flip'n travels

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!

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.

It was early morning when Monette literally pulled me out of the bed. We need to rush to Srah Srang in time for the break of dawn to witness the rumored “best place to see the sunrise.” According to most tourists: the most popular place during sunrise is Angkor Wat. So that means everyone is expected to flood the temple, and to avoid the crowd, we took the other path, a crowd like that of Phnom Bahkeng during sunset will defeat the purpose of watching the sunrise.

TIP: Most tuk tuk driver will be familiar with Srah Srang. If you are on a packaged tour, your tour coach may also stop by here for you to have a look. However, you are likely to see it somewhere in the day time, not the perfect time for shutterbugs. Some may charge an additional $5-$10 if you want to go there before sunrise. If you’re traveling independently from Siem Reap, the fastest way to reach Srah Srang is to take the road from Siem Reap to Angkor Wat. When you see the moat of Angkor Wat, turn right (turning left takes you to Angkor Thom). After a short distance, you will pass Prasat Kravan on your right. After another distance you will see Banteay Kdei on the left, and Srah Srang on the right.

Srah Srang is right in front of Banteay Kdei (Dancers’ Hall)

It was our third day in Siem Reap. Misty-humid (relatively clean) air of summer night penetrated every single alveolar sac of my lungs. Upon waking-up and after a quick shower, I grabbed my sling bag, passport, wallet, a bottle of water and my camera. I jumped off Prohm Roth Hotel in my mismatched outfit,  Piron (our Tuktuk driver) was waiting outside flashing a big smile as usual.

Two blocks away after hitting the road, we realized that the ascaris lumbricoides’ in our guts were already begging for food. So we stopped at the town center to grab something to eat, early morning vendors are selling freshly baked baguettes and French bread. I suddenly missed our pan de sal in Sampaloc (darn).

Still sluggish and half awake, Monette and I tried covering our faces with towel to prevent ingesting flying insects hitting our faces as we run 90 kph across the highway in the middle of the lush forest. In no time, we reached the 900 year old man made lake, around 10-15 tourists (and an army of vendors, mostly kids) were already in the site, excited first timers like us were either setting-up cameras or choosing a good spot for meditation. I stood at the edge of the flatform landing facing the glassy water of the baray—a good vantage point to watch and take pictures of the sunrise.

Then we waited…

When the sun starts peeking out the horizon, everyone froze, speechless and jaws dropped on the floor. In a matter of minutes, we saw the color of the sky changed seamlessly.

From jet black to prussian to palatinate to crimsons to salmon to vermilion to chartreuse

It was truly the best sunrise that I witnessed to date.

It’s very timely to post this at the eve of the turn of the decade. The experience at Srah Srang was revitalizing, a metaphor of rebirth and fresh start. Like the sun kissing the new day ahead, anticipating the arrival of the morning light made me reflect not only on the recent days but the year that was.

I felt brand new.

The second decade of the 21^st century is here.

HAPPY NEW DECADE EVERYONE!

GO 2010!
oooh, 2010—so Jetsons! love it!

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.

Angkor Wat is comparable to Parthenon and the Coliseum. With it’s rich culture and history you would feel its soul haunting every block of stone of its temples. After several youtube clips and books I have read prior to our trip to Cambodia, I felt that every inch of Angkor Wat’s ornate wall got a story to tell.

So here’s a walk through on the first temple that we visited.

Angkorian temples follow an architectural model. Based on a unique combination of the temple mountain, the standard design for the empire’s state temples, the later plan of concentric galleries, and influences from Orissa and the Chola of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is a representation of Mount Meru, the home of the gods: the central quincunx of towers symbolises the five peaks of the mountain, and the walls and moat the surrounding mountain ranges and ocean.

Upon crossing the Moat through a royal causeway, you need to enter a gate, the outer concentric gallery. Angkor Wat is the first one that we visited. And we spent an hour drooling in front of the structure. It was a “choir of angels” moment for us.

Outside the complex, myriads of hawkers and kids selling all sorts of knick knacks ranging from guide books to souvenir photos to framed artworks to bottled water… “ALL IN A PRICE THAT YOU CAN AFFORD! One Dollar.” Seriously, almost everything there is being sold at USD1.

TIP: Never buy water from the kids selling outside the temples. Make sure you buy them from the convenient stores or groceries near your hotel.

We were so amazed by the place, and mind you, we are still in the outer galleries, we haven’t even entered the temple complex yet. Angkor Wat is the most popular temple in Cambodia Indochina. It is the only man made structure that is featured in a national flag.

One prominent theme of Angkorian design is the “Apsaras”. As Rusalkis to Slavic, Valkyries to Norse, Muses and Nymphs to Greek mythology, Apsaras are female spirits of the clouds and waters in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Descriptions of the temples often distinguish between two types of depictions of female celestials: depictions of figures who are dancing or are poised to dance, which are called “Apsaras;” and depictions of figures who are standing still, facing forward, in the manner of temple guardians or custodians, which are called “Devatas.” which could be the origin of the word “Diwata” of the Filipino folklore.

Upon entering the first Gopura (Gate) of the the outer gallery, you will be welcomed by the breathtaking view of the causeway leading to the Prasat of the temple. It was dark under the Gopura, making every entrance a “hallelujah” moment.

Walking across the causeway felt like we are on a ritual parade which is pretty much an everyday activity during the glorious days of Angkor. It’s 100,000 sqm complex housed around 20,000 people who worked as ministers, servants and dancers, so a presence of other stone structures is not a surprise. Midway across the procession road are the “Libraries,”  no one knows if it really houses books nor what it’s real purpose are. But each of more than a hundred temples got these bilateral identical structures.

Stone guardians resembling those of Egyptian sphinx and French Gargoyles are stationed in the cruciform bridge before entering the temple flat form.

Every temple also got a signature window colonnettes. It serves as an identity of the architectural period and a signature of the complex.

The inner gallery is where you will find more than 1,000 square meters of bas relief depicting the great Mahabharata epic. A continues story is carved in the gallery wall around the temple, from the churning of the sea of milk to the Judgment of the dead. So we advise to brush-up on this Indian Literature before booking a flight to Siem Reap.

Climbing up the temple flatform is not as easy as it may seem. Steps are small and piddly, less than a half of a normal stair steps and the sharp incline of around 45 degrees made climbing for people with vertigo NOT a good idea.  Oh well, they said it’s hard to climb the stairs to heaven, but the way to hell us just a slip away. Made sense.

A ceremonial cloister of what appears to be a swimming pool can be found inside the temple. Buddhist statues are displayed inside, which made this a popular destination among pilgrims. It’s sad to see though, that the old statues are all headless, tourists in the past beheaded them to sell the artifacts to the black market. tsk tsk tsk…

This temple served as a mausoleum of King Suryavarman II. The vast span of this complex and the grandiosity of the temple is ironically exclamated by the fact that the center of it all is just a small enclosed room right under the central prasat.

Again, Angkor Wat is just one of more than a hundred structures in a complex as big as Los Angeles. I can’t comprehend how a strong civilization capable of building these magnificent buildings suddenly disappeared and abandoned this city that is larger than life.

Amazing, isn’t it?

We did not wait for the next day to explore Angkor. After dumping our luggage and a quick shower we hit the road to see the majestic and the star destination in Cambodia–The Angkor Wat.

Tips: Passes are required to enter the Angkor area. They are on sale at the front gate for 1 (US$20), 3 (US$40), or 7 (US$60) days. You shouldn’t need to buy a pass for your guide or your driver. The passes are non-transferable and include a photograph of the owner. The photograph is taken at the counter. Note that regular checks for the pass are performed at almost all sites within the park, so carry your pass with you at all times, and be certain to buy the passes only from the official Apsara Authority counters, not from other vendors and definitely not second-hand.

We thought we have to bring passport size photo for the temple ID , which Monette forgotten that we have to look for a photo studio in Kuala Lumpur. Apparently, the Apsara Authority upgraded their ticketing system recently, they will take a digital photo right when you pay the ticket in the booth. So, Monette’s PhP200 Polaroid photo is out the window (thank you virtual tourist).

The moment we saw the prasats (central temple towers) of Angkor Wat from afar, we couldn’t help but burst into restrained shrieks. My hands were trembling that I couldn’t take a good shot of the structure.

Who wouldn’t be amazed by huge structures so masterfully crafted that every inch of its walls decorated with intricate depiction of history and religion, spanning the land area the size of Manhattan. What’s even more amazing is that after it’s glory, they mysteriously vanished. The inhabitants abandoned the city for unknown reason.

I can really talk non-stop about my amazement with this subject, but you can simply watch this Documentary video for an Angkor Wat 101:  Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Empire from the 9th to the 15th centuries.  It was founded on political and religious ideas adapted from India, and the temples of Angkor were intended as a place of worship for the king and a way for him to ensure his immortality through identification with the Hindu gods. Angkor Wat was built by King Suryavarman II in the 12th century as a vast funerary temple that would hold his remains, symbolically confirming his permanent identity with Vishnu.

Many of the bas-reliefs in the temple depict scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, Hindu sacred texts that recount the adventures of two major incarnations of Vishnu.

Fact: The Khmer empire was one of the most prosperous and sophisticated kingdoms in the history of Southeast Asia, and its prosperity was expressed through a wide range of architecture, way advanced during its time, and it was the first densely populated city in civilization history.

Angkor Wat, in present-day Cambodia, formed part of the capital of the Khmer Empire, and is probably the largest religious monument ever constructed. Built over a 30-year period with sandstone and laterite, the rectangular structure (2,800 by 3,800 feet) faces west, in Hindu belief the direction taken by the dead when going to their next life.

A single article isn’t enough… so watch out for more.

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RON

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