The Angkor temple complex in Cambodia is one of those rare, much-hyped destinations that actually exceed expectations.
Most of us have seen the photos: invading jungle trees, acres of collapsed stone blocks, the tranquil and knowing faces staring out from towers Photographs of Angkor are captivating, but the actual place is larger and more magnificent still.
The great city of Angkor gradually fell into decline in the early 1400's after repeated attacks and encroachment by the Thais. The Western world first heard about the temples in the 1860's, when they were discovered by a Frenchman named Henri Mouhot.
Cambodia's Identity & Pride
The temples of Angkor are recognized by many as one of the greatest architectural achievements of man. Scattered in the jungle outside of Siem Reap, the temples are a source of identity and pride for Cambodians, and they draw thousands of foreign visitors every year.
Some of the Angkor temples have been restored and reconstructed, while others have been left largely untouched, giving visitors an idea of what early explorers saw.
At the west entrance, a long stone road gleams past an imposing outer wall, across a sprawling courtyard, and right up to the main structure, where five honeycomb-shaped towers jut into the sky. The site is nothing short of magnificent.
The inner galleries of Angkor Wat contain almost 13,000 square feet of bas-relief galleries that depict scenes from historic Khmer battles, sacred books, and Indian epics. The most famous gallery depicts a myth derived from the Hindu epic Bagavata-Pourana called the "churning of the ocean of milk", which tells the story of gods and demons who attempt to produce an elixir of immortality.
Ta Prohm, the Jungle Temple
The temple ruin of Ta Prohm is one of the more spectacular sites in Angkor.
Giant jungle trees grow over and around the temple stones, clasping them in
a violent, slow-motion embrace; huge stone blocks lie in heaps where they originally
fell; moss, vines, and thick white spider webs obscure many of the bas-reliefs.
This was the Angkor that I'd always envisioned: wild, sprawling, overgrown,
mighty, and ripe for exploration.
The Bayon: Face to Face
From a distance, the Bayon looks like an indistinct pile of stones. But up close
it proves to be one of the most enigmatic temples in Angkor. Here more than
200 giant faces peer down from 54 stone towers. Ever-changing throughout the
shifting daylight, these faces express a myriad of emotions similar to the Mona
Lisa: tranquility, mischievousness, wisdom, peace.
Plenty of Others to Explore
There are a vast number of major and minor temples to explore at Angkor. I saw
almost all of them over seven days. The major temples can be seen in three days.
"You Mean I'm Not the Only One?"
The days of Angkor being a secluded spot where only explorers and scientists
roam are long gone. Thousands of tourists visit the temples every day, and the
popular sunset/sunrise spots can turn into zoos at peak time.
Thankfully, Angkor is a giant, and I found peaceful corners in even the most popular locations.
Magic in the Details
Architecturally, the temples of Angkor are fantastic. But the magic of the place
lies in the details: the endless bas-reliefs, the texture of the sandstone,
the rich green lichen on the walls, ancient graffiti, the uniform color of the
bricks and the jungle tree trunks
Visiting Angkor was a peak experience. I'll never forget it.
» view the Angkor
photo gallery
During their three-year, eight-month, and 21-day rule
of Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge committed some of the most heinous crimes
in modern history:
That these crimes were committed so recently (1975-1978) makes them all the more sickening. The country's scars are still plainly visible:
It's hard to comprehend the motivations behind an atrocity like the Cambodian genocide. What could have been going through the minds of the Khmer Rouge officers and their leader Pol Pot? "Hey Pol, I've got an idea, man. Let's turn the country upside down and get real primitive. Evacuate all the cities, march everyone out to the country. And then start farming, man! Big time. And if anyone resists, let's execute them. In fact, let's kill a whole lot of people. I'm talking hundreds of thousands. Maybe millions. And do it real cruel-like. Bash their heads against trees, electrocute 'em, drown 'em in vats of cold water..." The Khmer Rouge atrocity seems to follow a time-honored recipe for genocide: the obsessive desire to reach a religious or political ideal coupled with a healthy dose of madness. Why don't we learn? It seems as if past atrocities of genocide haven't served as a warning, but instead as a blueprint for how to repeat them.
If you'd like to learn more about the genocide in Cambodia, visit the Yale Cambodian Genocide Project. -- Between 1975-1978, the Khmer Rouge killed an estimated two million people in Cambodia (21% of the country's population). Amazingly, the Cambodians have persevered.Posted by michael p at 06:47 AM
January 21, 2003
The Khmers' Proud and Noble Heritage
The Khmers' Proud and Noble Heritage
Posted by michael p at 06:53 AM
January 26, 2003
Lawless, Chaotic, Fantastic Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Lawless, Chaotic, Fantastic Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, is the rawest, most lawless, most chaotic city I've ever been to. A Stony Safe Haven From the boat landing, our drivers took us to a dumpy guesthouse on the Boeng Kak, a lake on the northwest side of the city. Even though the rooms were just $2 a night, Mike and I were less-than-enthused about staying in plywood boxes, so I went on a reconnaissance mission while Mike watched the bags. After looking at several "same-same-but-different" guesthouses (including one that was actually called the Same Same But Different Guesthouse), I stumbled upon the Number 9 Guesthouse, a relaxed and comfortable safe haven with rooms built on balconies over the lake. It was only later that we realized how "relaxed" the Number 9 really is. Sitting at a table, enjoying large Angkor beers, talking about our chaotic entry into the city, Mike and I were approached by a guesthouse waiter: "Would you like some marijuana with your beer?" Also, there were a suspicious number of Khmer girls pouring out of the guest's rooms each morning. "Moto? Ganja? Shooting? Girls?" The streets in Phnom Penh are crowded with motorcycle taxi drivers who solicit travelers incessantly, always with the same approach: Moto Driver: Taxi? Cousin Mike came up with the Christian Defense, and it worked like a charm; we soon began drawing the cross over our chests as soon as drivers approached: MD: Taxi? The Christian Defense seemed to be the only thing that could convince touts that we weren't dope-smoking, gun-nut, prostitute-enthusiasts who hate to walk. A Predator's Paradise Prostitution is rampant throughout Cambodia, and it's at an all-time high in Phnom Penh. There are notorious brothels on the north side of the Boeng Kak where sex sells for as little as $3. More upscale sex workers crowd tourist bars and clubs and offer their bodies for $10-$20. It was disarming and a little frightening to walk into a pool hall and have 50 Khmer and Vietnamese girls look my way with smoldering eyes. John, a North Carolinian who accompanied us for a night out on the town, summed it up when he said, "This place is just like the bars at home - except women here dig me." Tragically, Phnom Penh is also well-known for its underage sex workers, and is a popular destination for pedophile sex tourists. Authorities have supposedly cracked down on this crime in recent years. And woe be the predator who can't bribe his way out of a jam: they don't separate foreigners or sex offenders in Cambodian prisons. Police & Mafia: "Same-Same But Different" One day, on the way back from the shooting range, a motorcade of Land Rovers passed my moto on the highway. By way of explanation, my driver, who called himself Mr. Perfect, said: "Government official." He laughed and then added, "Gangster!" Nightmare Tourist Attractions An Extended Stay For me, the appeal was in the contrasts. In the mornings I'd step out of my clean $4 room have a tranquil breakfast on the lake. I'd then hop on the back of a motor scooter for a terrifying ride across the polluted city to a museum dedicated to genocide. Later, while sifting through bootleg DVDs at the Russian Market, I'd set aside a pocketful of small change to give to landmine victim amputees on the street. After another helter-skelter moto ride ("Helmet? Why would you want a helmet?"), I'd tuck into a fantastic $2 Indian meal of curry and chapatti. I'd then dodge the drug dealers ("Christian!") on the way back to the Number 9, where I'd meet up with a group of ragtag Europeans to drink beer hold mock United Nations debates. Isn't this what travel's all about? Life is all about guns, girls, and ganja in Cambodia�s capital city. Posted by michael p at 12:26 AM
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