From spider whisperer to pagoda photographer

On Friday 11 January I set off on my latest adventure, a week travelling around Cambodia with my friend Marianne and two of her Cambodian family, young lads of 17 and 24. First, was a 6-hour bus trip from Siem Reap to the country’s capital, Phnom Penh.

The roads here can be dangerous and Route 6 has a sinister reputation but our trip was without incident. We had chosen a new bus company, Giant Ibis, with a comfortable air-conditioned bus, skilled drivers, complimentary bottles of water and chocolate pastries soon after setting off, and movies (we saw three: The Dictator, The Expendables, and The Amazing Spiderman) to keep the passengers amused. Actually, watching the movies was quite a bizarre experience as, with just a slight upward or downward motion, your eyes could move from the sight of a road full of tuk-tuks or an old wooden cart being pulled by two oxen to a scene of Hollywood-created carnage in Asian Russia or Spiderman saving the world from a giant lizard!

Halfway through the journey we stopped for a lunch break and then later we paused for a restroom break. That was hugely interesting, as we stopped in the small town of Skuon, which is well-known locally for the bizarre food on offer in its market. Spiders are the local speciality but we also saw beetles, crickets, frogs and small birds, to name just a few. I could never bring myself to eat such things, though other bus passengers did. I was, however, more than happy to have a live spider sitting on my hand, something that would have freaked me out in the past – I used to have quite a phobia about spiders, but have become braver – some might say crazier – in recent years! The spiders are a type of tarantula and are apparently at their tastiest when tossed in sugar and salt, then stir-fried with garlic in oil. I prefer mine alive!

Phnom Penh is a huge city of about 2.2million people but we had little time to explore, just a few hours free on Saturday morning. We tuk-tukked from our hotel to the Independence Monument which commemorates independence from France in 1953 and, these days, also serves as a war memorial to honour Cambodia’s war dead. The red sandstone tower recalls the architecture of an Angkor tower, with its multi-tiered roofs decorated with more than 100 nagas (seven-headed serpent statues). Shame about the concrete and glass skyscrapers in the background.

We walked from the monument down the grand Sihanouk Boulevard, past the equally grand buildings of the Buddhist Institute and the National Assembly, home to Cambodia’s parliament, then along the waterfront adjacent to the confluence of those two mighty rivers, the Tonle Sap and the Mekong. After a few blocks we turned left towards the Royal Palace. The street outside is currently closed off due to the death of former King Norodom Sihanouk, considered by most Cambodians to have been the father of their country. His passing on 15 October 2012 sent the entire country into a period of mourning that will last until his burial in February, and throughout the country there are billboards, large and small, showing his photo. Underneath a huge one of these at the Royal Palace there is an area where locals can light incense and place lotus flowers in memory of their beloved king.

The Royal Palace is closed during the mourning period but the grounds of the neighbouring Silver Pagoda are still open. This enclosure is a tranquil oasis amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, and is a stunningly beautiful place. As well as the Silver Pagoda, so-named for the 5329 engraved silver tiles that cover its floor, the grounds contain ornately carved Chedi (stone towers) and other pagoda-like constructions, set amidst hundreds of ornamental plants in large pots. I was totally enchanted with the reflections to be found in the wide urns of waterlilies and many many photographs were taken.

I would have liked to have stayed longer but we needed to be back at the hotel to check out by midday. Next time!

More tuk-tukking round the temples

As we’d bought a 3-day, use-within-7-days temple pass the previous Tuesday, Saturday the 5th of January and Sunday the 6th were both spent templing. Although Marianne and I had seen most of these, Marianne’s friend (and now mine) Steve had not … as if we needed an excuse to go yet again!

On Saturday, after collecting Steve from his hotel, we headed south on the main road to Phnom Penh and hit the Roulos group of temples: first Bakong, then Preah Ko and lastly Lolei.

Bakong is purported to be the first of the state temples of the Angkor period, having been consecrated to Shiva in 881. It is in relatively good condition as it was restored in 1940 using the original stones. Across the causeway of the wide moat that surrounded the temple complex, there’s a modern wat (temple) housing an assembly of monks, and there I was befriended by a very cute little cat – but more on Cambodian cats in another blog.

Next was Preah Ko. Three mostly ruined sacred bulls guard the temple at the front of a platform holding 2 rows of 3 towers. There are lovely leaf, floral and geometrical designs on the carvings on the octagonal door columns of the towers and some of the lintels still show beautiful garlands and images of Kali, a Hindu god of death.

A young monk in the modern pagoda at Lolei

Next to Lolei, where the temple towers are mostly in ruins, That didn’t matter as we were spotted by a zealous local youth, who offered us some information about the site before leading us off to see the small school where he is taught by the local monks. Of course, it was a ploy to get us to donate some dollars to the school but that was okay, as these places desperately need supporting and he was a very nice lad so we were happy to give a few dollars.

We lunched at Lolei, at a small local stall opposite the temple platform. So many tourists ignore these little local places, terrified that they’ll pick up some dreaded stomach bug when the reality is that the food is delicious and it’s nice to enjoy a chat with the locals!

We took a break from the temples in the afternoon and, instead, had an excursion on the water. Marianne and Steve both work in the yachting industry in the south of France so being on the water seemed appropriate. We tuk-tukked down the long long road that leads towards Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in South-East Asia, then clambered aboard our wooden long boat. They are rather primitive and extremely noisy contraptions but the breeze was very refreshing, and we were soon chugging along the waterways through Kompong Phluk, a lakeside village built entirely on high stilts to protect the houses, school, church, restaurants, etc from the floods of the rainy season.

Next day we headed out relatively early, hoping to reach that world wonder Angkor Wat before the crowds. Fat chance! But it was lovely to see again, to take the obligatory reflection photos in the pool full of water lilies and, this time, to be able to climb the precariously steep stairway up the central tower – the two previous times I’d visited, it had been under restoration so inaccessible.

Just as we were leaving, we were treated to the sight of a local wedding party, arriving to have their wedding photos taken. Here, the brides, in particular, are so heavily made up – with false eyelashes, layers of make up and hair-pieces - that they are barely recognisable. This group was happy to pose for tourists to take their photos.

My absolute favourite temple was next on the list: Bayon. The huge and magnificent faces on its stone towers always amaze, impress and delight me. Their expressions are mesmerising and every corner presents yet another photo opportunity. Thank god for digital cameras!

After another yummy lunch, we strolled leisurely around the temples of Phimeanakas and Baphuon, plus the elephant terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King – strolled because it was extremely hot and humid and we were all wilting a little.

Luckily, a long tuk-tuk ride followed, as we headed out of town to the West Baray. Baray is the Khmer word for man-made reservoir and this one is huge, approximately 8kms x 2kms. Construction was probably begun in the 11th century. The building method is unusual – they didn’t excavate, but rather erected dikes to contain the water. Although there are no beaches to speak of, the locals like spending a lazy afternoon or evening swimming, then eating and swinging on hammocks under small, open-air shelters at the waterside. As it was late afternoon and therefore beer o’clock, we finished off another perfect weekend sipping on cold beers while sitting on the steps down to the water.

Twice blessed

I can think of no better way to spend the first day of a new year than to go tuk-tuking and templing in the company of good friends. Mine was spent visiting the Cambodian temples of Preah Khan, Ta Som, East Mebong, Banteay Kdei and Pre Rup, with good buddy Marianne and new friend Steve, and our trusty tuk-tuk driver Vibol, who hugged me when we first met again – a very un-Cambodian thing to do and so very sweet!

First temple of the day was Preah Khan. The words mean ‘sacred sword’ and it was supposedly named for the ceremonial sword King Jayavarman II passed down to his heir. Apparently, whoever possesses this sword has the right to be Cambodia’s king. The temple has been a monastery, a university and, later, an interdenominational worshipping place for the followers of Shiva, Buddhu, Vishnu and 282 other gods – their tolerance of other faiths is to be admired.

The site is dominated by huge kapok trees, some of which emerge directly from cracks between the ancient stones and, if you’re lucky enough to find a quiet spot, you can sit and listen to the leaves fall. The temple itself has a long central alley way, with lots of side passages branching off it that are perfect for exploring. Marianne nicknamed me Indiannie Jones here, after my habit of scrambling over the ruins and disappearing through every portal and down every side alley in search of new and interesting carvings, stones, trees to photograph.

Preah Khan is where I received my first blessing of the day. Many of the temples still have small buddhas or other sacred statues where old women, usually widows with shaved heads, will pass on a blessing from their god and tie a simple woollen bracelet on your arm, in return for a small donation. Here, I had to crouch down next to the woman, who took my hand and spoke some words in Khmer, before blowing the bad spirits away.

Next, as Steve hadn’t eaten any breakfast and we were all flagging in the 35-degree midday heat and high humidity, we went for an early lunch. Vibol always knows good places to eat and, on this day of tuk-tuking, he was looking after us particularly well, with an ice-filled chilly bin holding water bottles, cans of coke and refreshing towlettes!

After 40 minutes or so, we set off again, this time to Ta Som. This is a Buddhist temple and was built in the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII. It is quite a small complex but has some huge stone faces built into its gate structures, one of which is being strangled to pieces by a huge strangler fig tree.

East Mebong was next. Built in 953 and consecrated to Shiva, this temple was once only accessible by boat across the now-dry East Baray. The temple is shaped like a pyramid, and has almost life-size elephant statues at the four corners on two levels to guard the structure. Much climbing up steep narrow steps is required to reach the top!

Banteay Kdei is one of my favourite temples and is reached through a cruciform gopura (ornamental tower) topped with huge faces, currently under restoration, and a 300-metre stroll through the forest. Time, the jungle and humans have inflicted severe damage on this temple complex but with a little searching you can still locate well-preserved and intricate sculptural reliefs and statues of female divinities. Here I also received my second blessing of the day, so now I am almost certain to have long life and good health and a positive 2013!

Our last temple for the day was Pre Rup, which means ‘turning of the body’, referring to part of the local cremation ritual. Built in 962 and also consecrated to Shiva, it is another pyramidal structure. Lions guard the precipitous stairways that lead up the centre of its four sides but, unfortunately, they are no match for the eager tourist. The site is a favourite for sunset-seekers so hordes of tourists descend on the place in the late afternoon, scrambling desperately up the ruins in search of the perfect spot to watch the sun go down. However, the reality is that you only get a view of the trees of the forest canopy from the temple top, so I came down to road level to photograph the temple’s stone towers and the tourists sitting on those towers silhouetted against the evening sky.

We escaped before the sun had set, leaving the tourists to negotiate those stairways in the darkening gloom and enjoying the refreshing breeze as Vibol guided our trusty tuk-tuk back to town. It had been a near perfect day!