Cambodia

The second last leg on this little journey of mine...turned out to be quite the stunner. I only had 5 days in Cambodia and it's definitely no where near enough. With little time I focused on Siem Reap (obviously for Angkor Wat) and Phnom Phen. Just like always I planned very little, but this time I was recommended a guide for Siem Reap. So in advance I made sure that he had enough time to show me around for my 3 days there...for the incredible price of 15 USD/day. 

I couldn't have asked for a better guide. Sok is a man in his late twenties who has already been a guide for 5 years and spent 9 years living as a Buddhist monk. This obviously meant that he was very knowledgeable about local history and the religion and its elements engraved and displayed all over Angkor Wat and the other temples. He spent a lot of time explaining various elements and stories to me. For instance, in this particular temple, where there were paintings all over displaying an array of Buddha's stories. 

I rarely like to talk about religion, but this was very enjoyable. Having him as a guide was also a great way to dig into Cambodian culture. For example, by hanging out with him and his roommates at a typcial Cambodian beer garden and discussing for hours over pitchers of Angkor (local beer). Or of course eating...

pork, bean sprouts, rice noodles, and fresh herbs all rolled up in a piece of lettuce and then dipped in a sauce

I can highly recommend Sok for anyone heading to Siem Reap, so please make sure to ask me for his contact details if you're heading that way.

My first stop in Siem Reap wasn't Angkor Wat, but rather Tonle Sap. It's Cambodia's largest lake and famous in the tourist realm for its raised houses, i.e. floating villages. It was quite cool to see how these people lived, even after paying a ridiculously high entrance/boat fee. I decided to get my money's worth and stuck around on the mainland for a game of volleyball with the local kids. 

My last night in KL was spent eating, naturally, and not sleeping before my early morning flight. So after getting some much needed rest it was time for the main event. Sunrise at Angkor Wat. 

very mediocre shot :)

Sunrise at Angkor Wat is definitely worth it. I wouldn't say it quite lives up to the hype, but it definitely ensures an early start and gives you plenty of time for a long day of fun in the sun on those playgrounds they call temples.

Angkor Wat was absolutely stunning. It's only one of countless temples in the area, and definitely not my favorite, but still an absolute beauty. The details especially fascinated me, leaving me wishing I had more time to take it all in. The engraving above is of the Apsaras, who danced to distract anyone coming to harm Buddha. Seductive bodyguards basically. The detail of these ladies is just a very small example of the entire detail found throughout the temple. There's no point in posting picture after picture of Angkor Wat and the other temples, since you really have to just go and see them for yourself. This is without a doubt one of those must-see places on our planet and should be high up on everyone's list. Here are a few of my highlights:

One of my favorites: Bayon

everywhere towers with faces on all four sides. very very cool

always take time to chill at the top. enjoy the view

big German. bigger tree

that famous one

Buddha's 7 headed cobra protector. how's that for an entrance to a temple

these temples are for the most part ruins, i.e. one massive playground. start at the bottom. work your way up

so definitely make some time for exploring those areas where toursits are prohibited

nothing to do with temples, but still awesome

The majority of the Cambodia people live off of Angkor Wat and the temples. Tourism is the major industry and it's no coincidence that Angkor Wat is on their national flag. Overall it is a very poor country, given countless opportunities due to a national treasure left to them by their ancestors. Pretty much everyone who isn't involved with tourism, is involved with this...

90% of cultivated land consists of rice fields and 85% of the population are farmers. Mad statistics, which make perfect sense after you head to Phnom Phen and learn all about the Khmer Rouge. In Cambodia's capital you can visit a former school, turned into a prison famous for its tortures during the Khmer Rouge era,  and the Killing Fields, a massacre site covered in mass graves. Both places give you a very good idea of how horrible this piece of Cambodian history was and how influencial. During that period people were driven from the urban centers of the country and forced to live and work out on the land. Rice was now the national priority. Certainly a solid explanation for Cambodia's current state and their level of poverty.

I enjoyed this painting done by a child, displayed at the prison

5 days were most definitely too short, and I do hope to go back some day. However, I made the most of it and ended in typical fashion...with a feast!