flip'n travels

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…

Once, Shiva, a very powerful god, grew tired of the cycle of life and death and reincarnations. He decided to give up the pleasures of life and he smeared his body in ash and he didnt eat or drink or indulge in any physical pleasure. This created a terrible fire within him. It transformed him into a blazing lingam which threatened to destroy all creation. The other gods didnt know what to do. A yoni appeared, the symbol of the goddess. She absorbed Shiva’s terrible heat, restoring balance to the world and saving the universe from destruction. Thus is the one of the many origins of the Shiva Lingam.

Phnom Kulen which houses Kbal Spean, otherwise known as ‘River of a Thousand Lingas’ or ‘Bridgehead’ is located 50 kilometers northeast of Siem Reap. A 45-minute hike is required to get to the temple which predates the construction of Angkor Wat by 200 years. The trail was steep and Ron and I were sweating like fabulous pigs…

 The river found in the mountains is the source of the Siem Reap River. The lingas were carved to bless the water that would eventually flow past Bayon continuing to Bantea Srei and into the plains of Angkor. 

Aside from the ligams carved on the face of the riverbed, an impresive carving of the trimurti of Hindu gods can be seen. Vishnu is seen reclining to give birth to Brahma from a lotus growing out of his navel. Shiva with his consort Uma is also present.

In 2003, the head of Vishnu was robbed. It was restored August 2006.

The most faithful of all kisses is that of the sun on the rock. The sun’s rays would touch upon its face, never leaving it till it sets. And even at that, when the sun lends it’s light on the other side of the earth, and the earth is no more, there is still the rock and the kiss that never betrays…

The sun sets on our first day in Cambodia as we were led by a steady crowd up the stairs of Phnom Bakheng. It served as King Yasovarman I’s state temple at the center of the new capital city Yasodharapura. It’s foundation, carved from the existing hill rather than the usual laterites and earthfill other temples used.

After a long day’s tour of different temples in Siem Reap, tourists would converge to this hilltop to end the day in longing. Overlooking Tonle Sap Lake and Angkor Wat in a distance, one can hear the stones creak a silent music you only hear when you close your eyes while everyone bled in red, blue and orange.

walking downhill

elephant rides range from $10US-$15US

child selling trinkets

monks waiting for the end of the world

We were drowning in colors.

Finally posting the best breakfast I had, ever…

Ever woke up to the smell of coffee being brewed, bacon slowly being crisped, eggs sunny-side-upped, and fresh croissant bread being baked? You can almost taste the air. That must be what Sundays taste like. We literally woke up with smiles on our faces knowing a heavenly breakfast awaited us at Common Grounds Coffee and Cyber Cafe. They have the most amazing menu ranging from American breakfast to grilled cheese sandwiches to salads to smoothies that are to die for. Ron and I however, gorged on their bacon and egg sandwich and drowned in their iced coffees for three straight days. They even included a fruit bowl of tropical fruits including my favorite, pitaya!

The interior of the place is very relaxing with comfortable chairs and soft lighting. They also have free wi-fi! And the people were more than amiable. They were cheerful and very hospitable. One of them even remembered my name when I went back the second day. I was so ashamed, and still am now, as I am a goldfish and tend to forget a lot of things. I love how they made our simple breakfast seem like a 5-star hotel entrée. Served in lovely ceramic plates, they even included cold towels with mint scent to freshen tired guests before they eat their meals.

Ran by the non-profit organization People for Care and Learning, this place not only serves great meals but also helps the community in setting up micro-enterprise development and training. During the time we were there, the band “The Saturn Project” from America had a benefit concert to support the Relocation of the Poor Project. We were scheduled to visit the spa that last night but when I learned of a rock concert, I had to ditch the aromatherapy session and leave Ron to the mercy of fish doctors and decided to cap my Cambodian vacation with great music.

Make sure you visit this place when you go to Siem Reap. You will definitely forget Starbucks…

Common Grounds Coffee and Cyber Cafe
Address : 719 – 721, Street 19 Siem Reap
Behind the Old Market near ANZ
Phone : 063 965 687
Store Hours: 7:00am to 10:00pm

Aaahhh Cambodia… We watch it in travel documentaries, we read it in history books, we saw it in Tomb Raider, we talk about it and dream about it. Who would’ve thought we’d see it this lifetime? It was almost surreal arriving at the Siem Reap Airport. And when we were greeted by our host Meang together with the tuk-tuk driver Piron, we felt like we were in a dream… Mainly because he said “kamusta?” which is “how are you?” in Tagalog, Ron and I instantly reacted in unison–”Pilipino ka?”. Meang is fluent in Tagalog because he spent several years in Makati to study and work.

The pick-up was free and it’s good old Khmer style ride–The Tuktuk. we were taken on a sight seeing pre-tour around the city. It was scorching hot but the fact that I am inhaling Cambodian dust was enough for me to suck in my complaints and enjoy the ride.

I booked a different hotel initially but Ron decided to change it after seeing the website for Prohmroth Guesthouse. When we got there, I was happy we decided to make the change. The room was nothing short of perfect. It was huge and homey and our toilet tissue was pink. We had our own bathroom and a queen-sized bed which was totally opposite of what we had in Kuala Lumpur. We opened the window and there was a temple that greeted us. I had to restrain myself from taking bricks that are shaped like little buddhas.

View from our room

But it wasn’t really just the nice ambiance and the huge bed that would make us book this hotel again when we go back to Cambodia. It’s Meangsophean Suon and his family that made our experience wonderful to the Nth power. He arranged our tuk-tuk ride for three days. He gave us tips on our tour. He reserved a seat for us when we wanted to watch Apsara. He even took Ron on a food trip on our last night. He was more than a landlord to us and up until now, we still keep corresponding. We would never want to stay anywhere else.

Facade of Prohm Roth Guesthouse

Ron with our Khmer friends

Prohm Roth Guesthouse
# 251 Pub Street extension, Phum Mondul I,Khum Svay Dangkum,
Siem Reap Angkor City, Kingdom Of Cambodia.
Phone: +855 (0)12 46 64 95, (0)17 356 817
Email: prohmroth_guesthouse@yahoo.com or smart_khmer@yahoo.com

FLIP’N PERKS: when you arrive/book for reservation, tell them that you heard it from us, and they will give you a discount!

Check out what other backpackers has to say, CLICK HERE!

and oh! they got the best hotel/hostel breakfast that we experienced to date. That one deserves a separate article.