Angkors aweigh! Actually, Angkor means “city,” so that’s a bit nonsensical, but I couldn’t resist.
Each of the temple complexes we visited in Cambodia was unique. I’m as happy as the next person to troop in and out of cathedrals when I’m in Europe, but all the majestic arches, gorgeous stained glass, footworn sarcophagi, and spectacular organs (you know what I mean; get your mind out of the gutter!) begin to blur after a short while.
Here, in contrast, each temple complex was individually memorable: Ta Prohm had its fantastical trees, Banteay Srei its intricate carvings depicting Hindu legends, Angkor Thom its Buddha faces, and Angkor Wat its grandeur.
Yesterday afternoon we visited Angkor Thom. The site was the last capital of the Khmer Empire, built by King Jayavarman VII (or J7, as our guide called him) in the late 1100s. Its most prominent structure is the Bayon Temple, currently being restored under the aegis of the Japanese government.
The Temple’s towers contain more than two hundred smiling Buddha faces. Beautiful bas relief carvings depicting battles, dancing girls, and animals surround the lower level. An upper terrace displays scenes from Hindu mythology. It’s an impressive and inspiring site, perhaps my favorite of the four we visited.
The moat that surrounds Angkor Wat is close to Angkor Thom, and we had a lovely gondola cruise on the moat, accompanied of course by snacks and drinks – A&K seems to believe that its clients should consume around five thousand calories daily.
This morning we rose dark and early (why is bright and early the expression; if you’re up that early it’s dark!) to see the sunrise at Angkor Wat. The sky, alas, had other plans: a blanket of clouds smothered the break of day.
As they say, however, every cloud has a silver lining, in this case literally: the overcast kept temperatures in the only-mildly-uncomfortable range for an hour or so.
Built in the early-to-mid 12th century, Angkor Wat is massive and commanding. Its outer wall encloses an area of roughly one square kilometer; sight lines down the sides of the temple converge to a small point of light.
Carvings on each level depict battles, gruesome tortures for drinking, cheating, gluttony, and twenty-nine other transgressions, all of which merited death, and scenes from the Mahabarata (specifically the Churning of the Sea of Milk, through which Vishnu granted the gods immortality) and Ramayana.
There are also nāga (snake-like beings that dwell in the underworld, whose name rhymes with … oh never mind – let’s just say they aren’t making Angkor great again), and various other mythical creatures.
Access to the first and second levels of Angkor Wat is easy; each requires a climb of perhaps ten steps. Reaching the top level requires some exertion – there are 50 very steep wooden steps – but the views are worth the effort.
If you visit Angkor Wat, go early to avoid the worst of the heat and the crowds. Even at 5:15 a.m., there were hordes of people, sometimes shoulder to shoulder.
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One of the unexpected joys of visiting Cambodia was the cuisine. It’s beautifully seasoned, not particularly spicy, and full of healthy ingredients. The national dish is Amok. Run to get some: it’s a creamy curry usually containing fish or sometimes chicken, and it’s excellent. The noodles and dumplings are also excellent, the mangos are revelatory, the bean paste tart is fantastic, and the pineapple with chili-spiced salt is quite nice as well.
We ate at three restaurants, all very good:
Palate, Acha Sva Road and Street 20
Mahob, Traing village (I neglected to take a picture)
Malis, Pokambor Avenue
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I loved Cambodia, and I hope tourism blossoms and raises the extremely low standard of living of its kind, gentle people. I want to single out our local guide, Kheang, for special thanks. He is a stand-up comic in a tour guide’s uniform, super-knowledgeable, always smiling, and an all-around good guy.
I’m finishing this post at Siem Reap airport. It’s an hour outside the city, has been open only since November 2023, and is a gleaming, pristine echo chamber, with enough gates, counter space, and immigration agents to handle far more people than it currently serves.
Off to Laos!
PuffinlessTravel 