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Diary of a Trip to ANGKOR 19 to 22 January 02 By Rev. Al Bradley and Kelsey Bruso |
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Day 1: Arrival, transfer to Angkor Village, visit of Angkor Thom (South Gate, Bayon, Baphuon, Phimeanakas in Royal Palace, Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King), visit of Angkor Wat. Arriving in Cambodia Together with Didier from D.J. Paradise Tour, and Mana, his Thai assistant, we arrived from Bangkok at Siem Reap airport early in the morning on a Bangkok Airways Boeing 717. Stepping off the plane, we immediately recognized what seemed like a The Angkor Village Hotel
Meals Breakfast choices at the Angkor Village Hotel are either an American style with eggs, toast, bacon, and fresh fruit, or Our guide joined us and the four of us plus our driver and our guide boarded the minibus for our first trip to the temples. At the The Temples at Angkor Angkor is a complex of about 50 temples spread over 250 square kilometers. The most famous of these is the Angkor Wat Temple Decoration
Our first stop was at the Angkor Thom South
Gate. Access is gained by crossing a bridge over a moat flanked on the right
In the Angkor Thom complex we visited several of the temples including the
Bayon. State temple of the City of Angkor Thom, it
Following a marvelous lunch at a small outdoor restaurant, we walked across the road to see one of the most beautiful, tranquil,
Day 2: Great Circle (Pre Rup, East Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean & Preah Khan), Small Circle (Thommanon and Chau Say Tavoda, Ta Prohm). Visit to handicraft school "Les Artisans d'Angkor" Elephant Bar
Neak Pean is a set of sacred pools where people
came to wash and be healed of all manner of sickness. The temple itself
dominates the central pool. Circling the temple, offering protection, are twin
Nagas with their tails intertwined. Swimming across
Ta Prohm has been left almost untouched by archaeologists, in order to show what Angkor was like when the French first When we returned to the Hotel we changed clothes and hired 2 tuk tuks to take us to the Grand Hotel d' Angkor for cocktails at the famous Elephant Bar. This hotel, recently renovated, is one of those jewels from colonial times, an elegant and formal piece of European charm. The bar is downstairs, elegantly appointed, and most relaxing. We were lucky in that we arrived during Happy Hour which meant that drinks were 2 for the price of 1 (1800-1900 hours). As we enjoyed perfectly prepared cocktails, we were served a large, glorious bowl of popcorn. What an unexpected treat! Eventually we had to leave to get back for dinner at our hotel which again, was very lovely. Day 3: River of a thousand Lingas, Banteay Srei, Silk Center of "Les Artisans d'Angkor" and shop of school for children disabled by polio or mines, Evening show in Apsara Theatre
Following a lovely lunch at a restaurant across the road, we visited the jewel which is Banteay Srei. Built in the late 10th century, it is lavishly decorated in the Hinduist style showing some of the finest examples of classical Khmer art. The temple fell into ruin early-on and has been excavated and rebuilt by French Archaeologists since only the 1920's. Being engulfed by the jungle for so many centuries helped to preserve the delicate and intricate carvings.
The third evening we enjoyed the traditional
Cambodian Show with dinner at Angkor Village's Apsara Theater. After a long day of trekking we were delighted
that the Day 4: Tonle Sap, Old Market & shops ("Senteurs d'Angkor" & "Made in Cambodia") This morning we took a most amazing trip
to see Tonle Sap - one of the largest fresh water lakes in the
world. The road to Tonle Sap follows along the Siem Reap river. On the way we
passed through traditional Khmer villages, we passed rice paddies being
worked by farmers using water buffaloes as they have done for
generations, and we saw traditional houses on stilts. Here, life goes on
as it has for generations. After returning to Siem Reap, we had a lovely lunch at the Bayon restaurant - fresh curries, steamed fish, and Angkor beer. We went to the Old Market for our last souvenirs shopping. Then we returned to the hotel to relax before going to the airport to catch our flight to Bangkok. Leaving was less complicated than arriving - just the normal customs procedures. The departure tax was $8 US. Security was efficient and thorough. None of our bags were initially searched, although the Security Agents are very careful not to let you go with a real antique: so, make sure that you have a bill from every shop where you buy. Later, one of our members was called back because something in his bag was vibrating. Several anxious moments followed. When he opened his bag, his electric tooth brush had somehow switched on and was vibrating. We all had a good laugh. In case you forget something as a last minute gift, there are a few shopping opportunities in the airport. The Artisans!
This was an extraordinary four days in Cambodia - the temples, the scenery, the friendly and charming people, the food, and the amazingly rich culture each left a vivid impression. But there is still so much to see... on the next trip here! Our many thanks go to Didier and D. J. Paradise Tour for arranging our Cambodian tour and helping to make it so very memorable and enjoyable. DJ Paradise Tours proved helpful, efficient, sensitive, and attentive to personal needs. We are most grateful for them for their service and expertise. Al & Kelsey |
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This hotel is a small bit of paradise. In the middle of the hustle and bustle of Siem Reap, it consists of several small, charming buildings connected by covered passages. All around are tropical plants and bouquets of flowers which are arranged fresh daily. The buildings and flooring are all teak wood. Our room had all the basic amenities: a small safe, hair dryer, shower with soap and shampoo dispensers, a small refrigerator, mini bar, air conditioning plus ceiling fan, and fresh flowers - lotus blossoms folded into the most beautiful shape.
options in these other two menus. It was always a lot to eat and very good. One day we took a picnic lunch from the hotel. It was beautifully done and very good. Other days we were on the road and stopped at restaurants near the temples for lunch. We found the restaurants around the temples consistently good. When eating at these restaurants, you may want to sit away from the edge of the restaurant as many children come by to sell T-shirts, post cards, books, and many other kinds of souvenirs. These sellers are not allowed in the restaurant so if you sit inside you will be less bothered by them. The children are fun to talk with briefly, but their earnest salesmanship can become tiring and may interfere with private conversations. They would often insist: "You buy from me, I saw you first!"
The temples in Angkor were built by many Khmer kings between about 800 A.D. and about 1300 A.D. Some kings were Hinduist and and some were Buddhist. Similarly, the temple decorations vary between primarily Hinduist, primarily Buddhist, or mixed Buddhist, Hinduist, and sometimes, Anamist. Since the temples had a religious function, the decorations were inspired by the religious stories. In the Buddhist temples, one sees images of The Buddha and the Bodhisattva. In the Hinduist temples, one sees images of the "Hinduist Trinity": Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. One often sees the naga (snake), the garuda (fierce looking guardians), and the apsara (graceful females, often dancing). The walls of Bayon and Angkor Wat, in particular, are decorated with bas reliefs depicting stories from the Ramanaya, the sacred Hinduist text, and depicting historical scenes from the founding of the Angkor dynasty. Understanding the main elements of these stories will enhance your enjoyment of the temples.
by 36 demons looking very angry, pulling on a Naga (snake) and on the left by 36 smiling gods pulling on a second Naga. Across the moat is the south entrance over which is a tower
decorated by one of the most famous images of Angkor Wat - the Bodhisattva. On each side of the tower is a head facing toward one of the four cardinal points. The head is surmounted by a diadem of lotus blossoms. The Bodhisattva, in the Buddhist tradition, are beings who have attained enlightenment, but choose to stay on earth to help others. The intricacy of the carving and the precision with which the very large blocks of stone were set is truly breathtaking. We kept wondering aloud - How did they do that? Highlights of Angkor Thom must include
the terrace of the elephants and the terrace of the leper king. The elephant terrace is decorated by a procession of elephants in bas relief, each about 2 meters high. The terrace of the leper king has one of the big surprises - a 5 headed horse carved in bas relief.
and awe-inspiring sites in the world - the main temple of
Angkor Wat (literally "the holy city which is a temple"). It looks very fanciful, like a sand castle, or a wedding cake -- except on a very large scale. It soars up toward the heavens yet seems firmly rooted in the earth. The temple is surrounded by a wall which contains store rooms and small-scale temples
(chapels, if you will). Between the wall and the temple is a large open space the size of several football fields. Connecting the main entrance at the wall with the temple itself is a bridge: the "celestial rainbow bridge" which connects the earth outside the wall with "mount
Meru", the Hinduist holy mountain, symbolized by the temple itself. The temple is a maze of corridors, terraces, courtyards, and hallways. The temple has several levels connected by very steep stairways. Although the climb is not for the faint-hearted, the reward is the spectacular view from the uppermost galleries of the temple
the pool is the horse
Balaha with people clinging to his belly - the horse is taking them to 
safety.
Four pools - which have always been dry - surround the main pool, which now has water only
during the monsoon season. At the edge of each pool, nearest to the main pool is
a small room. The pilgrim would enter this room and stand in "the
footprints of The Buddha" under a spout. The Buddhist monk would dip
water from the main pool and pour it through the spout to wash and heal the
pilgrim. Each spout faces toward one of the cardinal directions and
represents one of the four elements: Earth (a spout in the shape of an
elephant's head), Air (a man), Wind (a horse), and Fire (a lion). Nearby,
a quartet played traditional Cambodian music on traditional instruments.
Even today, one can sense the healing qualities of this place. It is very
charming and tranquil. It was very relaxing to sit in the shade and enjoy
both the tranquility of the moment as well as the beautiful music drifting
through the air.
On day three, we ventured out of Siem
Reap and drove about an hour northeast to Kbal Spean - literally "the head of
the bridge" but popularly known as "the river of a thousand
lingas". It is a sacred site in the Kulen Mountains decorated
from 1054 onwards. The bed and banks of the river are lavishly 
sculpted with Hinduist images. The bas reliefs depict scenes from
the Brahman pantheon such as Vishnu lying, his head sheltered by a Naga,
a lotus springing from the navel of Vishnu with Brahma born from the
lotus blossom. And, of course, there are the lingas which cover the
river bed. Lingas are phallic symbols representing the creative and
restorative forces of Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. The Kbal Spean is upriver from Angkor and the lingas are
there to sanctify the water before it runs downhill into the city.
Getting to the site requires a lot of trekking through the jungle from
the parking area. It isn't easy going but the end result is
spectacular and well worth the effort.
show was directly across the street form the hotel in a
beautiful, air conditioned building. Although we sat on pillows the floor,
the seating was designed to accommodate our western style of sitting 
under the table itself. The evening is inexpensive and very
entertaining. The show alternates between country dances and traditional classical
Cambodian dances with elaborate costumes, head-dresses and masks. The dancers looked as if they were really enjoying themselves. They were accompanied by an orchestra of about a dozen instrumentalists and
two singers. The
singing is in the classical Chinese style, very different from the bel
canto style of European singing and takes some getting used to, or
ignoring as the case may be.
During the dry season, Tonle Sap shrinks
to a size of 2,500 square kilometers and during the monsoon season
swells to a size of more than 12,000 square kilometers. Here we saw
boats of every size and description: house boats, fishing boats, motor
boats, boats with attached catfish farms, boats as markets where they
sell cigarettes and laundry powder, boats selling fresh vegetables, even
a boat containing a Catholic Church! The road to Tonle Sap
extends for several kilometers into the lake and is built on top of an
embankment wide enough to accommodate a large touring coach - but just
barely. On
both sides of the embankment are small huts where people can live
year-around. The sight of the road going directly into the 
lake is
quite striking. Along the way, our tour guide negotiated for us to
go on a boat trip on the lake, with one of the many boat operators who
approached us as we made our way at a walking pace along the road.
We parked the minibus at a wider spot in the road and boarded our tour
boat. The boat itself
had a canvas roof with two rows of seats with an aisle down the center and seats enough to
accommodate 8 people. The lake, with more
than 100 species of fish, provides a livelihood for the people who
live on the lake. The trip on the lake lasted about an hour. We
continued to be impressed by the friendliness of the people.
Smiles are everywhere. People often want to practice some English.
We often noticed people, especially children staring at us, then
smiling, and finally waving a hello. 
If you like shopping, you will have a field day
in Siem Reap. Shopping opportunities abound. Good bargaining 
skills
are a must. The Boutique at the hotel was small but very nice and had an excellent selection of silks, statues, silver, and some forgotten necessities. We visited the
"Artisans of Angkor" which are schools that teach students aged 18 to 25 how to work with silk, wood, silver, lacquer and sandstone in the traditional styles. Going through these studios we were struck by the excellent craftsmanship and the skills these students possess. There is a place called the Old Market where you can purchase pieces which look antique and lots of new stuff as well. Walking through the market is an experience not to be missed. At one point we walked into a large room where many vendors were selling gems of all sorts. When we entered, all heads turned toward us and the lights in
their cases went on and they all began calling us over ! It was really amusing ! Al bought some gems which will later be made into pins. 