On to Angkor

At last report, I was having difficulty obtaining an adequate supply of US$ for Cambodia. The next morning wasn't much better partly due to the banks taking a 4 day weekend for coronation day. But I did manage to find one moneychanger with $200 in small bills. It wasn't the $300 I was looking for but I thought it might be sufficient and, anyway it got me out of the guesthouse before they charged me for another night.

Once out of the hotel, getting to the long haul bus terminal was straight forward, at least on paper. Either of local buses 13 or 9 would do. 'Trouble is, despite prominent listings in the guide book, the map, and bus stop signs, neither 13 or 9 seem to exist. After a couple of false starts and a couple of hours, I figured out that *some* of the undocumented 509 buses go the bus station. All, in all, it was almost 9:00pm when I checked into my hotel in the border town of Aranya Prathet. But, I did make it. All that remained was the next morning's crossing into Cambodia.

The border crossing into Cambodia at Poipet is one of the ugliest in the region. It is filled with touts and pickpockets. The Cambodian border officials have a history of corruption and the transportation situation on the Cambodian side is dismal. But, I had a 21 page document of telling how it is done so off I went.

The border crossing itself was uneventful. The transport was a bit more trouble. Due, in part, to the difficulty in shaking the taxi mafia tout who followed me from the border, it took me forever to reach the market. When I got there, no one seemed to know about the new bus to Siem Reap. No bus showed up either. Share Taxi's are supposed to queue up here. They didn't. Even if I paid for a whole cab, I couldn't get all the way to Siem Reap. Maybe because it was Sunday? I returned to the border and managed a seat in a taxi to Siem Reap with a couple of other travelers who had just crossed. More expensive but no more drama and we reached Siem Reap about 5:00pm.

Next morning, I thought I would bicycle out to Angkor at dawn. Well, I would, but I had neglected to get any food for an early morning breakfast and the restaurant did not serve until 6:00am. That and a few other minor errors met that I didn't reach the temple until about 9:00am. Enough time for Angkor Wat that morning but not for anything else. It is way to hot in the afternoon to do anything.

Angkor Wat did not impress me as much as I thought it would. It is very large but it seems to be made up of relatively small spaces. I've read comparisons with Karnak but I don't see it. Karnak is bigger than life with passages meant for giants. Angkor Wat is built on a more human scale where long sight lines are blocked by low overhangs. Reliefs abound but none are among the best of Angkor. The classic intertwining of tree and temple that defines most visions of Angkor is not to be found at Angkor Wat.

Next day I had food and therefore was able to reach the Bayon just after dawn, in spite of making a wrong turn. Some 50 huge carved faces stare down from a multitude of towers and give it a unique presence. Nearby is Bamphoon, which was closed for renovation. And then the Terrace of the Elephants. Huge, deep and detailed reliefs that bordered on statuary. The most conspicuous being, of course, the elephants.

And that was about it for the day. Down at ground level, within the walls of Angkor Thom, it was just too hot to continue. I returned shortly after 10:00am.

Day 3 started at the Elephants and continued on the Great Circuit. I didn't finish it, of course but I did cover a fair numb r of major and minor temples, some of which weren't even on the map. Most notable, I think is Preah Kahn where a large tree grows atop and around a small tower.

Day 4 again started in Angkor Thom but on the small circuit. Tah Prom is the famous site here with numerous trees growing along the walls and towers. But, personally, I thought there were too many people and Preah Kahn actually had better scenes.

Day 4 was cleanup, taking in the remote site of Banteay Samreas as well as Pre Rup, Banteay Kedi, and Prasat Kravan. The plan was to do them in sequence on the way out and then return. Unfortunately, heavy cloud cover meant poor light in the early morning. I ended up pedaling all the way to Banteay Samre before entering a single temple.

Banteay Samre was actually rather dull, completely devoid of any interesting features not found in more accessible temples. But the journey was fantastic.

On the way out, I passed active villages seldom visited by tourists, cattle, water buffaloes, and other livestock grazing. A farmer guided his water buffalo propelled plow. I waited out the rain at the temple site, searched in vain for interesting temple features, and left.

On my return, I passed the same village. Now, much of the village seemed to involved with building a road, hauling stones to be used in the road bed. All by hand, of course. Not far beyond the village, I spied something I never expected to see but probably should have: an artillery piece rusting in the field. After first passing it by, I backtracked. I had to have that photo. Unfortunately, the cannon was quite far. Moving closer didn't seem wise. I trust that the temple grounds are mine free. But I was not setting foot in that field. That meant a telephoto shot from the road.

With the slowish film I had in the camera and limited light, I had no choice but to use a tripod. A small crowd of locals gathered around as I set up. The cow I had hoped would remain near the gun moved out of the frame before I was ready but I do have my photo.

The remaining temples were passably interesting. Kravan, paned by some, actually has some nice reliefs done in carved brick.

That was it for the close temples. Only the far temples of Banteay Seri and the Roluos Group remained. Rolous would be bit of a haul on a bicycle but it would be doable. Banteay Seri is 37K. I could, technically, have rented a motorbike but I didn't like the risk factors. Reluctantly, I hired a moto for the morning.

Banteay Srei is a small temple but well worth it. More surfaces are covered with deep, detailed reliefs that make those in Angkor Wat look pitiful. The Roluos Group was surprisingly good. They are the oldest temples in the area and composed mostly of brick. But some of the decorations are still quite good. I like the "holographic" style of Bakong. It is a pyramid accessorised with smaller versions of itself on the grounds and on the structure itself.

In between Banteay Srei and Roluous, I stopped at the landmine museum for a look and some of the more gruesome leftovers from Cambodia's recent past. I left a $5 donation: pitiful but, with my return looming, I am acutely aware of the limits to my own funds.

This is the 7th day of my ticket. I could go out again but there is little else to see. I have chosen to follow the example of a higher being and rest. I need it. I've been getting up at 4:00am for the past 6 days and the heat makes sleep virtually impossible until quite late at night.

Tomorrow morning, I go to Kampong Thom to visit some pre-Angkor temples and then to Kratie and the Makong to see the fresh water dolphins. I should make it to Phnom Penh around the 16th or 17th. That's probably the next place I will be able to access email.