Angkor WHATTT? Day 3

the buffet


angkor thom

Today’s itinerary was to go to Angkor Thom in the morning. Happily I realized this meant a free afternoon. I load into the tuk tuk with my wonderful guide, Chen, along with Kristy and Sara once more and we headed towards Angkor Thom. Angkor Thom was older, although less famous, than Angkor Wat and it served as the capital many centuries ago. Immediately as the tuk tuk driver, Vet, brought our trusty carriage to a halt, I knew Angkor Thom would prove to be my favorite temple.

At first glance you could tell it was once magnificent city. Although it was a fairly small piece of land that the actual temple was on, each centimeter was brilliantly filled with towers, corridors, chiseled out artwork on every wall and pillar, and staircases leading to various floor levels that further proved Angkor Thom’s aura of past greatness. In fact, my first thought of the temple was that it looked like a “drip castle” I used to make as a child on the beach. The ripples formed by the placement of each brick and its architecture from afar came together to create this flowing, sinking sand comparison. As you walk closer, one’s eye immediately focuses on Buddha’s face. On each tower, perfectly sculpted Buddha faces loomed over the temple, each facing a different direction around each tower to represent the directions North, South, East and West. Additionally, there were 57 towers, 35 that exist today. If you could count the amount of Buddha faces and depictions in this temple, you might as well be a Catholic counting the beads on a rosary over and over again because not only is the number large, but the feelings of holiness is equal. Additionally, there were grand murals of invading Cham’s and war stories of the past, but the most interesting mural was of everyday life. Having been made in the tenth century, this chiseled art piece was a direct link to how each person, whether mother, child, king, or commoner lived. Ironically, many of the pictures were strongly comparable to the modern lifestyle that I have witnessed in the last few days. The tuk tuk type transportation, the way people carry things, and many other telling characteristics and actions depicted were still evident.

After being blessed by a few monks, all of the tuk tuks headed back in caravan style to Journeys Within. With a free afternoon, a few girls and I headed to Blue Pumpkin to upload photos, blog, and use the Internet provided. Blue Pumpkin once more was no disappointment, but my search for a more local coffee house remains.

Now, the exciting part of the day… It started at 7:45 pm when we decided to take the advice of one of the tour guides, Yute. During the temple visits, my roommates Maura and Megan wrote down the name of a local BBQ restaurant. Oh, and no not American bbq; this type of bbq was closer to the Korean style BBQ that consists of cooking your food on a coal stove type structure on your table. Having done this similar eating experience multiple times in Japan last summer, I was quite “gung ho” about it. Yute promised this restaurant was all locals and hardly, if ever, tourists ventured there. Perfect! Only thing that did not cross our minds, how were we to know what we were eating or how to cook it if we didn’t have a native speaker with us? This thought, unfortunately, did not occur until we were all nervously sitting down at a long table beside one another. However, we were all excited to try this new experience so despite lack of knowledge, seats were pushed back and we approached the buffet of raw meats and fish. One waiter knew two words, “Chicken” and “Beef.” Chicken and Beef? That is all I needed to know. Even though I recognized some other plates, such as squid and shrimp, I also knew that some plates were definitely organs, skin, or other parts that Asians famously consider normal cuts of meat for a meal. The facial expression on each of our ten faces was a mixture of pleasure and pain. Feelings of confusion, excitement, and panic for the health of our stomachs (or all three) were read on each face as all of us selectively filled our plates to bring back to the table. Nerves were calmed as we happily ate noodles, rice, tofu, beef, and chicken while laughing continuously at what was happening. Also, to our delight there were some cooked dishes (normally safer in such an adventure), which helped satisfy the void that was produced by receiving warm beer. Dinner was fairly successful by the end and left the restaurant feeling more Cambodian than how we arrived.

Next, since we were already out of the B&B, what else to do than head to Pub Street and check it out. Pub Street consists of one block with restaurants and bars full of backpackers, tourists, and ex-pats on each side of the street. “Angkor What?” is where we started. This bar’s name was painted in graffiti font on the wall outside, and each wall was covered with small ink messages left by its visitors. Inside its walls were equally covered, making this bar a four-walled notebook. The atmosphere and its music made me grow epically fond of this place. After a beer, that cost $0.75, we wanted to explore and walked across the street to The Temple. I believe the group was dragged here by my insistent voice yelling, “This place is playing Latin music, and we have to check it out.” No surprise for those that know me and my addiction to all things Latin. I bought one margarita, but ended up sipping on it for 30 minutes because even though it was very small in size, I think it had the same alcohol content as the normal size, which is probably two or three times bigger. The rest of the night was full of great music and great dancing. We danced with a group from Australians. A few times I received laughs because I insisted on drinking water while others were there for the bar experience. All I wanted to do was dance and the idea of a beer quickly left my mind. The night ended with a tuk tuk ride home, even if our driver went the wrong direction at first, and a good night’s slumber despite breakfast being at 7:15 that next morning. The first day of real exploration of Siem Reap was a major success!

Day 2: Angkor Wat/Phnom Bakheng

Once more my morning started earlier than expected and earlier than desired. Racing the sun on its ascension to the sky, my eyes opened at 5:30am. Miraculously, my two roommates, including one that had landed at 10:30pm, awoke at the same exact time. Not only were our eyes open, but also we were full functional and immediately dived into a conversation. My energy did not feel the toll from the lack of extra morning sleep, and I soon found myself wiggling into a familiar wooden school desk in the guesthouse for class. After a quick introduction to the expectations for the class, the writings, and general information, we hustled into our tuk tuks, which now were enhanced by the presence of English speaking guides, and headed to the ancient beauty, Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat’s unique ambience, its sandstone and washed away structure, its intricate wall carvings, and surrounding moat overshadowed the obviously raided and dilapidated city and temple that once was a bustling cosmopolitan and home to 1 million people while London was a mere 30,000. Our guide, Chen, was a long-breathed, intelligent and smiling man. In fact, his stories and knowledge were so in-depth that we found ourselves far behind tour groups and the last ones to depart. The temple was particularly interesting because it had endured two reigning religions in Cambodia. First, until the twelfth century, Hinduism was the widespread practiced religion in Cambodia. However, after the twelfth century Buddhism took hold. Today, as I understand, the religion is a mixture of their historical Hindu roots and practiced Buddhism. In fact, Chen pointed out a couple praying, prostrated with incense in hand, to the Hindu God Shiva while they spoke verses of Buddhist prayers. Never have I seen the two religions so mixed in this remarkable “marriage,” and its certainly something I have never witnessed anywhere else in such an evident and strong fashion.

Departing Angkor Wat, my tuk tuk driver maneuvered through the countryside and back to the B&B. Today the tuk tuk drive was refreshing compared to the “hustle and bustle” of the Old Market, and entered the rural area of town where cows grazed beside the road, kids rode bikes with baby siblings hanging on, and shops were open aired to invite friends and family to come in from the dust filled streets. In addition, I could not help but once more be captivated by the continuous aroma of burning wood and incense. Some of my favorite smells greeted me every moment of every day, who could ask for more?

After a lunch of delicious coconut curry chicken and steamed rice and an hour nap, I heaved myself back into the tuk tuk and we headed off for our miniature hike to the older and more disheveled temple at the top of a hill. Our plan was to see the sunset atop the hill, but because the cloud littered sky, the sunset would have to wait for another day. Instead, we people watched, took photos, and engaged in various conversations with our guide. Surprisingly, I observed that the majority of tourists were Asian. Whether they were from neighboring countries or from farther away countries, such as Japan, they far outnumbered European and American tourists.

Now, the day is winding down and after dinner I find myself switching towards thoughts of writing blogs and essays. Despite having to do some more reading for my 8am class tomorrow, I will hopefully take a stroll with a few people from my group to a small open “restaurant” next door to get a beer at some point. I hope it is $0.50 since it is a local place.

So far I haven’t gotten to try any of their Cambodian beer or infamous dishes, but I surely intend to.

Traveling through the Old Market (Day 1 in cambodia)

Saran, our singing tuk tuk driver

Market
Old Market

I slept very well in the white cloth, beautiful room of Journeys Within (minus waking up three hours before necessary). No surprise that I have trouble sleeping in at home and therefore find the same problem here in Cambodia despite "jet lag" and time differences. Today, seven students and I decided to use our free day to not just sleep and read, but to explore the streets of the Old Market. One way home on a taxi in Athens costs $5 each person. However, as I hung onto the popular mode of transportation, a tuk tuk, which is a less glorified drawn carriage, complete with a motorbike instead of horses and street weaving instead of a gait, the cost to my three new companions and I was $2 (not per person!). In a caravanning style, our two tuk tuks, four people each, stopped in the middle of the busy Old Market. Immediately the familiar market aura was present. Anything from wooden happy Buddhas to hanging pig hoofs filled the streets with smells of sandalwood, aged carcasses, and more interesting aromas coming from the various Khmer, English, Italian, and Mexican restaurants that resided among the various merchant sellers.

The market is a place of little to no rules, unbridled in its system, and controlled by a swarm of individual workers that make the market bustle with sound. Their diligence and persistence is the same all over the world, in every country and every market. Familiar shouts of "look at this, perfect for you," "it matches your eyes," and "I will make you a special deal, special" filled the thick market air. For lunch we chose a suggested restaurant from the Journeys Within packet from our room, the Blue Pumpkin. This heaven-like serene restaurant, bakery and ice cream parlor seemed to be hidden among the old buildings and faded Khmer signs. Walking into the all white walled restaurant, we sat at a nice glass table while others sat on couches with "TV trays" over their laps to eat. This coffee-shop-couch feel along with restaurant tables awed each of us. And, not to forget, the wonderful air-conditioning! After walking around for close to two hours, every part of our bodies felt of sweat, which made all of us feel as if we had found home in this small, cooled restaurant. The food was delicious and not particularly high priced for the atmosphere. However, I can't help but be excited by the idea of eating real Khmer food alongside Cambodians for the price of $2. Today we were told of a noodle bowl place right next to our B&B that served meals for $1...Welcome to Cambodia.

After eating and walking through Pub Street, we were recognized by the serenading tuk tuk driver that found us earlier. Singing to us down the street he offered rides anywhere and his personality was bright and his humor intoxicating. During the persistent offers, his friends came to talk about rides. Amazing how a few foreigners make tuk tuk drivers flock. We met one man who claimed to be "Obama's personal bodyguard" and another "James Bond." We negotiated a price back to our new home, and "James Bond," the original and persistent singing man, happily loaded us in while singing Michael Buble during our trip back. I am happy to say Saran, our driver, has the potential to be a new friend and hopefully, a trustworthy one, even if he questioned our status of "single" or "taken" as he pulled away. Ah...Saran. A funny short man with a loud voice. I am sure we will see him again.

Once "home," we swam in the pool while getting to know each other. Although the pool was lukewarm, the simple refreshing feeling of water over our heat-beaten bodies was enough to replenish our spirits. We were in the pool for probably a few hours, escaping the heat, while waiting for dinnertime at 6:30pm. Today seemed to be a search for one meal to the next and one water bottle to the next. The first official day was full of laughter, discovery, and our first attempt to understand the Cambodian lifestyle and culture. I can only imagine the amazing adventures still yet to come.

Flight/First Day

So, for those that do not know, I am going to Cambodia for a travel journalism program. I will be gone from May 14th to June 13th. Although the program ends June 7th, I will continue my travels to Thailand for the remaining days and hope that a wondrous journey unfolds.

This blog will be a compilation of stories about what I see, hear, taste, and discover along the way. Enjoy!

The Trip Over: Day 1...

As I dreamily stare at the map of the world, seeing and remembering each of my adventures on various boundary-drawn landmasses that have inevitably shaped my current self, I cannot help but be drawn to those memories of Asia. The mystic landmarks, ancient structures, drastically different cultures and captivatingly devout religions, have mesmerized me from a young age. Therefore, it should have been no surprise that I would feel oddly at home, as I located Cambodia on the map and readied myself for my upcoming journey to its land. However, this is not what I found to be true.

Even after successfully proposing the idea of a study abroad to my parents and completing the application process, my “hypothetical” idea mindset continued to overshadow reality. Through Spring Semester I prepared by buying my plane ticket and setting summer plans into motion, but relentlessly Cambodia stood as an intangible destination as the week approached for departure. The drive to the airport additionally was clenched by the grasps of my surreal thoughts, and it was not until I waved goodbye to my loving parents and saw my gate, that I knew I was going somewhere.

As I looked out the gate’s massive windows out onto the runway, I saw the towering 747 plane that was soon going to embark to Seoul, South Korea with me onboard. Luckily for me, this ~13 hour flight has graced my life approximately three times (at least), so I felt as if I was prepared for the constriction and confusion that accompanies such long flights. In fact, flying has become the no-hassle part of my traveling because the remarkable amount of hours I have spent sitting in a plane over the last twenty-one years of life. That being said, I spent moments of the plane ride watching a movie, playing mini golf, and attempting to increase the number of “completed and read” pages in my required books. But, as any frequent flyer will tell you, sleep is what you should strive for. Following my father’s footsteps, I would not be surprised if my final count of hours slept equaled 8 hours. That, for me, is more than a normal night’s sleep and most likely made possible by the specifically calculated air pressure done to induce passengers into various levels of a lulled sleep.

I arrived at the Seoul airport unflustered and my six new companions and I happily trekked our way to our last gate, certainly the last “gateway” toward our destination. Now, if you didn’t know, Seoul's airport resembles a swanky resort with various giddy giving activities. The pristine, glass window, and tech savvy structure is equipped with all the activities to fill your time: sleeping quarters, spa, casino, restaurants, cultural center, and mini golf. It was to my dismay that my two-hour layover meant no frolicking in this resort, as if I was a kid in an arcade, and additionally no chance to escape into the wonderful city of Seoul. But, nonetheless, my final destination kept me happily in my seat at gate 18.

The five-hour flight to Siem Reap was honestly a blur. Besides the thirty minutes that it took me to eat another airplane dinner and listen to a few minutes of worrying world news, I spent the remainder of my flight in amazing, drool worthy sleep. It was not until we had twenty minutes until landing that I sprung awake with each nerve in my body ready to intake the endorphin-type happiness that overtakes me each time I land in a new area of the world. The hours of neck aches, swollen feet, and continuous body shifts was worth it and I now found myself unbuckling my seatbelt as the passengers and flight attendants begun their usual departing protocol through the open airplane doors.

Stepping off the airplane, Cambodia seemed to greet me through all the senses. The smiling, dark people, the wafting smell of burning wood mixed with the smell, taste, and feeling that humidity and heat carry, told me that I was here. All my senses: eyes, ears, smell, and taste were synchronizing to greet Cambodia as it so did to me. After greetings from a few of our new Journeys Within family, the group of 8 trailed into the van, all sleepy-eyed and unsure of our surroundings in the darkness that accompanies 10:30pm. After a brief introduction in the lobby area of our new home, Kristy and I graciously unloaded our tired bodies and bags into Bungalow 3. And, although fully capable of some more sleep, I found myself letting my fingers flip through pages while letting my mind aimlessly wander in order to tire myself out for the night in which I hoped to sleep through. Everyone knows that the first morning after traveling is usually met with early morning wakeups and I was desperately hoping the sun would beat my waking eyes.