by Jonathon Engels
Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world, with skillful carvings adorning every block in the place. However, my most memorable moments spent in Siem Reap did not happen in Angkor Wat but in the sights that surround it. For nearly a week, tucked into the back of a privately rented tuk-tuk, my wife Emma and I drove our chauffeur to the boundaries of sanity. There was no place we weren’t willing to have Lee take us.
1: Angkor Thom
The entry towers at Angkor Thom are among the most photographed relics in Cambodia. Stuck in traffic on the causeway bridge leading to a towered entrance, Lee told us about how the statues—fearsome demons on the right of the bridge, confident gods to the left—had been decapitated only a few decades ago by the Khmer Rouge. Simulating a dagger across the neck, he alleged thieves are still smuggling pieces across the border to Thailand for black market sales.
Angkor Thom is nine square kilometers of walled city with a huge moat, a dozen temples, and statues around every corner. Inside, children are everywhere vying to be in photos, after which they charge a dollar. One boy, joined by a worrisome number of friends, showed us a statue of an elephant “hidden” behind one of the temples. The special viewing was not free of charge. Our entrepreneurial guide wanted his tip and so did all the boys that came along.
*Also, make sure to go to Preah Kahn, just northeast of Angkor Thom, for the famous tree on the temple photo. Preah Kahn is perhaps the most stunning of all the temples because it is being overrun with vegetation. It’s a great place to explore, ducking under branches and climbing over roots, discovering photogenic spreads in every corner.
2: The Floating Village of Tonle Sap
It would be difficult not to notice the intense poverty and hardship of Cambodia, even in an area like Siem Reap, exploding with resort hotels. People beg in heartbreaking fashion. Tuk-tuks are kitted out with signs to notify that this particular driver will not take passengers to underage sex dens. The maiming effects of the Khmer Rouge are evident everywhere. For us, the extent of poverty didn’t fully resonate until the ride south to the waterways of Tonle Sap: Houses along the roads were simply raised platforms with roofs, no walls to block us from seeing in.
Tonle Sap is a fluctuating mass of water than shrinks to about 2700 km2 (1675 miles2) of meter-deep water for much of the year, but it swells to over five times that size and up to nine meters deep during rainy season. Designated a UNESCO biosphere, it supplies most of the freshwater fish in Cambodia, as well as half of the flow to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. The waters support over three million people. For these reasons, it’s an interesting enough place to visit.
That said, the Floating Village is without a doubt something once a bit unbelievable turned into a tourist highlight. The boat trolled between houses that were indeed weaving and bobbing on water’s surface, but our “tour” consisted of going to a souvenir shop/crocodile farm. Even so, it was pretty cool to see children sitting in empty washtubs to paddle from one home to another.
3: Beng Melea
Lee tried to talk us out of it, but he conceded to our wishes. The progression of places we’d chosen that day meant that he was going to have to use a pot-holed dirt road rather than a new, nicely paved one. And, we got a flat in…somewhere, Cambodia. Lee unhooked the trailer, and a roadside worker carted it off by hand. We were not in Siem Reap anymore. From the depths of a dirt road to nowhere, a bike drove by with two full-sized upturned pigs strapped to the back, grunting over each pothole. There was no other traffic for the hour it took to get back on track.
Only a round fifty miles from Siem Reap, the “staff”, a few folks hanging out at the front of Beng Melea, far outnumbered the guests. A little old lady showed us around, Lee included. A kids’ film, Two Brothers, had been recently filmed there, so the sturdy wooden platforms used for moving equipment now acted as comfortable viewing posts. At the end of the last platform, our guide simply stepped off onto the mountainous pile of sandstone blocks.
Beng Melea is absolutely in shambles, only the occasional wall standing amongst a collection of rubble. Our guide took us clambering, jumping, dropping, and discovering. It was as if no one else even knew the place existed, that we were there, or the high likelihood one of us—both in flip-flops—was going to take a pretty intimidating tumble. We didn’t. Instead, we sat atop the western edge of the ruins for a quiet picinic.
Unsurprisingly, the ride home, on that nice paved road, suggested Lee may have been right.
4: The Cambodian Landmine Museum Relief Facility
Leading up to our trip, Emma and I had read an incredible memoir, ‘First They Killed My Father’, about a young girl who survived capture by the Khmer Rouge and life in camps where kidnapped children were forced to be soldiers, brainwashed and made to do unspeakable things. Aki Ra was one of these child soldiers, but in 1997 he went back to villages where he had once set up thousands of mines and, working by hand and homemade tools, started defusing them.
The project garnered amazing international support, and now Aki Ra runs the Landmine Museum just outside of Seim Reap and continues the perilous task of ridding fields of landmines. On the day we went, Aki Ra wasn’t there because he was out clearing mines. Nevertheless, we got the point. Not the typical museum, this place was basically a massive outdoor collection of the thousands upon thousands of defused landmines. Everywhere — hanging from posts, balled on the ground — were clusters of different types of mines. It was horrifying.
In addition, the Landmine Museum also houses more than forty children and supports a community of seventy-five people. Originally, Aki Ra began by adopting children who’d been wounded by landmines, but now the center takes in children suffering from whatever difficulties. On site, there is a school, complete with a computer lab, a library, English classes, and a playground.
5: Kbal Spean, The River of a Thousand Lingas
When we reached the end of the pavement, Lee pulled over, unhitched the tuk-tuk, and told us to climb on the bike with him. The road ahead was far too rough, so there we were, Lee on the front, Emma squeezed between us, and me with my hands vice-gripped to the back of the seat. Truth be told, the road was so rough that, for the bulk of the ride, Lee drove in the ditch and on the embankment running alongside the street. I don’t really remember how long the ride took—less than an hour—as I was concentrating on not popping of the back.
We eventually arrived at a little trailhead where two statues stood. Again, there were very few visitors as we wound our way down the dirt path to a small tributary of Siem Reap River, but the Kbal Spean site has several highlights, including a waterfall, sandstone sculptures from Hindu mythology, and a carved river bed. Many rocks on the banks have incredible depictions of gods, animals, and people, but the river bed steals the show: Water bubbles over varying patterns chiseled into long stretches of stone.
The ride back proved just as much fun. Emma had never been on a motorcycle before, so she spent most of the ride with her head poked to either side of Lee’s, excited by all the scenery. When we finally stopped, Emma and I got off the bike, dusting ourselves clean, but Lee burst into laughter. Emma had taken off her sunglasses, and there was a thick monobrow of dirt that had formed just above the top of those shades. Worse, there was no water around to clean it off.
4-Day Siem Reap Tour: Angkor Wat & Angkor Thom
If You Go:
Worthy Causes in Cambodia
♦ Cambodian Landmine Museum and School – Founded by a former Khmer Rouge child soldier (suppressed into service), this Cambodian-run NGO is dedicated to removing landmines, educating the world about them, and helping victims of this ongoing problem in Cambodia. Web site: www.cambodialandminemuseum.org
♦ Rosy Guesthouse – Our hostel in Siem Reap was involved with many worthwhile project in the surrounding communities, and through them, we were able to support an NGO working to prevent child exploitation and another providing musical training to mine victims. Web site: rosyguesthouse.com/responsible-toursim
♦ Let Us Create – An NGO in Sihanoukville provides a private space for children to be creative with paints and more. Needy children also get an education (both Khmer and English classes), nutritional support, and health check-ups. Web site: www.letuscreatecambodia.org. For more information, visit: The NGO Forum on Cambodia – www.ngoforum.org.kh/.
5-Night Cambodia Tour to Angkor Wat from Phnom Penh by Air
About the author:
Jonathon Engels has been an EFL expat since 2005, just after he earned an MFA in creative writing and promptly rejected life as an instructor of freshman comp. He has lived, worked and/or volunteered in seven different countries, traveling his way between them. Currently, he is in Antigua Guatemala, where most mornings he can be found tucked behind a computer in the corner of a coffee shop. For more from Jonathon, check out his website jonathonengels.weebly.com and blog jonathonengels.travellerspoint.com/.
Photo credits:
Bayon, Angkor Thom by Diego Delso / CC BY-SA
All other photos by Jonathan Engels – see more at: www.flickr.com/photos/jengels78/sets/72157633388050634/with/8696493506
I arrived in the Kingdom of Bhutan, a land-locked country sandwiched in between the giants of India and China, expecting to capture images of a gentle country where Buddhist traditions and conventional culture trump modern materialistic trappings. This is a nation known for its varied terrain: from the subtropical plains and forests in the South to the lofty snow-drenched Himalayan foothills and mountains of the North.
I’ll admit to not recognizing the structure of a giant penis on a commercial building at first, thinking it was some elaborate design that I just didn’t get, but a fellow photographer soon pointed it out and identified the ejaculating phallic symbol for me. Initially, I was somewhat taken aback by the penile projectile, but then I began to philosophically contemplate why decorated penises adorned many buildings and homes, and what could it possibly mean. I soon found out from our Bhutanese guide.
Turns out there was a certain individual called Drukpa Kunley, aka the “Divine Madman” a Buddhist master who lived from 1455 -1529 A.D. He is fondly remembered for his most outrageous teachings that were designed to challenge preconceptions. He taught that the ‘divine thunderbolt of wisdom’ comes by way of shock value; an unorthodox combination of drinking, sex rituals, and provocative humor and dance. Because of this, he used his penis quite often to achieve insight and eventually became known as “The Saint of 5,000 Women” due to his penis prowess. In other words, he offered blessings to women in the form of sex. He didn’t discriminate with women as it didn’t matter if she was married or not, virgin or experienced.
It is important to note that the ubiquitous phallus paintings and wood carvings are not considered as pornographic or erotic symbols to the Bhutanese, rather they are imbued with protective qualities that ward off evil spirits. After all, the penis proved to be a path for spiritual nourishment and enlightenment for the much revered Divine Madman and his ‘Flaming Thunderbolt of Wisdom’ was used much like a sword to conquer evil spirits as well. A nifty combination.
The next morning we decided to take a walk in Kathmandu. Durbar Square was our first and natural destination. The word Durbar Square may be equivalent to German Marktplatz. Several Nepalese cities have Durbar Squares, which are usually made up of royal and religious buildings. The Kathmandu Durbar Square, which is not free of charge for foreigners to enter, can present a variety of royal courts, temples and monuments (most of them belong to different historical periods), as well as numerous guides and street sellers, who would stalk you all the time and offer their goods and services. Tourists who have some understanding in history and religion, especially that of Indian subcontinent, can be very happy to explore every corner of the square. But even if you do not posses this kind of information, no worries at all. Dozens of guides are always ready to lead you by explaining the history and meaning of each edifice.
Although the Durbar Square contains a lot of historical buildings, it would take too long to explain each of them. But one should certainly visit the Kumari residence. Kumari is a living goddess mainly worshipped by Hindus. In Nepal Kumari is a pre-pubescent girl regularly determined as a result of interesting and complex selection process.
For people, who are eager to see Mt. Everest and some other peaks, I would highly recommend you to take a mountain flight operated by a bunch of domestic airlines in Nepal. As I mentioned above, even small hotels can arrange mountain flights, which can make your job more convenient. You will be taken very high, above the clouds, to the Roof of the World. Kind stewards will show and explain you every of a dozen Himalayan peaks. You can even get a chance to enter to the pilot`s cabin, where an indescribably wonderful and magnificent view will open in front of you. I am sure this mountain flight will be one of the most memorable moments you will recall with a pleasure the rest of your life. But Nepal is not only the Everest. Proud of their history, every Nepalese may tell you their country is the birthplace of Gautama Buddha. The founder of Buddhism was born in 6th century BC in Lumbini, a small town in the southern part of the country. Today Lumbini is a worshipping place, where many Buddhists from all over the world, not only from Nepal come to pay their tribute.
Hanoi is a contrast of old and new with some intriguing contradictions. The National Museum is housed in an old colonial building. The 900 year old Temple of Literature was a center of Confucian learning and thought. The French-era Opera House is beautifully appointed … and located opposite the Hanoi stock exchange in a square that includes a Gucci store and the Hanoi Hilton, that’s the hotel, not the prison which is across town.
But Hanoi’s Old Quarter is a source of wonder too – vibrant, vigorous, visceral. Delicious pho (pronounced “fa”) dished up in noodle soup restaurants. Egg coffee served on a balcony overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake. Sidewalk food stalls, bakeries, bars and coffeehouses proliferate. The narrow streets are packed with mini hotels and hostels, family shops, crafts and trades, and small businesses – the never-ending hustle of street life.
I’ve been curious about the impact of the “Vietnam War” on this country. Vietnamese history cites many wars, not just the one we talk about. There are earlier wars against the Chinese and the Mongols, conflicts between the Nguyen lords of the north and the Champa kingdom of the south, the war of independence against the French (aka First Indochina War), the civil war (aka Second Indochina War or American War) between north and south divided politically by the 1954 Geneva convention and geographically by the 17th parallel, and most recently the 1980’s war against the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.
Reminders of the civil war can be found everywhere. In Hanoi, they are present in all the museums. In Hue, capital of the Nguyen Dynasty, a large national flag flies from the Citadel which dominates the Imperial City and Forbidden Purple Palace. The national flag flew here for 28 days when the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army captured the Citadel during the 1968 Tet offensive.
Hoi An is a wonderfully historic city, and also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Night lanterns light up the streets of the old town with its Chinese clan houses, pagodas and covered bridges. I stumble upon a house that belonged to one of the early revolutionaries in the city. His grandson proudly shows me photos of grandpa with General Giap, chief architect of the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu, and of the strategy that led to the North’s victory in the civil war.
Nha Trang is a sun, sand and sea beach town. It’s predicted to grow exponentially. The Long Son pagoda is full of families praying for good fortune in the new year, and paying their respects to their ancestors. Clouds of incense carry their prayers heavenward past the enormous white Buddha atop the hill overlooking the pagoda. The Tet celebrations culminate in a spectacular fireworks display from barges off the beach. Thousands of people are out to watch, young and old. The beach is vast, and there is much construction in progress. Signs in Russian and English vie for attention.
I am not too far from the truth – I am at Mirjan fort, near Gokarna. The fort, built first in the 12th century and extended in the 16th century, has a long and glorious history. It was the seat of Rani Chennabhairadevi, ruling under the aegis of the Vijayanagar Empire. She was better known as the Pepper Queen, or Raina da Pimenta, as she controlled the spice trade in the area. The fort was especially conducive for trade, located as it was, on the banks of the Aghanashini River, a branch of the Sharavati. The fort changed hands many times, from the Rani to the Sultans of Bijapur, the Marathas, and eventually the British. The unification of the area under the British, as well as the setting up of newer and modern ports along the coast, ultimately rendered the fort ineffectual, and it was abandoned, leaving nature to reclaim it for her own.
From the outside, it is still apparent why the fort was such a stronghold. Spread over an area of 10 acres, huge double walls protect the interiors, and the whole fort is surrounded by a moat, which, in its heyday, was connected to the river, fed by canals which continue to irrigate the fertile fields which surround the area.
What we can see of the fort is simply the tip of the iceberg. Literally, it’s only the top portion of the fort which is accessible today. More interesting are the underground chambers and passages, built for protection and to facilitate escape, but which today lie in ruins, and are unapproachable. The ASI is, to give them credit, trying to restore the fort to its former glory. The fort was built using the locally available laterite stones, and we saw ASI personnel at work, trying to restore the turrets with remnants from the ruins or similar laterite stones, still plentiful in the area.
And thus, work goes on, trying to reclaim our heritage from the passage of time. Meanwhile, nature continues her work, scattering seeds into new crevices, growing moss over newly laid bricks, the monsoons aiding her in her work. And the cows continue to graze, oblivious to their role in this clash between humanity and nature, unaware of the history beneath their hooves. And as we turn back, and bid goodbye to Mirjan fort, there is a tiny part of me, which wishes the fort stayed as it was, a fairy tale castle, hidden from vandals by nature.
