Angkor Temples - Day 1

Tuesday November 30th, 2004 7:20 AM Siem Reap, Cambodia

I was going to post last night, but was having problems with staying connected. I woke up at 4:40 AM to be picked up by my driver to go to Angkor Wat to catch the sun rise. I was fortunate enough to catch it with upwards of 700 of my fellow travelers.

The old images from the mid to late 70's of the Khmer Rouge are dead. Cambodia is a thriving and active country that will see more and more tourism as their infrastructure improves. I'm staying at a clean, airconditioned guesthouse called the Red Piano for about $18 a night. Since I'm only going to be staying for 3 1/2 days, I decided to make the most of day 1.

My flight from Bangkok to Siem Reap was on one of my favorite types of planes, the old prop driven puddle jumper. Thankfully, the plane didn't land in any puddles as there is one of the largest lakes in Southeast Asia next to Siem Reap, the Tonle Sap. The rainy season for the mostpart is over although there was a slight cloudburst for 20 or so minutes. Coming in on final approach, my first impressions of Cambodia is that it is really, really green. There were rice fields everywhere with sparse clumps of coconut palms interspersed.

I landed and went through customs paying my visa fee of $20 US. The Cambodian economy uses a combination of the U.S. dollar and the Cambodian Riel (pronounced real). Really the one thing that I found is how poor the people are and the undervalued prices that are offered for goods. I bought a pair of light cotton pants and two t-shirts for $6-$7 dollars.

Siem Reap is a small dusty town with a few paved roads and an economy that is heavily reliant on the tourists that flock to Angkor. You can see some very abject poverty, but the Cambodian people are very warm and friendly; persistent in the case of touts, but still friendly.

I think I took about 150 photos yesterday (I can pat myself on the back for buying 2, 1G memory cards which will hold about 700 some photos and I'll use every one).

I started my day by visiting the city of Angkor Thom and the Bayon (I'll add more of a description of the two later, I have to meet my driver in an hour and need to eat breakfast and take this anti-malarial medication, the mosquitoes are everywhere).

After lunch, I went to Ta Prohm which has been left to the jungle.

This was followed by Banteay Kdei and Sras Srang. I'll remember Banteay Kdei soley for the police officer that tried to sell me his badge. I'm not sure what use I would have for a Cambodian police badge (whether real or not), so I took a pass. Like I said the people here are very poor and try very hard to sell to tourists. Entering and exiting every temple there are carts with vendors selling cold drinks, food, postcards, film, batteries, t-shirts, pants, souvenirs, guide books (I had one kid try to sell me a guidebook for Vietnam??). You get the picture. Its a lose, lose for the tourists since you tell the vendors (mostly kids) maybe later and they remember that is what you said and try to hold you to it. I'm sure that I haven't made a lot of friends by politely, but firmly saying that I was all set with the exception of two girls (probably no more that about 8 years of age) that I bought a couple scarves from.

The last temple of the day for me was Angkor Wat itself for the sunset. I went into the temple with the sole purpose of seeing the sunset. Two problems: One, after walking up and down countless steps, my body just ached. Two, in order to get the best view, you have to climb a series of steps that are at a 70 degree angle (this is to make worshipers bow as they climb, or fall, I'm still not sure). No problem on number two? Yes, big problem, I'm not so fond of heights. After 20 minutes of getting my hackles up to do this and walking around the numerous stair cases, I made my move and climbed up as fast as I could without looking down. Got to the top and wondered what I was going to do to get down.

I saw a set of stairs that had a metal railing installed and a line of about 40 people waiting once I go my photos from the top, so the choice was obvious to me. Funny thing that you wouldn't even be allowed to climb something like this in the states. I was joking with a couple other Americans that were in front of me in line about that; as well as the sphincter tightening that occurred just when you realized that you had to still get down the stairs. I made it down no worse for wear, but won't be going up that today as I explore the Angkor bas reliefs.

Last thought as I run for the day. I think I'm getting here at the right time. Siem Reap right now has two 5* hotels, but they are building two to three more. Package tourists are everywhere here and it gets a bit tough to take in the temples in a serene and relaxing manner. At the temples, you have to stay on the paths. I do for fear that they missed a landmine or there is a cobra lying in wait so I do, but when I encounter tourists going the same way as me, I try to find another direction.

Coming up: The Angkor bas reliefs and bargaining for stuff I don't really need.