No, wait a minute, that's Angelina.  Difficult to tell, isn't it?

MARKS OUTTA 10

Louise:  The jungle trek was the highlight for me.  The 1000 lingas were a bit of a disappointment - just round indentations.  I don't understand.  They don't look like willies. Ian thinks they look more like fannies but I can't see that either.  Or roundabouts, he says, but how can he think they look like both?  Anyway.  The trees at Ta Prohm also deserve a special mention.  No lowlights for me.  8/10 today.


Ian:  Apart from missing my buddies this morning, it was an excellent day.  The best bit was Ta Prohm - those strangler trees are just fantastic.  It was just like being on the film set for Tomb Raider.  The lowlight was feeling so hot and sweaty that I could have died. 9/10

Richard:  The best thing today was my bacon sandwich for lunch and reading my Kindle.  I also liked the trees at Ta Prohm.  7/10

Jackie:  The massage and Ta Prohm were equally great (in different ways) and I'm glad I indulged in a half day at the hotel.   8/10

Day 3 (cont): Apsaras and Artisans

Today we are here

After lunch we made a short (30 minute) drive from Siem Reap to Tonle Sap, literally 'Great Lake' that, by the end of the rainy season, occupies a seventh of Cambodia's land mass.  Tonle Sap is home to an ingenious but poor community living in a floating village and we took a boat trip to see the houseboats up close.  My reaction was both wonder (just imagine dealing with a toddler for example) and horror (the 'out-houses' at the end of the boat empty straight into the lake, in which they fish, swim, play, wash etc.).  The children came to beg, bringing weird attractions for us to see in return for a dollar.  Ian paid his due for the priceless photo below, but I thought I'd beat the fellow who would be pocketing the money by giving these cute girls a lollipop each that I'd brought from home.  Louise later saw a man sucking a lollipop, so he took that too.       

Wun dowar

Houseboat

Fisherman

On the way back to the hotel we dropped into Angkor d'Artisans, a government supported arts and crafts centre producing silver plating, silk weaving and printing, wood and stone carving.  It's a training centre for young Cambodians, including many disabled workers, and promotes the use of local products and traditional skills.  We were given an escorted tour around the site, finishing at the shop that helps to market the finished goods - a brilliant place to buy holiday gifts and souvenirs.    

Exhibition of photos at the National Museum

In the evening we went to the Koulen II Restaurant Buffet and Apsara Dances.  The buffet was a little rough and ready but the stylish dancing comes from a custom that goes back 1000 years.  Apsaras, which is Sanskrit for celestial dancers, were the Kings' messengers to the Gods and well regarded in the royal court - go Girl Power! The dancers wear silk and velvet costumes and move with graceful gestures of the arms and hands, in stark contrast to the bump and grind of popular Western dance.  The accompanying music is quite different too, featuring xylophones, gongs, and a Khmer version of the bagpipes.  I don't think Ian and Richard acclimatised to this alternative art form but Louise and I thought the dancing was delightful.  Sadly the large audience was unruly.  A couple on the next table conducted a domestic during the hour's performance, a whole tour-group of youngsters left half way through and there was an unseemly surge onto the stage at the end when spectators were allowed to be photographed with the stunning aspsaras, viz. gorgeous girls.  In other circles the performances are taken very seriously and I'd urge you to watch the 5 minute video from the official Youtube channel for UNESCO about the Royal Ballet of Cambodia.  Check out the bit that shows you how they get to do those strange things with their hands. 

Back at base we lounged on the sofas in the al-fresco restaurant, contemplating the events of the day over a nightcap.  Can't believe I've been in this hotel two nights and it already feels like home!

MARKS OUTTA 10

Louise: The dancing lived up to my expectations and it was my fave activity of the day.  Today was not quite as good as yesterday, because Angkor Wat was brilliant, so I give it 7/10

Ian:  The market was my fave because it was real people doing real things.  Other highlights: really enjoyed the whole hotel/cookery experience. 8/10


Rich: My fave was cooking.  I haven't done this before and I may well have a go at home.  Other highlights: the Angkor Village hotel in general (ambiance etc.) Low light: the buffet and audience at the dancing event.  Never mind low light, the bloke jumping up on the stage was a low life.  8/10


Jackie:  Highlight was the cooking, closely followed by the market.  My lowlife was the bloke pinching the little girls' lollipop.  Honestly...    7/10

Day 3 Cooking Class

So where exactly is Cambodia again? 

(Don't forget you can click on any picture to get full size) 

Why not test your knowledge on the geography of South East Asia with this little game?

Our hostess (holding lemon grass)

On our third day in Siem Reap we took a break from the temples and sightseeing to try our hand at cooking traditional Khmer cuisine.  Khmers are the dominant people in Cambodia (with some Chinese and Vietnamese) and have been since the 2nd Century, creating the country's cultural heritage including the language, architecture, dancing and food.  Khmer dishes centre around rice and noodles, with mild curries and stir-fries typically containing coconut milk.  There was a mix-up over the booking for our cookery class - a mishap that turned to our advantage.  We began with a trip to the Old Market, where we were immersed in the noise and bustle of a happening place, with sights and smells to shock the senses.  As far as I could see we were the only Westerners and as Ian towered over the tiny Cambodians, like a regular Gulliver on his travels, he got some brilliant photos.

In the year of 40 BB (Before Bluewater)

Beetles for tea tonight anyone?

There were rows of beautifully laid out fruit and veg, some we recognised, some we didn't.  Fresh meat.  Fresh fish, still squirming.  Fresh beetles, still creepy-crawling.  Stalls offering the local version of fast food.  Hundreds of spices, dried fruit and nuts.  Our guide books had warned us about prahok - a strong, pungent, fermented fish paste that finds its way into many Khmer dishes, and there was certainly a whiff of it in the market.  It's a quaint custom, not appreciated by Louise's stomach.       

Dragon Fruit

Now that beats the stir fry pack.

I'm definitely trying this out at home

We were chauffeured away from the charms of the anti-supermarket to our air-conditioned, masterclass kitchen in a 4*hotel.  We each chose the menu that we wanted to produce and, assisted by our Chef we spent the rest of the morning chopping, stirring and refining our Cambodian culinary skills. We were given a recipe booklet to take home, which you can also download from the Angkor Village hotel website, if you fancy giving it a go. 

Richard is definitely going all Cheffy on us

We are so proud of - Spring Rolls, Amok Fish, Saraman Red Beef Curry, Pineapple Nems and Mango Sticky Rice

Dining on our fine cuisine amongst the tropical ponds of the hotel restaurant

And it's only lunchtime!  Day 3 to be continued....

Day 2 (pm): The Smiling Face of Angkor

My Isadora Duncan moment

Bayon Temple

Temple Sunset

Ian was keen to go up in the hot air balloon to get a bird's eye view of Angkor Wat, which turned out to be a good call.  Having spent the morning crawling all over the temple, it was great to see it in totality and get my bearings.  In addition, it was much cooler up there, with a very welcome breeze and I managed to recover my equilibrium.  We had lunch in a traditional Angkor restaurant  - a big, buzzing place with plenty of cheap rice and noodles - and then moved on to Angkor Thom.  This was built 100 years after Angkor Wat and translates as Big City.  As a walled city it's bigger than anything in Europe, and reminded me a bit of the Roman Forum, although in its day the ordinary folk weren't allowed in.  Angkor Thom contains a number of temples (all smaller than Angkor Wat) and other buildings, of which the Bayon was by far my favourite.  The Bayon is made up of 2000 beaming faces that made me feel as though the gods were truly smiling down on me.  I am guessing that you recognise the enigmatic, thick-lipped Universal Buddha, yes? It's a powerful image, up there with the Apple and Coca Cola logo, and I found the entire assembly most delightful.  We have purchased a replica face, which has prize position on our mantelpiece.  Richard and I love our souvenirs, and maybe it's a bit naff (discuss), but they do instantly recall magical moments.    After this, the heat was seriously sapping my energy and enthusiasm.  We toured the royal enclosure, the elephant terrace and who-knows-what-else (sorry, but at this stage I would only be quoting from a guide book), finishing up at Pre-Rup to watch the sunset, which didn't happen because of cloud cover and by this stage the men had pumped up their grumpy old git impersonation, which wasn't helpful.  We arrived back at the hotel at 6.30pm after 10 hours of sightseeing in 35 degree heat - dedicated or what? Even poshpackers have to dig deep sometimes.

Informative message board outside our hotel

  MARKS OUTTA 10

Rich: Angkor Wat was fantastic but I was all templed out by the end of the day and I coudn't see the point of the sunset thing.  8/10

Ian:  I also thought Angkor Wat was fantastic.  At times I was just too hot to enjoy it all.  The balloon ride was excellent.  8/10

Louise:  I gave Angkor Wat 11 of out 10 but I would give some of the others less and so I will average the day at 8/10

Jackie:  Bayon was serene and another 11/10.  The only reason I was ever less than entranced with the rest was because I was brought down by the heat.  8/10

Addendum in the middle

Maybe I should explain a few things.

Writing up the diary in Phnom Penh

I am not writing this blog in real time, which I know is totally not the idea, but the travelogue notes were written whilst on holiday and the 'marks outta 10' are the result of a relaxed end-of-day group conflab, usually over nibbles and a glass of wine, and recorded in my diary.  As a frustrated travel writer I always keep a travelogue and I thought this time I would move my jottings into the 21st century.  However, I'm not dedicated enough to spend hours of my precious holiday in front of a computer screen, hence the post-holiday publishing.

Now that I am getting back into normal life, imagine my surprise to find a discourse on the differences between blogging and diary writing in the next chapter of the English degree I am studying.  One variation is that a blog is presented with the latest posting first, and the diary convention is the latest at the back.  I think I should have put this post first, or is it last?  Not sure, so I've put it in the middle. (And you thought the history of the Khmer might get a bit heavy).

My intention is to give a personal account of our experiences in Cambodia, and most of this blog will be filled with our thoughts and feelings.  However, we have been helped on our way by my Footprint Cambodia Travel Guide (an excellent present from Ben & Liz) and Louise's Rough Guide.  All photos were taken by myself and Ian.

Meanwhile, back in the jungle....

Day 2 (am): Jungle Temples

 

The iconic photo of Angkor Wat



Apsaras: bare-breasted beauties belonging to the god-king

In the morning we visited Angkor Wat, the big draw to Cambodia, and our expectations were high.  This temple invariably features in any traveller's atlas or a book of 'Things To See Before You Die'; don't you recognise the 5 lotus-bud towers rising out of the jungle and reflected in the reservoir? It's going to be hard to do justice to this wonderful man-made creation.  Maybe it's enough to say that, after such a big build up, it was no disappointment at all, and the image is fixed in my mind's eye, alongside the Taj Mahal.  Angkor Wat is so big that it took us a whole morning to tour around and considering it's 1000 years old it's in jolly good nick.  We climbed to the top terrace, originally reserved for the high priest and king and no mean feat in 36 degree heat, and were rewarded with the fine views of the huge tropical trees.  The bas-reliefs carved into the walls, not only look exquisite but have left a valuable impression of life at the time as well as classic Hindu stories.  I'm not alone in loving the carvings of apsaras (celestial women) on the outer gallery wall, based on the god-king's bevy of beauties. Just look at the detail! What with the gallery of a 1000 Buddhas, I got a little muddled about the temple's history of Hindu, god-king and Buddhist religions, but they seem easy going about it so that's OK with me. It was very, very hot and although I had my sun hat and plenty of cool water I overheated and had to find a window with a slight breeze to sit and recover before I passed out.  I ended up bright red in the face, puffing, sweating profusely and had swollen feet and still loved the experience.



So, what did we think of that?  11 out of 10 from us all!!!

Day 1 (1st April 2012): Getting There

It took 24 hours to travel from home to Cambodia, door to door.  Our first stop was Siem Reap, which is the tourist centre of Cambodia and is in the North West of the country (or top left for those not geographically minded). A few facts and figures: Cambodia is bigger than England, but smaller than the UK.  It has a population of 14.7 million (as compared to 63m in the UK).  It is in South East Asia, is wholly within the tropics and bordered by Vietnam, Thailand and Laos and has a small coastline.  Why Cambodia?  I hadn't been to South East Asia before and Cambodia seemed to be blossoming on the tourist map but not yet mainstream.  I like my trips to be one part pioneering spirit to one part curiosity, but relaxed and untroubled with a hint of indulgence.  Hence the term 'POSHPACKER':  a backpacker in spirit but not happy without a few home comforts and western luxuries.  I travelled with Richard (my husband) and our good friends Louise & Ian.

Massage Room in the River Garden Hotel

The newcomers on their first night

The River Garden hotel was recommended by one of Ian's colleagues, and what a little gem it is.  Describing itself as a ' stylish, traditional Khmer guesthouse', it has a friendly atmosphere, pretty gardens and a comfortable place to rest our weary bones, so we didn't move beyond the hotel all day.  We lounged by the pool, cooled off in the air-conditioned room, had little drinkies in the bar and dined on tasty food in the cosy restaurant.  In fact, we performed a very good impression of lizards.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

• Rich: Great hotel.  Service with a smile.  Not unlike the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel   
• Louise: Peaceful oasis amongst the dust and hurly burly outside.  A glass of wine, good friends and surrounded by exotic flora - I'm not complaining.
• Ian:  Poor country, nice people, making the best they can of life.
• Jackie: I can't slow down!  The hotel is a beaut but outside there's a lot of smelly rubbish alongside exotic greenery.  It's a different world to home.   

Getting Started

Ian got me into this thing and has promised to help out.  As it's going to be all about my AMAZING trip to Cambodia, it's darned useful that he was there, on the spot, sharing the moment.  So, Indiana Jones, how's it looking so far?