Cambodia 2013

I had spent the better part of 6 months planning my 4 week trip to Laos and Cambodia, so when arriving in Bangkok as my stopover to get to Laos, you can imagine my devastation to discover that I had a severe tooth infection that warranted extraction as soon as possible. Having already been misdiagnosed in Thailand I headed back home for the medical procedure and vowed if I could recover in time I would continue my trip to Cambodia in 2 weeks’ time, which thankfully became the case. So unfortunately, my story does not include Laos this time, but I did get to see some parts of Cambodia.

Phnom  Penh

I arrived in Phnom Penh (with an emphasis on the "P") via Singapore so it did take a while to get there from Australia. As a result, on arrival I was happy I had prearranged transport (organised by Mr Vannak) to take me from the airport to my hotel. I always find when arriving in certain countries (with luggage and no metro system available) you can utilise local drivers and tour guides (via the web) to save time whilst also receiving an informal introduction about your new destination. I arrived in Phnom Penh, in peak tourist season (mid January) primarily because it is dry and the chance of rain ruining your sightseeing is minimal. It was still hot and the city (like most in Asia) was a hustle and bustle mix of tuk tuks, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, buses and even cyclos. At first glance (not unlike Vietnam and China) it appears to be complete chaos of traffic, people and shop front businesses, but as you travel around the city area, you rarely see any major accidents-most likely because it is so congested, people can't meet even the minimal of speed limits!
 

                                                            

The Intercontinental Hotel

I had the better part of 3 days in this city and was staying at the Intercontinental Hotel. It is not right in the centre of the city or near the riverside where there is a jumble of bars and cafes but it was very comfortable (5 stars) and was a nice retreat after a day of being on your feet! After speaking to the concierge when checking-in, it quickly dawned on me that I really only had the afternoon left for exploring as she made it quite clear that walking the city after dark, on my own, was not recommended……OK then! Initially I thought this was a little “over the top” but as I started reading a few guide books, it was definitely a common theme as a warning to travellers. They all re iterated the same information and that was, the city was apparently fine by day but tourists were advised to stick to well-lit streets at nights. Personally during my entire time in Cambodia as a solo female traveller I felt quite safe and never saw much evidence of crime or danger, but I wasn’t go to test this particular theory by meandering down alleyways in the dead of night!!

On my first full day in the city, I set out to visit the main sites, but on meeting a couple of fellow Aussie travellers I discovered they were on the way to a shop called 'Sisters of Cambodia', which I had also read about and was interested in visiting.  ‘Sisters of Cambodia’ is a business that helps local women break free of the sex industry within Phnom Penh by giving them skills in making (and then selling) jewellery items, clothing, bags and working in the café situated above the shop front or they can also work in the adjoining spa offering expertise in manicures, pedicures or facials.  After a bit of browsing there, (I knew I would definitely come back in the next few days) I then set out for a walk down the infamous riverside to soak up the atmosphere. Obviously, the riverfront as the name suggests is a long road situated on the river dotted with more cafes than bars (which I always find a relief) although it is not entirely pretty or serene, just hectic. In general, it is hard to just walk around Phnom Penh if that is how you like exploring a city as you are constantly hassled by tuk tuk drivers every 10 steps you take. It did take a while for me to realize that trying to walk everywhere to discover the city sites was almost self defeating given the heat and dust coupled with the fact that the price of a tuk tuk driver was only $AUD2 and spending money here always helps in giving back to the local people. After walking the length of the riverside and enjoying a coffee, (an amazing ability I have in any country, even in 30+ degrees)  I flagged down a tuk tuk to travel to the Royal Palace. Unfortunately for me and the people of Phnom Penh, the father of the King had recently passed away so the palace was closed to all, however it did not stop me from taking a few pictures.



The Royal Palace

The silver pagoda remained to be visited so after spending some time there, I then decided to head off to the Russian market-another main tourist attraction. Another tuk tuk ride later and I was wandering through a maze of clothing, arts and crafts and all sorts of souvenirs. I don’t buy any of these things but I am still the last movie buff on earth who gets excited at the prospect of buying DVD movie copies and there were plenty of these vendors, so I was happy. Having spent a couple of hours there, I then caught another tuk tuk to the Tuol Sleng detention centre also known as the genocide (S21) museum…..the site of an old high school where during the Khmer rouge era, local people were rounded up and held there for torture and interrogation until they were finally moved to the killing fields where they met their death. I chose to employ a guide with me, as I suspect getting a real understanding of what happened there via a guide book would be insufficient. My guide’s father and brother were both killed as a result of the regime. Of all those that saw the inside of the S21 compound, only 7 people survived (I think 2 million were killed overall) and the only reason that those 7 escaped with their life was because they were sculptors or painters who could help document the ruthless happenings of the time. To enter the museum/site it cost AU$2 and an additional AU$6 was required for the guide although at the end of my tour, my guide made it quite clear that she had had a very hard life and I felt obliged to pay her more.

 



The Silver Pagoda

I still can’t believe this all happened in the 70s? When the Khmer Rouge came into Cambodia in 1975 the people were joyous thinking this new power were going to put an end to their ongoing civil war but within 3 hours the regime began evacuating or perhaps more accurately began forcing many of the city’s people out to the countryside. Pol Pot (one of the leaders) envisaged rebuilding Cambodia as a different society which entailed the isolation of the country from the rest of the world and to enable it to regress to a self sufficient agricultural economy. For those who showed resistance or did not subscribe to the new “return to the past” way of living they were captured, tortured and ultimately killed. In particular there was a large movement to displace and dislodge families fracturing their love and loyalty for one another in an effort to maintain dominance. People were tortured to reveal details of family members whereabouts, especially those who were educated like teachers and doctors and no one was immune- men, women, children and babies were all victims…….... Finally in 1979, the Vietnamese invaded Cambodia and were able to over throw the Pol Pot regime. In a guide book I had brought with me, they have information to suggest that once this tragic era had ended, 20 492 mass graves were uncovered and 1 112829 victims met their death by execution although other sources suggests that in reality this number is probably much higher.

The View of Phnom Penh from my hotel window

So, as you can imagine having learnt a lot about the history of Phnom Penh in one afternoon from an individual who had lived through it, the whole experience was quite draining and sobering and it meant I viewed the city with a different set of eyes and understanding. It was at this stage that I decided I did not need to see the killing fields. I had read enough about the horrific events that occurred at this site and I really did not want to see skeletal remains of the poor victims sticking out of the grounds at the mass grave site as is described in many guide books. Even without seeing this, I still knew the gravity, sadness and tragedy that this country endured. I headed back to the hotel after the visit to the S21 centre and had a quiet night in.





The Independence Monument
 

 The following day, with the sun shining I visited the Independence Monument restored in the 1980s surrounded by park greenery and the sound of monks holding meditation sessions. After this I visited the National Museum built in 1920 which houses a collection of Khmer art and relics particularly statues of Buddhas from the 6^th and 7^thcenturies. Later in the day I visited the Sisters of Cambodia store again and couldn’t resist a pedicure and a coffee in the upstairs café. It was nice way to end my time in this city as I prepared for my departure to Siem Reap the following morning.

 

 

Siem Reap

I had arranged a car to take me from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap which is definitely not the most inexpensive way of doing this as catching a bus is the most popular choice and can be as little as AU$13. However, the thought of travelling 5-6 hours of a bus with limited stops filled me with angst. I personally, could, justify spending AU$75 for a private driver to take me to the Siem Reap, and was more comfortable in the knowledge that we were able to stop at any point whenever I wanted to or needed to on the way. Probably the only flaw to this plan, was the fact that my driver did not speak any English so when I found our car suddenly veering off the highway onto some dirt track I started to get a little apprehensive as to how well I had actually planned this! I literally began formulating a mobile SOS text message on my phone in case this turned out to be one of the riskiest and naive things I had done yet, but after pointing forward out the front window and repeatedly saying “Siem Reap"  the driver kept smiling until finally we found the highway once again and thankfully, my panic was just an overreaction to  apparently what was some sort of  “short cut”. Part of the reason that I had also chose to do the trip between the 2 cities by car was to enable me to take in the scenery along the way, at my own pace. I don’t know if it was because of the season I was travelling in (it was the dry season) or whether this is always the case but the route we took just included one long highway of many dry fields and lots of dust. This was in stark contrast to trips I had previously taken in Vietnam where the scenery can be spectacular so in comparison I found this aspect a little disappointing.

After a mere 5 hours I finally arrived in the bustling city of Siem Reap, once the capital of Cambodia but now more renowned as home to the temples and in particular the Ankor Wat complex. You cannot really visit Cambodia without spending a few days at the temples. I stayed at a very nice hotel (the Sokha Angkor) conveniently located at the top end of Sivatha street home to many bars, eateries, shops and numerous day spas, and when I say numerous I mean many, in actual fact probably 1 in every 4 businesses are day spas and a 60 minute massage costs a ridiculous AU$10 in some cases. The hotel itself was nice although it soon became apparent that they were more inclined towards quantity and not so much quality when I saw a tour group of about 80 International tourists check in ALL AT ONCE. 

 

A colonial style room at the Sokha Angkor Hotel

 Once having checked into the hotel myself, I wandered down to Sivatha street to get my bearings as to my new destination and being a bit of a day spa freak could not resist the opportunity to get a foot reflexology treatment. Let’s just say that at the time the massage bordered on painful which usually I relish, but when my foot began to ache 24 hours later (for no apparent reason) I decided to take a hiatus from further spa treatments while in Siem Reap. You get what you pay for I guess. I don’t mean this is a negative way but the industry like many in Asia is not regulated so you really do need to be a little discerning when choosing certain venues and treatments as in all honesty, some real damage can happen to feet or backs as could be the case with many people.

In Siem Reap I hired a personal guide to take me through the Angkor Wat complex for the next 3 days. If you have read my other entries on my blog, this will come as no surprise, but in Siem Reap everyone hires a guide to do the temples and I really feel you would do yourself an injustice if you did not approach it in this way. My guide was to meet me in the hotel lobby on day 1 at 8am, which in my opinion, is a bit too early for a holiday and trying to battle the large tour group at breakfast time, even just to get to the eggs station(!), did not put me in the best of moods. However on meeting smiling Sela, (my guide) in the lobby, all enthusiastic and bright, I was instantly returned back to relaxed holiday mode. We set off for the temples (a half hour drive from the hotel) and I was surprised to learn that the temples here became particularly famous and popular attracting tourists from around the world with the release of the "Tomb Raider" movie starring Angelina Jolie as it was shot there. Who would have thought? Hollywood able to help a country with its tourism? The Cambodians definitely have this tourist site sorted out offering differing day passes, tours and check points which includes personalised photos printed on your day pass so you cannot secretly give the pass to another non paying customer….serious stuff!

On day 1, I visited the temples of Angkor Wat, AngkorThom and Bayon complexes which included the Royal Palace and the Terrace of the Elephants. The history of this area is amazing and the temples created in the 12^th century are considered the biggest religious monument ever built and are in dedication to the Hindu God Vishnu. The ensuing struggle between the 2 religious groups of Buddhism and Hinduism who both at some stage took rein over Cambodia (in the form of various royal families) is fascinating and evident given that you can clearly see original carvings of the temples with images scratched away by the opposing group at a later date. These temples are thousands of years old and were abandoned for around 200 hundred years and yet they are still standing (granted, some more than others) today. Some parts are missing due to nature or erosion whereas other parts like the large Buddha heads and statues are no longer present as during the complex abandonment by the ruling royal families, the local people entered the site to steal the statues for themselves. Either way, this phenomenon has to be seen to be believed and saying it is amazing is probably an understatement. There is definitely something magnificent and awe inspiring about the whole area. I could talk (or write) all day about the temples, but I really cannot tell you any more that what you could easily read in a guide book about Cambodia, so I will let my photos do the talking.

Just outside the entrance to the South Gate of Angkor Thom.

 On day 2 I tried a different approach in the morning, given my woes the day before. First change was to start sightseeing a little later and try a different time at breakfast but this was still a complete failure as the competing tour group at the hotel remained in droves at breakfast and seating became a communal experience. (What joy? If only we all spoke the same language!). None the less my day improved and was full visiting the other main components of the temples.

 

 

 

Ta Prohm is particularly interesting as you witness the struggle between the temples existence and nature all intertwined with one another and it is here that the infamous 'Tomb Raider' movie was shot. It is not unusual to hear many people darting around the area asking where is the tree that the movie was shot around?(see pictures below) I also visited the Roluos group and the Banteay Srei complex (a few kms away) which is the oldest of the complexes. Here, the carvings and intricacies of the stone buildings is detailed and complex.

 

 

 

The intricate carvings of temples thousands of years old.



On day 3 we took a river boat ride on the great Tonle Sap lake to see the local way of life of those that live in the floating villages. It was fascinating  to see all river boats lined up in clusters as evidence of the community living on the river, relying mainly on fishing as their trade and seeing children as young as 5 years old paddling down the river on their way to and from school which was also a houseboat.

We stopped briefly at what I presumed was a floating restaurant, although it was still too early for lunch so I suppose it was a good thing that this house boat also doubled as a souvenir shop and mini zoo on the river? The souvenir side was not unexpected, everyone is getting in on the tourism trade in Cambodia, but it was not long, once I was aboard, that the owners keenly presented to me their hull full of 6-8 crocodiles encouraging me to throw some food onto them. From above I looked down onto these animals, carefully considering  what I was standing on - a rickety piece of wood and quickly moved away from the enclosure politely declining the chance to whip the crocs into a frenzy for my own personal entertainment. I have seen enough, thanks. It also surprises me still, the cavalier attitude of our fellow Asian neighbours. During my visit I couldn't help noticing a bare foot 2 year old wearing only a nappy scuttling about the boat at his leisure with no concern at all sometimes dropping his arm in the tank full of turtles and being in such close proximity to the open pit of crocodiles on the other side of the boat with clearly no safety rails or measures in sight.

The local children on their way home from school
 

After we finished the boat ride, we headed back to the town of Siem Reap and I did some shopping and browsed around the old market area and then later I finished off at the night market. There probably isn’t really a lot of quality shopping to be done here, but food and alcohol are definitely cheap and it was nice to know that at this stage not all of the "young and partying types" had overrun the area and so the town remains a relaxed and nice place to spend a few days, for now. Cambodia is definitely becoming more popular for tourists and the local people are embracing it with gusto.

So all in all, my trip wasn’t really what I had planned originally but I made the best of a bad situation, I guess. Even though I was especially excited to be visiting Laos, it was still a great and humbling experience to spend some time in Cambodia. The country has been ravished by war and poverty and hopefully as more tourists continue to visit this country they  can also make a point to learn about its history and culture and in turn the government can use tourism to help rebuild a society that has endured so much.

The amazing sights of Angkor Wat