Siem Reap, Cambodia ........Should be called See it and Weep

We are way behind on our blog but are working hard to get more up to date. We are currently in Bali but here is our last post from Cambodia. Thailand is up next. Enjoy!

We were thrilled to receive hand wipes, water and a little package of sugar crackers for the bus trip from Battambang to Siem Reap. Now this is the classy way to travel! Never mind Bowen's hair!

It is so incredibly HOT here is Cambodia with average temperatures reaching about 38 degrees. That's before the humidex kicks in and makes it feel even hotter. It's so hot we seriously considered not going to Siem Reap.  After all, how incredible can the ruins at Angkor Wat be? My friend, Jackie Hamilton and Bowen both talked some sense into us, reminding us of their cultural significance  and are we ever glad they did. The long bus ride and all the moving around looking for accommodation was well worth it. We rose very early and had a driver take us to Angkor Wat for 6:30 am. We ate a very local breakfast inside the grounds and then we were off! By 1pm we were done for the day and were able to leave all the late rising tourists to deal with the crowds and the intense heat. How did we get so smart?

We started our visit to Siem Reap with a visit to the very touristy Pub Street to find some dinner and see what all the talk was about. It was hot, overcrowded and noisy but it was fun to walk around and sample the super cheap fresh fruit shakes at $1 each. We ate Vietnamese food!

I really, really love this guy!

The Art Market ( cheap junky souvenirs) in Siem Reap

The mist on the moat surrounding Angkor Wat. It's very surreal to actually be here after seeing so many images on tv, movies and in print. 

Ta Prohm temple was used as a location in the movie Tomb Raider. We were lucky enough to get here first and have the whole place nearly to ourselves.

It's one thing to see photos and it's quite another to see this place up close.

A majestic entrance to another temple? Yes, but probably also a 1000 year old toll gate as well. These temples did not just build themselves, you know!

Turns out this structure was an entrance gate which was built before the advent of minivans and tuk tusk. One way traffic only. While we were waiting Bowen spotted a flying squirrel.

Damn tourists ruined my shot!

Every temple was adorned with Buddha faces which apparently also bear striking resemblance to the kings that commissioned them.

There was some opportunity for contemplation despite the heat and the crowds.

Have you ever been in a traffic jam with an elephant? Up until now, neither had we!

No one tells you about the murky puddles and the empty plastic bottles in front of the most iconic image in Cambodia. They also don't tell you that the Cambodian government sold Angkor Wat to the Vietnamese. 

A pair of modern day tomb raiders.

Can you see the teenager on his cell phone? ( hint: he's wearing white pants) It must be a very important phone call.

Not sure how the priests were supposed to concentrate on their spiritual duties with all these dancers carved into the walls.

And here I was looking forward to a whole day exploring this amazing park without having to look at any garbage. Boy, was I wrong.

Standing in front of Angkor Wat offers a beautiful sunset

People are still coming and going even though the temples are now closed.

The Khmer Empire was at its zenith a thousand years ago, around the time that our own ancestors were climbing from the the depths of the Dark Ages. The mastery with which the Khmer Empire was able to dominate its environment, channeling and controlling water to support a concentration of over a million people, in turn allowed for the artisanal and artistic development that could create a wonder like Angkor Wat and the thousands of other temples around Cambodia. Angkor Wat is a source of pride to the Cambodians as a symbol of what they are capable of - it is even on their flag! It must also be a source of frustration to realize this in the face of the basket case that the country has been for the past forty years. History repeats itself as the Vietnamese buy up the country and determine who will govern.

Another highlight of our stay in Siem Reap was the Phare Circus, a Cirque de Soleil-style production that grew out of a small art therapy program that began after the Khmer Rouge were driven out by the Vietnamese to help children deal with the horrors of that time and the conflicts that ensued. The gymnastic, theatrical and musical talent is incredible, and with very simple props the circus told a story of a child who lived through the Khmer Rouge period and learned to deal with the after effects. It was a highly entertaining and moving experience, especially when one considers that the performers are mostly disadvantaged (read: desperately impoverished) children of those who experienced that epoch directly and are dealing with the consequences to their parents' suffering.

These paper mache creatures decorated the grounds around the "Big Top" where we took in a performance of Phare- The Cambodian Circus.

The intimate atmosphere was absolutely electric and we LOVED watching these street youth turned circus performers  entertain us. Our expectations were low and we left the venue totally inspired. Some of these performers have gone on to work with Cirque du Soleil. 

Remy and Bowen also took the opportunity to visit the War Museum. This is a primitive affair, consisting of open sheds containing racks of rusted and bent M-16s, AK47s, RPGs and land mines of all sorts that have been recovered from the jungles all over Cambodia. These surround a vehicle park containing equally rusted and bent armoured vehicles and pieces of field artillery. The whole experience is animated by the guides, all of whom are missing limbs from land mine explosions and have harrowing tales of their experiences serving as soldiers in all the various factions that have fought each other over the past forty years (although they all ardently deny having ever been Khmer Rouge). Our guide showed us the scars from the six bullet wounds he suffered, the pieces of shrapnel that still lay under his skin and explained how he was blinded in one eye by shards of bone from his own foot when a land mine blew his lower leg off. Despite their common tales of stolen childhood and trying times as adults, living in the jungle as soldiers and then having to cope with their injuries, they all seemed to have positive outlooks on life. It was a hard-hitting lesson to us that we have absolutely nothing to complain about.

Our last night in Cambodia was spent enjoying Khmer BBQ ( same, same as Thai BBQ) and getting 1/2 hr leg massages for just $2. Heaven!

Cambodia is not an easy place to visit. It's very hot, it's pretty dirty and there are a lot of ghosts here but somehow we have all developed a love for it and it's a place we wish Hollis could have experienced with us. Hell. I wish he was here to experience ALL of the next 4 months with us. We feel like we have really earned our travel badge here in Cambodia but are super excited to return to Thailand for our third visit. For us it's as close to "home" as we will get until the real thing mid August.

~ Liz and Remy