CAMBODIA - A JEWEL IN THE BACKYARD OF SE ASIA

From 28 May to 4 June, I was in Cambodia with my wife (macik) and friend, Raymond Ng. A friend once told me that in our haste to see the World, we often overlook the jewels that exist in our backyard. Working on this and since Thailand is the only so-called Indo-Chinese country I have visited so far, I decided that it's time to see Cambodia. What's more with the World Heritage Angkor Wat Archeological Park and the famous Killing Fields to see there. I am scheduled to visit Vietnam in November to attend my brother-in-law's wedding and with Laos on my horizon, I should cover all of Indo-China soon.

Basing ourselves in Siem (pronounced "Seem") Reap, we visited the Angkor Archaeological Park there, the great lake named Tongle Sap and Phnom Penh, the capital, with its famous Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre (the most famous Killing Field). People normally refer to Angkor Wat as though it were synonymous with the archaeological park itself. Angkor Wat is actually one of the temples within the park. I have captured painstakingly (because of trying to match pix of the temples to their correct names) my experience at the park itself and shown in the travelogue, which follows, the temples Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom (which comprises Bayon, the temple at its centre, Baphuon, another temple, the Terrace of Elephants and the Leper King Terrace), Ta Keo, Ta Phrom, Prey Rup, Banteay Srey, Banteay Samre and East Mebon. Unless one has lots of time, it's virtually impossible to visit all the temples as there are scores of them. A one-day pass to the see the temples costs USD20, while a three-day one is USD40 and a seven-day one USD60.

My experience in and within Siem Reap, Tongle Sap and Phnom Penh is also captured. I feel very sad after my visit to the "Killing Field" not completely understanding why Cambodians (specifically Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge Regime) should, from 1975 to 79, put to death some 1.7 to 2 million Cambodians of Chinese, Vietnamese, Cham, or of other tribal or mixed ethnicity because of political ideology after having them tortured below human dignity. That wiped out about a quarter of the population then. It caused me to buy Dr Haing Ngor's book named "Survival in the Killing Fields", to which I was riveted for a week, to try and understand what happened in Cambodia during that era. Even today with aid pouring in from so many countries, Cambodia appears unable to pull itself out of the doldrums created by the right and left-leaning regimes that ruled the country.

Of course, I have also documented something about Cambodian food which will give an idea of what to expect there.

I hope that you will enjoy going through the travelogue as much as I have in putting it together for your viewing.

Cambodia - Angkor Archaeological Park

Causeway to Angkor Wat (AW) within the Angkor Archaeological Park. AW is one of the temples within the park but most people refer to AW as though it is synonymous with the park itself. It was constructed in the early to mid 12th Century under patronage of King Suryavarman II and based on Hinduism (Vishnu). It is a three-tiered pyramid crowned with five lotus-like towers. Visually impressive and architecturally breathtaking, it is a must-see when visiting Angkor temples.

Moat around AW. Angkor Thom is also moated. In the past, there were crocodiles to enhance difficulty of intended attacks.

Entrance to temple. Weather has caused the walls and facade to be covered with an algae-like coating tampering with its appearance.

Repair works are undergoing so photo opportunities were impeded.

Within temple grounds. The towers were out of bounds so we couldn't climb them.

One of the AW towers, captured with the setting sun.

South Entrance to Angkor Thom (AT) aka Big Angkor. Constructed late 12th to early 13th Century, based on Buddhism under patronage of King Jayavarman VII. It is walled and moated and was the last capital of the Angkorian Empire; the king began re-building it here after re-capturing the Angkorian capital from the Cham invaders in 1181. Bayon, his state temple, was set in the centre of AT.

Statues line both sides of a causeway leading to the South Entrance. Some arms are missing. Apparently, many statues were decapitated and the heads taken to Thailand.

Faces facing the four cardinal points start appearing only in AT. Buddhism had a profound influence in this.

Close up of one of the four faces.

Walking to Bayon, which was constructed late 12th Century by King Jayavarman VII, based on Buddhism and is uniquely Bayon-styled. Many of its 37 standing towers incorporate faces facing the four cardinal points. The faces have become the most iconic image of Khmer architecture and art. Who the faces represent is still a matter of debate - could be Loksvara, Mahayana Budhhism's compassionate Bodhisattva or even a combination of Buddha and King Jayavarman VII. If pressed for time, one should just visit Bayon and AW.

Faces on one of the towers.

Towers of Bayon. Faces synonymous with AT are not clearly visible in some carvings

Effects of weather could be responsible for how this piece of stone, totally unrelated to the animal whose paws remain, came to be neatly juxtaposed with it.

A diety installed within Bayon. The keeper will offer joss-sticks for the faithful to light in exchange for some money.

A novice monk who helps to upkeep the temple grounds.

A crew from China's Central Television doing a documentary on AT.

Raymond, my macik and a friendly French couple we met.

Shoring of a wall in Bayon. Shoring is frequently used within the Angkor Complex to prop buildings or walls up.