Emily and Linda’s Travel Blog

The last night in Siem Riep we were hanging in the bar waiting for the bus to take us to dinner. This bunch of "women of a certain age" started dancing - to the chagrin of some of the other guests.  Didn’t dampen the enthusiasm though. The singer and piano player seemed to enjoy the participation. 

Travel offers many puzzles, among which were these perplexing buttons to call the elevator(?!?!)

Angkor Wat is an amazing and majestic site/sight and centuries old. In contrast, there was a Buddhist pagoda and temple complex off to the side that was much more modern and had a lively feeling to it. We heard chanting coming from a small building full if monks. I wish the recording had come out because the lead chanter had a beautiful voice. Unfortunately mostly I got the chickens who were closer to the mike I guess. The statuary in the foreground made me chuckle  

 A little further over was this airy meeting space that felt like a refreshment on a hot day  

And still further was a Buddhist cemetary with many stupas that contain ashes and other relics  

One of the first excursions in Phnom Penh was to the Royal Palace 

Later we visited the Central Market that has echoes of a Souk with its close packed aisles and huge diversity of stuff from silver and jewelry to vegetables and every kind if animal part imagineable to T-shirts and traditional garments to electronics and carved wood. 

In the afternoon we went off on our own on another tuk-tuk ride around the city and visited Ounalom temple and pagoda (where Annie Marie and I wandered into a small temple and received a blessing (we think) involving chanting, incense, and holy water sprinkled on us with a spray of branches. 

Most days they kept us busy with morning and afternoon excursions, but occasionally the boat had to stay anchored for a while. This was one afternoon entertainment: the chefs demonstrated their creative knife skills with fruit and veg. I think I might just about be able to manage a tomato rose, but the watermelon project will need considerable refresher lessons. 

We had very patchy Internet access while away so just catching up on a few items I didn’t get to post. 

Here are a few shots and a video from our travels on the river and on shore to give you a feel for the everyday life we saw ( the video is our rickshaw ride in Tan Chau.

Here’s a shot of our boat.  All the rooms have small balconies  on the upper left is the sundeck and covered outside deck.  There was also a Jacuzzi, but I omly ever saw the Getmans use it  

On our last day of the trip we visited two artisan workshops in Siem Reap. The first one was especially impressive for its well thought-out design and organization. Designed to train people from the surrounding area in various trades, it also connects with a network of workshops in villages outside the city. We watched the artisans carving wood, sculpting animals and deities, working with copper and applying gold gilt. 

We even got to try working with stone and a chisel ourselves. The tools are from repurposed motor bike parts. 

Because it’s so loud in the workshop, the workers communicate via sign language. This has the additional benefit that deaf people can enter the training program to become skilled artisans. 

The second workshop was more focused on candles, soap, woven goods, and spices/condiments. My favorite was amok spices (for the national dish - fish amok). Had to buy some because how could I not go home with amok?

Later we had lunch at a little restaurant in Siem Reap. Spring rolls, pumpkin soup, Khmer crepe (a lot like the Vietnamese dish banh xeo), a stir fried dish and a soup. Good end to our adventures. 

Angkor Wat was one of the main things that drew me to this trip. Built in the 12th century, it is a massive feat of engineering and the largest religious structure on earth. I remember seeing pictures of it when I was 15 or so and thinking I wanted to visit it one day.  Well, I finally made it. The Angkor area actually has many temples and other structures. Some Hindu and later ones Buddhist. Some went back and forth as different factions prevailed. 

We started at Angkor Wat, the largest and a Hindu site. Massive moat which used to be crossed by a stone bridge. Now it’s a sort of floating bridge (a little disconcerting since it moves as the crowd walks over it).

 The central structure has a tower in the middle, surrounded by 4 smaller towers. Here are some pictures from our visit and also an artist’s rendition of what it would have looked like when it was intact (from a book with plastic overlays is that I bought -   The Angkor Guidebook by Andrew Booth)

It’s also famous for bas relief carvings of historic scenes and apsaras (celestial dancers in some sources or female spirits of the clouds and waters elsewhere)

Next we made our way by Tuk-tuk to Ta Prohm, built for a queen. It’s famous for the kapok and fig trees that have overgrown it. The preservation workers have to balance restoration efforts with respect for the iconic trees that have grown around it. This one is also famous as the site for filming Lara Croft Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie.