March 26, 2013
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Reminiscing Siem Reap.
It’s been a dream of mine for the longest time. One of those dreams that seemed to be a far-fetched goal at first. Like visiting the Great Wall of China or the Grand Canyon of USA. But there I was, standing on a sacred land with its centuries of rich architectural history. Dusty wind blew softly against my face. Beneath me, orange earth colored the heat of the blazing sun, intensified by the many months of dry season. Here and there giant trees stood proudly showing off their ancient roots. Huge long winding toes firmly grasping the same dry dusty ground. I was mesmerized by the sight and also by the vastness of the open space. I caught myself saying ‘Me love you long time’.
Cambodia is the country, Siem Reap is the town, and Angkor is the much respected and visited temple ground in the country, as UNESCO protected World Heritage Site since 1992. Another one of my many dreams came true. I am very blessed to have had the opportunity to witness the majestic and most sculptural and archaeological Hindu temples I have laid my eyes on. I felt calm, light-headed, and utterly speechless.
If you asked me what I remember most of my trip to Siem Reap, I'd say… prehistoric ruins, superb carvings, lava rock, tuk-tuk ride, orange dust, golden silk, and US Dollar bills.
It came very unexpected to find most of the locals there able to communicate in English, and that the currency of choice is US Dollar, though they do have their own, Cambodian Riel. One must remember that it is very much a tourist town. It’s economy relies heavily on the visitors of the Angkor temples. Without them, there is nothing else in Siem Reap but a slow and lonely town surrounded by rice fields.
There were many youngsters at each and every temple site trying their best to entice you to purchase a souvenir. May that be bracelets, or hats, or t-shirts, or booklets and dvds on the temple sites, all were offered in US Dollar price. You’ll often hear “Please, sir. Only one Dollar, sir.” And when a polite refusal is the returned response, they’ll go “But why, sir? It’s only one Dollar, sir.” And so many hands can be seen reached deep into pockets and Dollar bills are exchanged for a memento or two. Not because they wanted them, but because the faces of the innocence implored them to.
Despite its typical touristy draw-back, such as the many choices of bars and foot-massage parlors, Siem Reap still able to maintain its charm as a simple little town with BIG promises. The splendor of its Angkor temples simply unbeatable and unforgettable. The four-day trip was barely enough as an introduction to what those temples have to offer. It was definitely too short of a trip to such a beautiful place, especially when combined with some of the best iced coffees one tongue can savor. The experience begs for my return. And someday, I will.
Comments (14)
At first I didn't know anything about Cambodians but going to a place where there are Cambodians I met light Colored ones (they have a Lot of Chinese blood in them) and the darker Cambodians.
I have read the Killing Fields and it is a shame that the author of the book was shot in Los Angeles in a robbery. People survived by having gold and hidding it on their bodies. During the Pol Pot period medicine was worth it's weight in Gold.
I suppose the economy of Cambodia will take a long time to recover. Their best minds were killed during that "dark" period where they wanted to force people to be all of one mind.
I am surprised that giving "tips" is so rampant. An ang moh like me will be poor after a trip there.
That is one of my dreams to visit Cambodia along with other countries in the area. I had heard that tips can get you anything
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What a great post. I loved reading it from your perspective. I think I want to come back and read it again and again. Thank you.
I went to a couple of Unesco world heritage sites in Mexico, and a lot of what you described sounded just like my experience at the temples in Teotihuacán. There were soooo many people selling things and they really were trying hard to make sales. It truly does sound and look like a remarkable place to visit... one that I'd surely be taking hundreds of photos.
Travelling is always enjoyable, but getting to visit such world famous sites with great cultural and historical significance is even more special. And I always love how you provide pictures of the local cuisine, it really shows people a great variety of food, and not a lot of people get around to taking those types of pictures.
It's like you are in a different country every post ! Japan, Cambodia, Indonesia, China... you definitely get around more than most people. Take care and have a wonderful rest of the week, bye for now.
Kyle
And I returned. I wanted to leave a longer comment.
The architecture of some of the temples is astounding. Not just here in Angkor as you have shown, but also in the ones in India. It is mind boggling to see how, centuries ago, artisans could have carved these phenomenal temples and monuments. Your description of the orange dust and the huge banyan trees(?) with roots that hang down, was reminiscent of home, and of course the auto rickshaw.(tuk tuk)
I am so glad you have such good vibes and memories of this place Rudy.
i recall everything is transacted in US dollars, and the entrance fee for a three day pass to the temple is quite steep! But I'll always enjoy a cold beer at the end of a hot day tour!
Beautifully written. You capture the essence of a most spectacular place!
i love siem reap! yes it is touristy, but tons of locals go there as well because it's an amazing place and you can't 'not' go there. you're right 4 days there is certainly not enough.
@PPhilip - thanks, phil. i had no idea that the writer of Killing Fields was shot and dead. yes, i do think they had it rough and will take a tremendous amount of time for the country to step up and catch up with its neighboring south east asian countries. though it is only next door to thailand, in comparison cambodia has nothing much to offer, aside from its ancient temples. even their culinary background is not as pronounced and celebrated as the cuisines of many other south east asian countries. you are right. the 'dark' period did its toll on them.
@beowulf222 - i wasn't referring to tips, nick. it was the cost of many kinds of souvenir they had for sale. even the tuk-tuk ride costs a buck.
@Fatcat723 - well robert, i'm not sure about 'anything', though i didn't try to request for anything different from what i had received with all of the things that i paid for. i was just there for the temples. everything else didn't matter.
@ZSA_MD - thank you for the rec, zakiah. i'm glad this post able to remind you of home, in a good way i hope. if the descriptions fit what you recalled on india, i think i would enjoy traveling there. taj mahal has always been at the back of my mind, including the delicious indian cuisine. oh, how i love prata and paneer. i think i'm stereotyping here, as i'm sure india has plenty more places and delicious vegetarian food to offer. i'm thinking of the northern area with their fantastic spiced curries and the south with their uses of herbs and tomatoes, and also the cool mountainous region where they plant darjeeling teas. ah, someday.
@kyle061685 - i'm glad you enjoy my posts, kyle. yes, i do travel a bit more than regular folks. but it all thanks to my job, as well as the location of where i live. living here in asia allows me to visit neighboring countries with much more ease and flexibility. not to mention a lot less costly, in comparison if you fly all the way down from canada or usa. i will always regard food as an important part of a culture, and one that i would always go out of my way to try and compare, to educate myself more on the world of food.
@CurryPuffy - ah, gary. how i would have enjoyed your company there in siem reap.
@CareyGLY - thank you, carey. i assume you have been there?
@Soapie - oh, i'm going back someday. most definitely
Yep, a few times. But not for years. This brought back memories!
Oh this is one place I want to see. I hope you can post more pictures. What are accommodations like? I imagine there must be a wide range.
Angkor Wat is one of the places on my bucket list. It is not that far from where I am but I have yet to made it there. Thank you for sharing the lovely photos,
@CareyGLY - few times? wow, i'm way behind in comparison to you.
@ElusiveWords - the accommodations there are very affordable. providing you'd go for the mid-range type of hotels. they do have high-end ones but they are not located near the center of the town, hence not close to eating places. to give you a better idea of the hotels, i stayed at a $20/night place that included private bathroom with bathtub, free wi-fi and airport pick-up. that place is probably at least $80/night if it was in other countries. my friends stayed at what looked like a $150-200/night boutique hotel, but only paid $80/night. the rates there are much lower. remember, it's a small town and doesn't have much to offer other than the temples and a nightlife of bars.
@icepearlz - you very welcome. i do hope you and your husband able to make it in the near future. it's definitely worth visiting at least once.