Bangkok and Siem Reap contrast each other. While the former
has everything moving at a fast pace, the latter is living a very relaxed life.
The former is so modern in terms of infrastructure and basic services, the
latter has a problem with community drainage and still needs to figure out how
to effectively generate employment for the locals.
However, Siem Reap is growing. Give or take five years, it
may be unrecognizable except for a few landmarks. But surely, both cities never
ceased to impress me, which is why Thailand is called the Land of Smiles and
Cambodia is aptly known as The Kingdom of Wonder. The town is aptly called Siem
Reap, which translates to the Defeat of Siam,
back in the ancient days when these neighboring kingdoms would go at war with each
other.
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| Weaving silk with different colored silk thread |
Visit the Angkor Artisan Village and Silk Farm
Lying on the outskirts of town is an artisan village which
provides livelihood to the community (Puok District). Imagine stepping into a
workshop of weavers, where the same process is done very similar to how it was
like a couple of hundred, if not a thousand years ago. The beautiful textiles
produced from the silk worms were used to dress Khmer royalty in the ancient kingdom.
I can only imagine what the Khmer royalty wore in their day. This
photo is the closest that can show how they dressed.
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| Photo of Khmer People wearing traditional silk garments |
The tour is free, and you can purchase silk souvenirs and
apparel from the boutique at the end of the tour. Because it is very tedious
and entails precise skills for extraction and weaving, now we know why premium
silk is expensive. Of course, if you’re after premium silk, you might as well
get it here. Naturally, cash is king.
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| Angkor Artisans Silk Farm Boutique |
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| Neary Khmer Restaurant |
Get A Taste of Khmer Dishes in Neary Khmer Restaurant
We are no strangers to Khmer dishes, but we cannot ever pass up an authentic dining experience in Siem Reap. Our driver brought us here to try out all the Khmer dishes that we can think of, and the table was instantly filled and also instantly wiped out by hungry travelers. I would definitely come back here for those spring rolls and the salad.
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| Don't miss out on the spring rolls, pickled salad and pork while in Neary Khmer Restaurant |
Go On A Temple Run: Angkor Wat, Bayon Temple, Ta Prohm
And we resume the temple run in Siem Reap, with the highlight
of our visit, Angkor Wat, Bayon Temple and Ta Prohm. My advice is to go to the
ticketing office a day early to save time the next day. Because the best time
to go is at sunrise, all alarms were set for three o’clock the next morning. We
had breakfast from one of the mobile restos in the area right across the
parking lot. Breakfast consisted of a double toast with a side serving of deep
fried potato, and I got a kale and mint smoothie to top up my coffee earlier.
We then proceeded to sit outside the bridge and film a time
lapse of the sunrise. Shortly after, we explored Angkor Wat. Our group
consisted of six people, but my parents opted to hire a guide to take them
around for $25, us millenials went about our own pace, taking photos and
considering the fact that we can always look up the facts and details online.
In other words, we split up.
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| Angkor Wat is the world's largest religious monument and one of the 7 Wonders of the World |
But whether or not you hire a guide, you still get to explore
Angkor Wat and also take your time and enjoy while you’re there. There are monks who also visit regularly and can offer a blessing in exchange for a small donation.
Because we hired a van for the day, we were fortunate to have
it waiting for us in the parking lot, refresh ourselves and proceeded to Bayon
Temple.
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| Receiving a blessing from one of the monks in Angkor Wat |
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| Bayon Temple |
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| Bayon faces up close from one of the towers in the temple |
From the gate alone, there is the serene, smiling face that welcomes visitors, and its distinctive features are the Apsara carvings in key areas of the temple. There’s a straight road leading to the temple, and here monkeys freely roam around as if they are already used to the presence of tourists. But it’s better to keep one’s distance just to be safe. An hour or so is enough to take photos and explore Bayon. As usual, most information online can be looked up about the temple, but for added details, guides can be hired.
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| The bridge to Bayon features gods on the left side and demons on the right side, but some have been desecrated when Bayon was sacked during the war |
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| Monkeys can be seen on the street on the way to Bayon Temple |
There are 216 serene faces as
showcased in Bayon, and scholars have theorized that the faces are of King
Javayarman VII who considered himself a god-king. While his ancestors were
Hindu, he identified himself as Buddhist (Wikipedia/ Bayon).
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| Bayon Temple Gates |
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| Apsara bas reliefs in Bayon Temple |
To our third and final temple, we headed on to Ta Prohm.
Now Ta Prohm is known in Hollywood terms as the Tomb Raider temple, and Lara Croft fans will immediately recognize this from the movie.
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| Ta Prohm is the filming location of the Lara Croft Tomb Raider movie |
Now Ta Prohm is known in Hollywood terms as the Tomb Raider temple, and Lara Croft fans will immediately recognize this from the movie.
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| An entrance to the temple's center, it looks like a portal to a blast to the past |
Although not originally a part of the initial plans of the
temple, centuries later, its most distinctive features will become that of the
trees that are threatening the temple. It also has many beautiful bas reliefs
and efforts are seen to help preserve it from the jungle that’s taking over.
The temple's stele records that the site was home to more than 12,500
people (including 18 high priests and 615 dancers), with an additional 80,000
souls in the surrounding villages working to provide services and supplies. The
stele also notes that the temple amassed considerable riches, including gold,
pearls and silks.[7] Expansions
and additions to Ta Prohm continued as late as the rule of Srindravarman at the
end of the 15th century. (Wikipedia/ Ta Prohm)
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| The jungle threatens to take over the temple and adds an eerie and magical touch to it |
If you ask me which one is my favorite of the temples
visited, I can’t give you a straight answer because it’s difficult to pick just
one. All have their best features and special characters, like the Bayon faces,
Apsara carvings, towers and intricate details. Each one is an attraction on its
own and possesses its own kind of beauty.
After lunch
in a nearby restaurant and having realized that we’ve finished our temple run,
there I was, with a full belly and contented soul thinking to myself, it’s the
best US$37 I ever spent.
Make A Donation to Victims of Land Mines
As Cambodia is a country still bearing the wounds of the Khmer
Rouge, land mine survivors and orphans have turned to music to gather donations
in order to survive. Walking around town, we have come to recognize that these
performers play traditional, pleasant music for passers-by and have come to
capitalize on willing ears who are able to spare a few dollars.
I was surprised to find out that these survivors were former
soldiers who were fighting the Khmer Rouge back then. I also noticed that on
the way to Ta Prohm, children who accompany the musicians are usually orphans
who have lost their family members to land mines.
If you have a few dollars or riels, your donations can go a
long way to victims of land mines. Not only that, they perform music that has
been passed down from Khmer ancestors that’s full of history spanning thousands
of years. We noticed that it’s only the instruments producing music as there’s
usually no singing to accompany the pieces. But the music floating through the air is still beautiful as the Cambodian landscape.
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| Artwork for sale in Angkor Wat |
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| Young artists display their art pieces in Ta Prohm |
Buy Artwork From the Locals
Most locals are taking advantage of the 1.5 Million tourists that visit Siem Reap annually. Students also find gigs to earn for university, and most have produced artwork to sell to tourists. In the temples of Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm, people display their art and anyone is free to choose their favorite pieces for purchase.
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| Home decor for sale in Siem Reap |
Shop For Souvenirs and Dine in Pub Street
After a day
of temple run under the sun, it’s easy to be templed out. So we planned to
visit Pub Street for some souvenir shopping and dining. There are rows and rows
of restaurants, the real problem is deciding where to eat.
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| Pub Street in full swing at night |
Because so many tourists of different nationalities have
fancied staying in Siem Reap, one could see a pizzeria operating beside a Mongolian
barbecue, opposite a Korean ice cream shop, situated beside a Chinese spa. Pub
Street has become so diverse that the night scene has so much to offer a templed-out-but-happy
person.
When in Pub Street though, ask for a glass of Cambodian Draft Beer. It’s all part of the Siem Reap dining experience, who knows, you will be able to pick a favorite from the menu.
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| Cambodian Draft Beer in Triangle Barbecue and Restaurant |
When in Pub Street though, ask for a glass of Cambodian Draft Beer. It’s all part of the Siem Reap dining experience, who knows, you will be able to pick a favorite from the menu.
For a stay of two
days, I can say that I like the peaceful Cambodian countryside and have enjoyed
my stay in Siem Reap. Plus, I got to cross-off my Temple Run from my bucket
list. Even if Siem Reap left me feeling in a good mood because of my fill of
history, architecture and sightseeing, there’s nothing stopping me from coming
back when circumstances permit in the future.
Reminders
· When visiting other nations, we are responsible for our own behavior and should observe proper customs as the locals do, as we are only guests in their country.
· Be responsible travelers by disposing of trash properly and being
courteous to those you meet, especially the elderly and locals.
Note: All
input are based on my personal experiences in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Our group made
arrangements prior to our travel dates. This is in no way, a sponsored post.
*Photos taken with the Samsung
Galaxy A50.
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