flip'n travels

The Khmer empire constructed buildings, irrigation system, city structures that were far advanced during it’s time, superior to its neighboring counterparts. The fact that they were able to weave such magnificent framework of technology that world has never seen, not just impeccably made but intricately adorned. Ironic that now, at the height of technological advancement, they can’t even put up a passable road leading in and out of the country.

The explanation lies behind political conspiracies. And I leave you with that.

Bottom line, if you going out of Cambodia the cheapest way is via land travel, but be ready for a long bumpy bus ride. 12 hour-long bumpy bus ride. Or you can fly in and out and burn your wallet.

The most affordable and easiest way is through a bus, there are lots of liners that run to and from Bangkok and Phnom Penh. If you’re lucky, you may just have to brave four hours of bus ride from Siem Reap to Poipet-Aranyaprathet border then another six from the border to Bangkok.

We scouted for the best bus line, and we originally booked a de luxe one, they even mentioned “first class” complete with hot towel and a bottle of water. Meang (our host) warned us, apparently he never heard of such thing as “first class”  bus going to the border. But thinking of a long bumpy trip, we thought a more comfortable seat will kind of compensate with the road condition. So I still booked it, a punch in the dark.

In time for the departure, Meang brought us to the pick-up point near the old market. But the first class bus is nowhere to be seen… the only bus in the area is a not-so-old shabby looking air-conditioned bus, more of like those that you’ll find running along EDSA. You bet, there goes our bus!

We hopped-on and realized that even the promised hot towel and bottle of water wouldn’t happen. Oh well, another “I TOLD ‘YA SO” moment in the book of Ron and Monette’s adventures.

Other than Peso bills, We only have US1 and few thousand riels on or pocket and money changer is nowhere to be found. That means we have to brave the entire day with that cash at hand, a bottle of half consumed water and a bag of chips.

Knowing locals and immersing in their everyday lives  are the things that we never failed doing whenever we go out on a trip. It’s a leaning, enriching and inspiring experience. It makes us feel like toddlers all over again–ignorant and clueless as blank slates.

My favorite subject is people, particularly children. Watching them while they play (or work), inspires us to sit down and start writing and tell their stories. Or, take their pictures, to show their smiles and how they see the world through their unclouded eyes.

Each one got something to say and a story to tell. We draw courage to ask and play the game of charades to send the messages across. Most of the time, a moment of non-verbal interaction is enough for us to feel the non-categorical connection.

We saw dreams, desires, beliefs and an candid emotions of people we stumbled-upon. We are the strangers, and they are the generous hosts who openned their doors for us.

We still believe in the innate kindness of people, and that a simple gestures like a nod or a smile to a stranger will open-up barriers of social connections. We have met amazing characters as we walk around the towns, cities and unbeaten paths. We’re lucky to keep some of them and maintain constant lines of connection.

Though there were some that we barely got the chance of knowing them, not even asking for their names. At times we failed getting their email addresses and phone numbers, simply because they don’t have one. Our only remembrance of them would be those moments that we captured through the lenses of our cameras and inks blotted on our journals.

We are truly grateful to the Khmer people, for opening up their lives and letting us in… qualmlessly.

The town of Siem Reap is a provincial capital, a concrete oasis sprouted out of the vast land of scattered temples, rice fields and jungle. It has its own international airport and a fair share of first class accommodations. No building is higher than three floors and most of the establishments are converted or made to cater tourists from all over the world, that is in a form of hotels, restaurants, massage parlors, bars and the list goes on. Pub street (where our hostel is located) is the heart of the town. Beer is flowing 24/7 and looking around, majority of the populace walking were tourists from US and Europe, there’s not a lot of Asian travelers (Other than those groups of Koreans wearing a field trip uniform shirt and hat).

Food is one of the many things I love about this place, it’s inexpensive and the flavors charmed our  palates. The taste of dishes in Indochina has a unified theme: the presence of coconut milk, noodles, rice, chili peppers, myriads of spices and (of course) hints of lime. But Cambodian cuisine maintained an identity and character unique from the neighboring countries.

A vendor selling Le’s Hal. Dried river shells with salt and chili.

It’s always a warning for tourists to be careful of what to eat in this side of the continent, but HECK! We want it down and dirty! I’m a nurse and part of my pre-trip preparation is to make sure I can perform first aid in cases of ailments (from diarrhea to mild myocardial infarct).

Upon arrival, I was half expecting that a vendor would approach us to sell some sort of sautéed tarantula or a jungle bug hors d’oeuvre, but it didn’t happen. So we just made-use of the menus in Pub street restaurants flooded with American/European retirees for our pseudo–Cambodian food trip.

Yes, in Cambodia they have a sweet and spicy delicacy called A-ping (Fried Skuon Tarantula), don’t fret, it’s just like eating crablets!

After feasting on our late breakfast at Common Grounds, we walked across the town center. Upon passing along Pub street we noticed that there’s one common poster outside the resto’s—BEER 25c/bottle. And ANGKOR BEER is the best I tasted to date. Too bad, I can’t bring some bottles back home. Bought a souvenir shirt though.

Due to our limited budget, we cannot try all the dishes in the menu, we chose those dishes that were recommended by our friend Meang.

Amok is the most popular Cambodian dish among tourists. If you can’t brave eating sautéed tarantula (Skuon a-ping), then this one could be for you. It’s a cod fish fillet bathe and stewed in a concoction of coconut milk, turmeric, paprika, curry powder, ginger, garlic, chili pepper, kaffir lime and fish sauce (aka. kroeung). We tried out several varieties served in different restaurants, but my favorite is the one served at Kkmer Family Restaurant in Pub street.

Loc Lac is Stir fried cubed beef served with fresh red onions, served on a bed of lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes and dipped in a sauce consisting of lime juice and/or black pepper. This is derived from the Vietnamese dish known as Bò lúc lac. It’s not Vietnamese, but khmer krom cuisine. Khmer krom are indigenous khmers in southern Vietnam.

Kuyteav, a rice stick noodle soup which is one local specialty that we tried. We bought it from the carinderia-style or street vendor make-shift restaurant. This is the tuktuk drivers’ favorite hang-out place while waiting for the tourists. It’s around 5,000 riels (about US$1) per serving. The lady kept on refilling my bowl before I even actually consume half of it.

One interesting place where you can dine, talk and hang-out is Temple Bar along Pub street. They got an al fresco cafe right outside, a Club on the first floor and a balcony restaurant upstairs.

They have an Apsara performance every night, showcasing the traditional dance and music of Cambodia. Meang, reserved a table for us on our last night in Siem Reap, it is usually fully booked so make sure to reserve in the morning before hitting the road to Angkor.

We didn’t really get the right opportunity to give the Cambodian Cuisine a fair chance due to our limited budget. There’s a lot gastronomic kitchens to explore, from the familiar treats like the counterpart of the Filipino Balut to the exotic and unique arachnoid-fear factor-ish cuisine adventure. And maybe next time we will get a shot to try their famous ‘Happy’ Pizza (wink!). So we promised to go back… SOON!

Yes, this is an addendum to what Monette just posted couple of days back. Banteay Srei trully deserves an encore.

Unlike other temples in Angkor, Banteay Srei is not within the cluster of structures surrounding Angkor Wat. It is 25 km (15 miles) north-east of the main group of temples, around 30 minutes drive away from center.

On the way to this so called “citadel of women”, you will pass by the outskirts of Siem Reap, and seeing Khmer locals in their everyday life is absolutely a treat to backpackers like us. I couldn’t help but start snapping photos, the tuktuk was running really fast and I was panning to catch the subject to a point that I almost got a whiplash.

Known for its red pink colored sandstone blocks and its intricate design, Banteay Srei made visitors and French explorers be allured by its refined craftsmanship. It was built in the year 967, during the lean period of Great Angkor construction era. Among all excavated shrines and structures, it is speculated that its designers spent a tremendous amount of time working on its exterior, that’s why there’s no single inch left unadorned. It is also said that the reliefs on this temple are so delicate that they could only have been carved by the hand of a woman.

It is considered a miniature structure as compared to the temple standards. When we entered the outer gopura through an entrance port about a meter and a half high (less than half of the usual Angkorian Style), I got a feeling that I was entering a baroque doll house, I even got a hunch that it was particularly constructed for children. Could this be a some sort of a playground or mock temple for Khmer youngsters? Whatever it may be, it’s absolutely MAGICAL!

The tiny details of wall carving are unique among the Angkor region’s ancient temples, it  made every visitors lean over the cordon ropes to better see the intricate details of the stones. Named as the “Jewel of the Khmer Art” it’s a must-see for temple buffs and wandering junkies who are into historical relics specially if they are fond of Ramayana and Mahabharata.

One of the adorned pediment shows Narasimha clawing Hiranyakasipu.

But as for me and Monette, a quiet time with her book and my camera in a small nook in this thousand year-old art piece is enough reason for us to stop for a moment from our insatiable drive to explore.

Now, let’s go to the other pole of the continuum. Back to the main complex right outside the walls of Angkor Thom, a massive temple mountain is sturdily standing amidst the lush forest of Siem Reap–Ta Keo.

Unlike all other temples, Ta Keo doesn’t have carvings on it’s walls. The prasat are just plain piles of  blocks as carving had just begun when the construction stopped. Scholars suggest that a high priest who became minister of Suryavarman I says that a lightning strike hit the unfinished building, it was considered as an evil omen, so they halted the construction immediately. Another theory is that construction stopped simply because of the death of Jayavarman V, as there was a struggle for succession.

From the outside it looks stern and apathetic, but clear interpretations of strength and invincibility are unanimous among its visitors. The ziggurat has five sanctuary towers arranged in a quincunx, built on the uppermost level of five-tier pyramid consisting of overlapping terraces, the four stairways that lead on the summit are continuous and very steep.

We were actually holding our breath when we climbed the pyramid, this one is an acrophobic worst nightmare. It took us several minutes to decide if we will take the risk of climbing the steep stairs wall. Not to mention the warning posted at the entrance isn’t really cooperative and encouraging.

Yet still, we did. I ignored the smoldering sandstone as we crawled up with a  cat grip. I also told myself not to look down. Few notches before the summit, I did. Vertigo was not welcome in that particular situation, looking down made me pray and grab anything I could to hold on to dear life.

I described Banteay Srei as Petrified Lace, while Ta Keo as an Ancient Lego. A contrasting representation of the rich and strong culture of the lost civilization. A perfect symbolism of the Angkor’s glorious past: elaborate, flaunting, massive and impregnable, a balance between the finesse and the robust.