flip'n travels

The sun baked our skins as we made our way out of the Grand Palace feeling bitter and shunned by everything Thai. We wanted to turn our lucks by walking towards nowhere thinking we’d probably stumble upon something interesting, like a drag queen who looks like Lady Gaga. A tuktuk driver spider-sensed that we were confused and disoriented and approached us with a plan. “I’ll take you to two temples for free if you can drop by to this tailor shop that I know,” he said. Too tired to argue, we hopped on to his mechanical beast and drove off to the shop.

hahahaha… ha!

Like what Ron mentioned in the previous article, these tuktuk drivers commission their passengers to visit jewelry shops and tailor shops in exchange for gas coupons. The receptionist welcomed us with disappointment. He knew we were just looking around… We really didn’t care. The first day, we were taken to this huge jewelry factory (not sure if this is the appropriate term) and the lady kept insisting Ron to buy me a ring. People! If you could just lend me your ears… We are NOT dating! So anyway, we hopped back on to the tuktuk and asked the driver to just take us wherever it was he was going to take us.

Luang Pho To at the Wat Indravihan Temple

A guy selling birds for offering

Flowers for sale

A faithful

The driver took us to Wat Indravihan Temple where a huge well-known statue of the Buddha stands. The 32-meter tall and 11-meter wide edifice is called Luang Pho To and was built during the reign of King Rama IV. It was noticeable that the place was very much like Quiapo with the noise and number of people roaming around the complex. At some point, I really thought that the guy barking his merchandise sounded like the guy facilitating a BINGO game on the sidewalk. It was so chaotic that I practically dragged Ron out and back into the tuktuk and told the the driver to take us to the last of the temples he suggested.

Not sure if this is Wat Bowon Niwet or Wat Ratchanatdaram… Pft!

So the driver rode off and parked at a seemingly nice temple. We went inside. It was closed. We were not amused…

It was about 3pm when we got back to the hostel. We dumped our bags and went to 711 and had lunch. Back at Lub*d, we went straight to the PC and updated our statuses to hateful bantering. I decided to get my book and read and Ron obtundedly sat inside the hostel room. Clearly, at about 4pm in the afternoon of our second day in Bangkok, the day was officially over.

After our anticlimactic Muay Thai momentus-interruptus and we finally convinced ourselves that watching two amateur fighters throwing bravado on each other is too high a price, we headed of the most beaten path in Bangkok.

Upon entrance in the grand palace, Monette rented a mothball smelling cover-up. Apparently, we were entering the most sacred temple in Bangkok and her tank top was too revealing that monks may get an unwanted wood works.

hor phra monthian dharma

It was mid-day and it seemed like clouds were not so popular in Thailand. It was too hot it can make straight hair curl, and gay men straight. Despite that, we still tried savoring every single minute inside the temple complex. After an hour, we barely moved and we were still within 20 meters away from the entrance.

giant yak in front of hor phra monthian dharma

phra siratana chedi

kinnorns (a mythological creature, half bird, half man) adorning prasat phra debidorn

It was uncomfortably hot to sketch and taking photos was a painful effort. There were lots of tourists loitering the complex and so the numerous distractions were hovering us unstoppably. So we just sat, looked around, watched tourists, stared blankly in front of a Chedi.

Temples of Wat Phra Kaew are actually… well they’re… pretty… and… sorry I’m short of words to say. Just like the over-used break-up excuse, I would sincerely say–It’s not the place, it’s me!I may have to blame the route that we took, because Siem Reap is definitely a hard act to follow. Wrong order of destination.

Siem Reap temples invoke unexplainable emotions. You stand there and you feel that you are standing in the presence of something great and magnificent and ancient. You feel one with the environment. Temples in Bangkok are nice, don’t get us wrong. The intricate designs, wonderful carvings, detailed paintings and tedious mosaics are all pleasing to the eye. It’s just that seeing them within the city with all the other buildings takes away the spiritual essence of such religious edifices. They’re just… buildings…

The comatose-inducing boredom was broken when another tourist approached us, telling us we better hurry because the complex will close in an hour.

“What the F*ck!? How come the lady in the ticket booth didn’t tell us that the king and queen of Malaysia were in town and that they will be closing the palace!”

Unbelievable! That meant we barely had an hour to explore the 218,000 sqm complex. GREAT!

notice our pictures from hereon… fake smiles or no smiles at all…

We tried demanding for a refund, but what’s the point of arguing if the one whom you’re talking to cannot even conjugate a clear message.

ME: “we want a refund, we just bought the ticket an hour ago”
Ticket Lady: “Yes?”
ME: “we want a refund, you didn’t tell us that you will be closing at 1:00 PM”
Ticket Lady: “No, ticket not wasted, can go to Vimanmek”
ME: “But we haven’t seen 80% of the Grand Palace!”
Ticket Lady: “yes?”
ME: “NAK NG TOKWA NAMAN ’TEH O!”

We gave up the hopeless battle and asked what gate we’re suppose to exit. They unanimously pointed us towards the other end of the square. So we walked under the scorching sun and reached the other end of the enclosure wall just to find out—they sent us to the WASH ROOM!

After 30 minutes of trying to find the exit, we found ourselves outside the walls of the Grand Palace, just in time for the arrival of the entourage of the king and queen of Malaysia. We decided to leave the scene before our schizophrenic selves ran amok because of the harsh deprivation. And no, this was not the last of the mishaps we encountered that day.

So… why don’t we continue the story… in the next entry…

“… Pairs of MALE Elephants will be released to the forest of America. There is hope that they will grow in number…”
~King of Siam (Yul Bryner, The King and I 1956)

The day started with a half-baked excitement. We pretty much wasted more than two hours looking for the money changer that would accept our Peso bills. After 140 Baht on the cab meter, several kilometers of Bangkok sprinting action and litters of juicing fat squeezing out our pores, we couldn’t help but pacify the plea of our intestinal parasites, so we settled with a 7-Eleven brunch. To our surprise, the iced coffee tastes better than most non-Starbucks lattes, and the spicy chicken floss sandwich is no less palatable than those of Bread Talk’s—not bad for a 100 Baht meal. We’re not sure if it was a subconscious compensation because we were (at that point) technically broke; or it was really that good. It became our refuge for the entire three days of Thai shenanigan.

Walking around Bangkok was definitely not a walk in the park for us, as we had difficulties going to places simply because road signs are all in Thai and not a lot of people can speak English. In some cases we got shooed even before we even got the chance to say Sawasdee Ka/Krup. So, get used to the classic rejection “No English!”

When I think of Thailand, the first thing that comes in to my mind would be the temples. And yes there’s a fair share of temples in Bangkok and it’s not an outlandish experience if you stumble with one of them while walking around the city. In our case we came across Wat Intharawihan, Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit, Wat Pho and Wat Phra Kaew. I know it’s a mouthful, the official names are even longer, even a spelling bee wiz will get an epistaxis (READ: Nose bleed).

If it’s not for the monks, Thai signage, temples, tuktuk’s and the endemic sightings of the King’s pictures, we would feel that we are in the Philippines. The weather and people are so much like of what we have back home. We even, at times, accidentally call the street vendors “Ate” and the drivers “Manong.”

TIP: Tuktuk ride costs between 50-150 baht depending on the destination. But you can have the ride for free. Try to negotiate with the driver to bring you to affiliated commercial establishments (Jewelry stores, textile shops, souvenir outlets and the likes) they get a fuel vouchers for every tourist that they can bring regardless if you’ll buy or not. This will consume 20-30 minutes of your time, but the deal is fair considering you get a free ride to your desired destination. We did this the whole time we were in Bangkok to save few of hundredths of Baht.

FACT: The traditional name of Bangkok is ‘Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit’. It is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s longest name for a place.

There are other things we could’ve done if we had sufficient funds to finance our caprice. One is experiencing the infamous Muay Thai game. We asked around for the price of a ticket, and realized it was too expensive–“dude, we don’t have plans of taking home the fighters after the match… and with that price, we can resurrect the male Nong Toom.” So Muay Thai is definitely out the window.

Instead, we decided to gravitate towards the classic over pop—We bought tickets to the Grand Palace. According to the map that we snatched from the hostel, the Grand Palace is behind this temple thingamajig which turned out to be several kilometers away, GREAT!

Outside the ticket booth, tourists from all over are coming in and out like there’s a relief operation happening inside the complex. Ticket costs around 700 baht. OK, fair! We can stay and hang around the entire day savoring history, art, architecture and what not. But to our dismay, another unfortunate thing happened…

to be continued

After the uneventful arrival in Bangkok, we found ourselves taken to Lub*d, our home for the next three days before going back to the pain of reality. Yes, we do have day jobs we sadly keep to finance this capricious traveling lifestyle.

We were greeted by a modern building with wooden chairs and tables filled with tourists. Ahhh, the familiar smell of home… Clearly, we were smitten. We did not realize we were standing at the ultimate highlight of what Bangkok had to offer, at least for Ron and I.

We entered the hotel and checked in. After settling inside our room, Ron suddenly felt claustrophobic and decided to find another room with windows. Luckily for us, we were able to transfer in no time. Yes, the rooms were a bit small, but the clever industrial design made us forget we had to breathe at times.

The place is just peachy. Wonderful interiors with huge solid beams that can kill you IF they drop, a spacious lounge area where you can sit all day and drink beer while smoking and reading your book, a mini library where you can borrow and trade books, a recreation area with dozens of board games, about 10-15 PC’s with free internet access so you can update your statuses on Facebook, a fancy looking café slash diner that serves meals and drinks. We even saw a mini theater on the second floor. Truly, why did we even think of going out into the wild urban jungle of Bangkok when everything we needed was there? The answer still escapes me until now.

If you count the hours we spent sightseeing Bangkok and staying inside the hotel, you’d be amazed on how we spent much of our precious vacay time drinking ourselves to stupor and chatting with friends online. Picture this: a glorious day with the sun shining warm and bright and most of the guests were either buried in the PC’s or watching movies. We were supposed to be in one of the most exciting places to be in on earth and I was locked in our room writing a poem on sadness while Ron updated his blog.

Yes, this is a prelude to articles that will come of our vacation in Thailand. But in the meantime, let me share an enlightening conversation I had with one of the receptionists in Lub*d…

Me in our room, calling the reception area:

Me: Hi! Is this the Lobby?
Receptionist: Yes, this is Lub*d.
Me: I know, but is this the reception? the Lobby? I need to ask some questions.
Receptionist: Yes, Lub*d. You like reservations?
Me: No, I’m already here. Are you the receptionist?
Receptionist: Yes, we are Lub*d, in Decho Road.
Me: I know this is Lub*d! I’m staying at Silom 22! I’m asking if this IS the reception, the LOBBY!
Receptionist: Yes, this is Lub*d.
Me: Okay, THAT’S IT! I’m coming down!

Bangkok welcomed us on a late afternoon from our long lazy bus/van ride from Siem Reap. Being the last leg of the trip, our minds were practically overwhelmed with plethora of enriching experiences, images and a bag-full of stories we can’t wait to tell, which in turn, made an inversely proportional amount of cash at hand.

So with a dwindling budget, the moment we realized we are approaching the capital, we started doing mental computations ’til our mouths froth.

It was late afternoon when the van dropped us at Khaosan Road. I never got the opportunity and drive to marvel the new place, not even to pull out my camera from the bag. Maybe because either I’m panicking and figuring-out where we can have our Peso Bills changed to Thai Baht; or I’m just starving and my body glucose is right below sea level.

TIP: Before Flying in to Thailand, make sure you bring Thai Baht or US dollars. Unlike other asian cities, money changers don’t accept Philippine Peso. We had to wait for the following day to go over-the-counter to have our money changed. Bangkok Bank is the only one that accepted our cold-shouldered money. The bank teller has been so nice too.

Khaosan Road is the backpacker capital of the city. They got souvenir shops, food carts selling pad thai noodles and fried crickets, cafe’s, etc. etc. etc. It reminded me of Malate meets Instruccion Saturday Market in Sampaloc Manila.

Too tired and no time to scout for a cheaper hostel, we immediately hopped on a cab to drive us to our first choice–Lub*d. My thoughts were floating as I stare blankly like a dumb fast food mascot while the driver hopelessly tried talking about Manny Pacquiao. The next thing I know, I was lying on our bunk bed inside a post modern industrial-urban inspired hostel. How I got there from the cab is something I couldn’t remember.

The first night was originally planned to be at Khaosan. But then we realized that our hostel is just few blocks from Phatphong night market. So we decided to just look for a place to eat around Bangkok’s red light district. And HELL NO that’s not what we ate. perv!

After eating in a Carinderia-like food store along the street, like an automatic battery-powered robot, we headed back to Lub*D and totally forgot the Phatphong plan. We ended up drinking cans of beer in front of our hostel

We must confess, right at that very moment, our minds were still in Cambodia. I somehow wished we extended our Angkorian adventure even just for another day. As we quietly sat on a terrace with other European backpackers, drinking Singha beer, half asleep… I asked:

Where are we again?

BANGKOK.

Bang who?!

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.

There is such a thing as being lost to reality. A reality spun by ancient dream weavers so that what you see is a reflection of what used to be. Angkor’s magic is like such, and we were willing to get lost in its web. 

Banteay Srei, also known as the ‘Citadel of Women’ or ‘Citadel of Beauty’ because of its intricate carvings, was said to have been dedicated to Yajnyavahara, a courtier of King Rajendravarman, who was known for his philantrophy. Originally known as Tribhuvanamahesvara — great lord of the threefold world, the temple is greatly dedicated to Shiva and partly to Vishnu.  

The carvings are more pronounced here than anywhere else as the great Hindu stories of the old lend themselves to the the red sandstone from which the temple is made of. The pediments, the roughly triangular spaces above rectangular doorways or openings, depict scenes from Ramayana while lintels, horizontal beams spanning the gap between two posts, support the reliefs and at the same time, decorate doorways with carvings of numerous apsara dancers. 

A few minutes of tuk-tuk ride and we found ourselves rounding the pools of Neak Pean meaning ‘The Entwined Serpents’ or ‘Coiled Serpents’, deriving the name from the Nagas (snakes) that encirle the temple. King Jayavarman VII had this built for medical purposes. The Hindu belief of balance is shown with the presence of four pools representing Earth (elephant), Wind (man), Fire (lion) and Water (horse). They are connected by the main pool at the center where the statue of Bahala (Bodhisattva Guan Yin transformed into a horse) ferries the people to safety.  

We are long gone from the surreal world that is Angkor, but the images are as real as if I can touch them in a handspan. We can’t wait to be lost in her arms once again…