Sunday, January 20
We are slowly getting into this time zone. Glenn was out by 9:30 p.m. and slept until about 4:30 a.m.—not too far off his usual sleep schedule. For some reason, the loudspeakers in the courtyard below our room started broadcasting Cambodian music about 5 a.m. To Western ears this is NOT melodic music, especially at five o'clock in the morning! We were ready for another good breakfast buffet by 7 a.m. Knowing a bit more about the many choices in breakfast items, we took our time and enjoyed several trips to the various food stations. I tried another strange fruit—this one looked like a colorful sea urchin! The tough rind gave way to a rather bland, watery fruit surrounding what appeared to be a nut at the core. Glenn shared a taste and we both gave it thumbs down. But, those sweet mandarin oranges are great, as is the watermelon, pineapple, papaya and other fresh tropical fruits.
After breakfast Mark checked with the concierge about how to get payment for yesterday’s car and driver to the head of the “Three Brothers” guide service. Odd that he wouldn’t have tried to find Mark yesterday and claim his $35. Shortly after we left Seattle I discovered I had left my prescription sunglasses at home. In this bright tropical sunlight I really NEED sunglasses, so I checked out the small gift shop in the hotel lobby, but nope—no sun glasses or anything else that looked worthy as a souvenir.
Mark purchased another hour’s worth of Internet time for $6.00 and we tried a Skype call to Karen in Cuernavaca, Mexico where it was 8:15 p.m. on Saturday night. She was surprised to hear our voices, but said all was going fine at the language school. Tomorrow (Sunday) she would be heading to the Aztec pyramids at Tehuatican with her school group. Interesting that our family is touring ancient temple ruins on opposite sides of the world at the same time!
After breakfast Mark headed for the pool and more magazine reading (he brought along lots of back copies and is trying to lighten the load in his suitcase by reading and discarding them before he moves on his next destination-- Thailand). Glenn and I headed across the street to the gift shop where we had purchased our drinks and snacks on our arrival night. The Rajabori Angkor Market, at Treang Village is run by a group trying to provide employment to those injured by land mines, orphans and poor people. This almost gave me a clear conscience as we filled up our helpful salesgirl’s shopping basket with gifts and souvenirs. This is a beautiful shop with jewelry, bronze replicas of temple art, silk scarves, and yes—beer, crackers, and such in their mini-market section.
After we had cruised around the store, with not one, but two smiling and sweet young sales ladies in tow, we accumulated a woven silk table runner for us, and a clever cloth and bamboo sun hat for Barb, which can be converted to a fan, or folded up for packing. I couldn’t resist! We also got a small papier mache mask for Betty, silver earrings for Karen, and the requisite magnet, showing Bayon, Angkor Wat and elephants—all on one magnet! What we DIDN’T find were sunglasses for Barb. They had some—but they were $250. a pair! I think not!
After we settled up with the cashier, we were invited to sit down at a table and enjoy some Cambodian tea, plus candies from attractive jars. Pretty darn nice treatment for tourists who only spent $65. Also, I think at this early hour of the day ( 9:30 a.m.) we were the only customers. Anyway, somebody with a good sense of merchandising has done a great job of designing this store and stocking it with what appear to be quality items. The salesgirls told us that a woman (Korean, I think) was the head of the group who are providing employment for the Cambodian women in greatest need.
The helpful "crossing guard" gentleman was right on hand to stop the traffic so we could cross back over to the Le Meridien. Yes, automatic stoplights are great, but the system in Siem Reap works very well too—and no doubt provides employment to more people.
After depositing our purchases, we joined Mark at the pool. I opted to log some time in the exercise room, and was pleased to find that the treadmills were identical to those at the local athletic club in Salem. With the walking around this hotel and the ruins, I figured fifteen minutes might be ample—especially as it was none too cool in the exercise room. They had thoughtfully provided bottled water, towels and fresh apples for those trying to work off that big buffet breakfast.
We found comfy padded chaise lounges under big umbrellas and settled in for relaxation, a cooling dip now and then, and more relaxation. Such a gorgeous pool—and we had to share it with no more than two or three others. I guess the rest of the hotel occupants were out at the temples. The “chuckling” frogs, as I have christened them, could be seen from time to time when they ventured out from under the lotus pads in their pools surrounding the human's swimming pool, but this morning they were very quiet. When we have been at the pool later in the afternoon, they have been “chuckling” away to each other. When Glenn and Mark headed up to their rooms, I took advantage of the shower in the sauna/steam room area. Same wonderful toiletries there, big towels, hair dryer, and again, I had it all to myself most of the time.
We expect to have a big dinner tonight, as part of the Angkor Wat show, so opted to skip a real lunch, but we did break out the crackers, peanut butter and mandarin oranges I smuggled out of the restaurant this morning. Combined with beer or orange soda it was sufficient.
About 4 p.m. we set out with our guide (a.k.a. Mark) via tuk tuk to the “biggie”-- the Angkor Wat temple itself. We had a breezy ride to the entrance where hundreds of tourists were filing both in and out of the temple. Along the way, our driver suddenly veered to the side of the road and stopped near a young man who was standing under a roadside tree, with several Scotch whiskey bottles at his feet. The tuk tuk driver consulted with the young man who was soon pouring gasoline out of the Scotch bottle into the motorcycle's gas tank. Cambodia's version of the local Chevron station!
Our plan was to be at Angkor Wat for sunset, then go to the area where the evening show and dinner would be held.
The majority of the tourists were actually leaving the ruins, but those who stayed had one objective—to see the wonderful tower spires turn gold as the sun set, and we were among them. We climbed up several flights of steps, stopping for photo ops at every new level of terrace. At Mark’s suggestion, we went around to the west side of the temple where we had nice sunset glows on the towers. Each side of the outer temple walls, a third of a mile in total length, and six feet high, are carved with bas-reliefs that depict Cambodian mythology and history. On the west-facing wall, the setting sun was making the carvings of "the battle of Kurukshetra" literally glow.
We had seen "apsara" carvings yesterday at Ta Prohm and Bayon, but not in the abundance that is displayed at Angkor Wat. The bas-reliefs of these charming "celestial nymphs" are a delight. For me, a major difference between the stone carvings of the Maya and the Khmer is the humanity so evident in the carvings on the Angkor temples. At least, we never saw an apsara we didn't like, and so we came home with an abundance of photos of these cute nymphs. The detail in these sandstone carvings is amazing. Mark pointed out to us one apsara who is holding onto a ribbon on her bodice. That thin ribbon has been almost lifted off the stone by the carver. Ghiberti's famous bronze doors, "The Gates of Paradise" in Florence are rightfully famed for their artistry, but Angkor Wat’s carvers had to be equally skilled—and they worked in stone, not bronze, and in stifling tropical heat year around.
WE were certainly “stifled” after climbing up and down all those stairs—our sweaty hair was plastered to our heads, our clothes were sticking to us and we seriously needed something to drink beyond our bottled water, like a beer, maybe?
On the east side of the temple we found the site of tonight’s show and the technicians were busy testing the huge spray of water that is used throughout the show to project background images. Cambodians may have had terrible troubles in the last twenty five years, but their 21st century skills are very impressive. Is it because they are descended from those highly skilled carvers and engineers of Angkor?
Most of those attending tonight’s show were picked up in Siem Reap and brought out to the temple grounds by bus about 7 p.m. But we got to the area just after the sun set. Mark found a source for cold Angkor beer and we gratefully sat down at one of the round dinner tables with our chilly beer. The waiters were very friendly and had time between setting up a long buffet table to chat with us. They even brought us cold, wet washcloths and oh, how good that felt!
Our new Cambodian friends let us start in at the buffet dinner, probably ten minutes before anyone else arrived. We certainly felt like VIP’s, albeit very sweaty VIP’s. The very nice buffet, catered by the "Sofitel" hotel in Siem Reap, was situated between the seats for tonight's performance and another lovely small temple. The Sofitel is another 5-star hotel, and Mark thinks they may have been the first to come into the Siem Reap area after the Khmer Rouge were driven out. The tables were very elegant for an outdoor buffet—white linen tablecloths, candles and tea lights set in shallow bowls with a centerpiece of white blossoms.
So, this is roughing it in Cambodia in 2008—here we were, deep in the jungle adjoining Angkor Wat, and not a machete in sight! This is all just so very different from what I think most of our friends thought we would be experiencing. I have to keep pinching myself, saying, “Yes, you ARE half way around the world, in a land of tropical jungles, elephants and monkeys, but you are also enjoying 5-star lodging, the warmest hospitality and delightful Cambodians who can’t do enough for you. A marvelous experience on so many levels and I’m glad we didn’t let the pessimists convince us we shouldn’t be doing this at our ages.
We had excellent seats for the show. Mark and Glenn had their cameras at the ready to take video and got some nice segments of this very colorful show. The performance took place on a stage bordered by several huge “naga” carvings (that seven-headed cobra of Hindu and Khmer folklore). And, behind the stage there was absolutely the most romantic backdrop any director could wish for—the towers of Angkor Wat temple which were backlit for the show.
The performers had very colorful costumes, and the audio narration was in English, with subtitles on screens for Cambodians and either Japanese or Chinese. The entire world apparently comes to this little spot on the globe, so it must be hard to know which languages to use. The big cast did a good job of weaving the mythology and actual history of Angkor together. An excellent complement to our temple visits.
This was the last night for this show, which has been going on since November. Apparently a new production will appear in Cambodia’s high season next November. We asked who put this together—it was done in Phnom Penh but with technical help from a Thai company. We didn’t have to hire a tuk tuk to go back to the hotel. The show provided buses and we were the first ones dropped off, as Le Meridien is the closest hotel to Angkor Wat.
No definite plans for tomorrow’s visit to the park, but we have now used two days of our three-day pass. Glenn wants to revisit Bayon and I agree. Then, perhaps we'll go to some of the smaller ruins. I think one stipulation will be no more extensive walking or stair-climbing. Glenn’s hip and knee are complaining, and while my knees are handling the walking and stairs o.k., I don’t want to over-task them.
Photo Album Jan. 20 (Temple)>>
Photo Album Jan. 20 (Show)>>
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