Cambodia - ilivetotravel's travel log

I Used to Not Know How to Spell Phnom Penh

17 April 2017 by Raul 1 Comment

Early last fall, when I was planning my itinerary for the SE Asia trip, there was an extra day to spare. With 5 days already in Bali and Singapore (and the phenomenal 57th story infinity pool) awaiting, the options became extending Siem Reap by one day, jumping from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, or stopping in Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital. As you may be aware due to my post about the Killing Fields, the choice was “PP” simply to avoid crossing another border (much as I wanted to “hit” Vietnam for the first time!).

It was a good choice. The sites related to the Pol Pot genocide of the 1970s were important to see. But it was also interesting to see this capital which seems to be booming (I suppose “booming” can be a relative term…) out its past as capital of a Communist regime. I wish I had gotten to see the “before” Phnom Penh so I could better grasp how far it has come.

Needless to say, the modern building boom is probably good for the economy but some of it is just more of the same glass buildings one sees everywhere. I seemed to have stayed in a good area (right by the Independence Monument) as main streets and side streets around the hotel felt much better than in other developing countries. The park by the Independence Monument and the park towards the Royal Palace were very pleasant spaces near the Mekong River. Lots of families walking the area and hanging out!

Though only 24 hours intown, I feel I did a good bit for such a limited visit – including a massage at the hotel I stayed (La Rose Hotel & Spa). Phnom Penh was pleasant and relaxed, and it was a good stop as the trip began to wrap up. And now I can spell Phnom Penh!

Here some of the scenes from Phnom Penh.

Around Cambodia’s Royal Palace

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Botumvatey Pagoda

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Dragon keeping an eye out on things…

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Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Monument

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Around the Royal Palace

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Caught cross-walking!

The Royal Palace entrance facing the Mekong

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I mean, check that Palace OUT!

Independence Monument Park

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The Independence Monument

The Independence Monument at night

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Gotta have a photo…

By the Mekong

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Looking down the Mekong from the Royal Palace Park

Fishermen on the Mekong River

And real life happening in the smaller streets of Phnom Penh…

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Street scene

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Curiously looking at the tourists walking by

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Beautiful colonial style architecture

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When it is too hot inside, bring the sowing machine outside!

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This kid’s parents smiled when I asked if I could take their son’s pic – my favorite!

Pin to your travel board!!

Filed Under: Asia, Cambodia Tagged With: Asia, Cambodia, Independence Monument, Mekong River, Phnom Penh, royal palace

The Killing Fields of Cambodia

7 February 2017 by Raul 3 Comments

Travel is supposed to be an experience to be enjoyed: leaving our day-to-day behind, seeing new places, trying new foods, exploring, relaxing, etc. However, travel sometimes is an opportunity that we get to understand other places, other peoples, and perhaps the past. There are places like Auschwitz that one can visit to gain some of this understanding but it does come with a price: what one sees defies comprehension when one is confronted with the places where brutality happened.

When Cambodia made it into the itinerary for my trip to Southeast Asia last fall, I realized one of the things to learn more about was the terrible regime of Pol Pot, a brutal Communist dictator who ruled the country for a few years in the 1970s. I knew just a little of the history and I knew there was a movie from 1980s about it (The Killing Fields; I had no seen it). Visiting Cambodia was of interest mainly because of Angkor Wat but when we realized we had a day to spare, we added Phnom Penh. This stop would provide the opportunity to learn about Pol Pot’s crimes by visiting a couple of key places: the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center (one of the hundreds of killing fields around the country) and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (a former prison and torture center). (It is no fun to write a post like this but it is important to share what I saw and learned for those who may not get to see these places in person…)

The trip up to that point had been rest and relaxation coupled with exploring amazing sites (like all the temple complexes in Siem Reap). We planned our visit to these terrible sites for the afternoon of our arrival in Phnom Penh. Those visits would affect the tone of our trip but it was important to us to see these places firsthand.

Choeung Ek Genocidal Center

Our first visit was to the Genocidal Center which served as one of the many killing fields spread throughout the country. The story of Pol Pot and the madness that ensued after he took power is best and more fully told in other sites or books; I will not even attempt to explain it here. People were trucked into places like this to be exterminated either because they were supporters of the prior regime, because they were educated (vs. peasants), or because the regime and its minions just felt like eliminating them.

Entrance to Choeung Ek

Excavated ditches dot the grounds

The center has done a good job of signage explaining the different aspects of how the center was run. The center also has audioguides available for those who do not have a guide to take them around. I recommend one or the other to properly grasp the place (we used the audioguides which allowed for self-pacing).

Typical stand explaining the site

Close-up of one of the signs explaining the center’s operation

It is a difficult place to be at. There are reminders everywhere what happened there especially signs that warn of the bones and pieces of clothes that can still surface, especially after it rains… The signs provide a stark reminder of what happened there.

Pieces of clothing that surface have been placed in this box

Mass grave

Bones retrieved from mass graves or that surface are placed in a tower built for the purpose of providing the remains of the many victims a respectful place to reside for decades to come – a poignant and very visible reminder of the many lives cut short by a madman and his zealots…

The tower housing bones found

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

After visiting Choeung Ek, we headed to the Genocide Museum, the former prison used to torture those persecuted by Pol Pot’s regime. It had been a school in former days and it got converted into hell-on-earth for those unfortunate souls who were taken there…

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Former school building (one of several)

Hallway

Prisoners were tortured in former classrooms and any opening to the outside from those rooms was covered to keep the noise in the room and not heard outside since the former school was in the middle of an urban area. The museum displays the many devices used to torture the victims.

Outdoor torture spot

Typical torture room

Photos of many victims are displayed. It was painful to look at them but I made myself scan the boards full of the photos – it was the least I could do to honor the victims who suffered so greatly there. The approach of the dictatorship was to execute entire families to avoid any “roots” of those families being left behind. So, there were pictures of children among all the adult pictures…

Some of the many photos on display to remember the victims

The site is somber, as can be imagined and the grey skies that day added to that feeling.

May the souls of the victims of this brutal Communist dictatorship (aren’t they all brutal?…) rest in peace.

Memorial

Filed Under: Asia, Cambodia Tagged With: Cambodia, Choeung Ek, extermination camp, Genocidal Center, Khmer Rouge, killing field, Phnom Penh, Pol Pot, prison, torture, Tuol Sleng

Ta Prohm, Cambodia: Trees Take over a Temple

24 January 2017 by Raul 2 Comments

Before my trip to Cambodia, I knew about Angkor Wat (of course!). But, I did not know about Ta Prohm. I had seen pictures of it but did not know that it was a specific temple close to Angkor Wat and, much less, its name or extent of the wonders it contains. When you look for what else is there to see near Angkor Wat, or what to see when you visit Cambodia, Ta Prohm needs to be on your list!

I heard about Ta Prohm more concretely from someone who had been to Siem Reap before right before I got there so it got on the itinerary of the temples to visit while in Siem Reap pretty quickly. It is hard to say that it is my favorite over Angkor Wat or Bayon. In fact, it is hard to pick any of those over the others; each has something that feels unique enough to lift it in my “estimation.”

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Amazing place

Ta Prohm’s claim to fame, if you will, is how trees have taken over the ruins of this former temple complex built in the 12th/13th century. We are able to see this today because the temple has been left in the same condition it was found in (for the most part: some work has been done to stabilize the structures to make them safe for visiting and to enable access). The uniqueness of Ta Prohm earned it a spot in UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites and rightly so!

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Entrance

Chatting with our guide

The most famous trees growing through the structures are Tetrameles nudiflora, which is a veritable mouthful for a non-botanical person like me (so I had to look it up to make sure I got it right for this post!). These trees create surreal imagery – and surely, if the trees were cut, many of the structures would collapse. These trees grow super tall and the roots look like the buttresses of pre-Renaissance European cathedrals and can be quite gigantic as one of my pictures shows. Banyan trees can also be found around. These trees grow their roots downward from where the seed landed (not directly on the ground but, say, on a tree or building) and, as the seeds sprout, they grow and end up enveloping the “host” tree or structure, eventually seemingly strangling the host or destroying its host.

Yea, these trees are HUGE!

What to Know

Yes, there is more to Siem Reap than Angkor Wat. So the visit to Angkor Wat should also include places like Ta Prohm that are close to it and well worth seeing. Keep reading, ask around, and create a great list!
It will get more hot and humid as the day progresses so starting with sunrise is ideal to maximize exploring time with the least ‘suffering’ possible (though it is worth suffering to see these amazing places). Now, if diminishing suffering is a goal, know that it makes for a short night of sleep!
Visiting Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Ta Phrom, and a couple of other smaller sites, starting at sunrise, took us until noon or 1 PM at our speed of walking, stopping to take photos, exploring, etc. That is quite a long day considering that the hotel pick-up (for us anyway) was at 4:45 AM. Pace yourself, be aware of how your body is handling the heat and humidity!
Bring water, snack and sunblock.
Take time to put the camera away and just stand there marveling at the architecture, looking down at the all-enveloping jungle that hid these places for centuries, and soak it all in!

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Filed Under: Asia, Cambodia, Travel Journal Tagged With: Angkor Wat, Cambodia, famous things in cambodia, history, ruins, Siem Reap, Ta Prohm, temple, things to do in siem reap, trees growing in ruins, what else near angkor wat

How I Explored Angkor Wat, Cambodia

13 January 2017 by Raul 10 Comments

It is pretty daunting to write a post about Angkor Wat. Not only how to do the place justice but there are probably a million write-ups out there about this gem in Cambodia. All I can do is share (words and photos) how I saw it and perhaps it will help those who have not been there visualize it, and those who have been there remember their visit…

We were told by a few people to not miss sunrise at Angkor Wat. Considering all the travels away from home at that point (ATL to Chicago, Chicago to Bali (via ATL!), and then Bali to Bangkok to Siem Reap), waking up at an absurd time in the morning did not seem as absurd as it would at any other point in my life. So, arrangements were made for a 4:45 AM pick-up at the hotel to go to see our local star rise behind Angkor Wat…

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Yea, looking a little rough after the 4AM wake-up (thanks, Phil, for capturing this winner!) – but happy to be there!

First stop: Get the darn ticket. One can get a day pass or a multi-day pass. I was sorta scratching my head as to why the people taking us had not gotten the tickets ahead of time. I found out why soon enough: they take your photo and print it on your permit to enter the temple ‘zone.’ Since we were packing it all in into one day, the pass cost us $20US. Not bad really, especially considering the scale of the area ‘littered’ with temple complexes. All that has got to be kept up, etc.

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My pass to enter Angkor Wat; skillfully photo bombed by my friend Phil

After getting our ticket, our guide took us to the main vantage point from which one can ooh-and-aah one’s way through sunrise. There were clouds in the distance so we did not see a beautiful orange-yellow disk rise from the horizon. But seeing the temple with the sky around it changing colors from dark blues, to mid-blues, to purples, to orange-ish, etc. was pretty neat.

Sunrise

I decided to take a fast-pace video over a 15-minute stretch to see what that would look like. No, it did not result in a magical show but it still was worth the effort to hold the smartphone as still as possible in my hands for that long. Since I was half asleep anyway, I barely noticed the 15 minutes had elapsed. (The 15 minutes are compressed into a one minute video below. Let me know if you think it was worth my 15 minutes!)

After snapping a couple of pix of each other, my friend and I moved on from that spot to get to the causeway that would lead us to the main temple we all know as Angkor Wat. It still was not full light so the pictures were either brilliant or so-so, depending on how demanding a viewer of photos you may be – I will let you reach your own conclusions 🙂 We were also advised to not go back to the hotel after sunrise, as many do to nap and have breakfast, but -instead- to have the hotel pack us a breakfast and just eat it on-site so we could then explore the complex before it got crowded later in the morning (it was also a good idea since it only gets hotter as the day goes by so the earlier the visit, the less suffering!).

About to enter the causeway

STILL looking rough but with a great backdrop! (thanks again, Phil!)

On the way to the main temple, I especially liked ‘the library’ ruins on the left-hand side of the causeway – mainly because it gave me a good way to frame the main temple! (Always looking -not always successfully- for a good photo spot!)

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Here the library…

… and what I did with the library! I kinda like this shot!

Getting closer to the main temple – this is a great photo spot

We entered the main temple area from a side entrance by climbing some stairs and our guide explained some of the carvings as we headed to the inner courtyard. From there we walked along the side of the central ‘structure’ (I struggle with what to call the different parts of the complex), and observed a couple of places where the stuff under the exterior stone was exposed.

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Amazing carvings – could spend hours there!

Our entry point into Angkor Wat

A look at what’s under the outer stones… more stones! (though different looking)

After turning the corner, we saw the staircase that would lead us up to the top terrace of the main temple. The staircase to be used was not the original steps; rather, a staircase was built on top so that our visitor feet would not destroy the ancient stonework – and probably to keep us safe too. It was a very steep climb but going up was not as scary as going down. I am not scared of a steep climb or descent, but I also do not want to suffer a bad fall!

After getting up

Once we got upstairs, it was REALLY cool. From up there you see above the tree tops and can easily see how the jungle took over complexes like Angkor War once abandoned.

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View down to the upper terrace and the jungle beyond

There were four inner courtyards atop the temple and it was neat walking the outer hallway looking out in every direction in the compass while then turning inward and seeing the various temples or altars with Buddhas. I do not recall how much time we spent up there but I enjoyed admiring it all.

One of the inner courtyards

Looking upwards from the terrace level

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First, a standing Buddha…

… and then sitting Buddhas…

… and finally, a reclining Buddha!

Father and son (I assume) in prayer – nice to see it is an active faith site

So, Angkor Wat delivered on my expectation on seeing something quite unique in my experience and, clearly, from the experience of many as it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (not one of the token ones, mind you, but a real one!). Seeing the father and son praying made it even better as it is not just an archaeology site, but a site of living faith – very cool to see.

I am dumb as doorknob when it comes to selfies – I could not get out of the way of the tower much as I was being instructed to do!

Angkor Wat had been on my ‘hope-to-see-someday’ list and definitely the top spot for me to see in Southeast Asia. I am grateful for the opportunity to see it in person and explore it – photo bomb on my credential or not 🙂 Now I need to decide what will go in its former spot in my ‘hope-to-see-someday’ list… nice problem to have!

Filed Under: Asia, Cambodia Tagged With: Angkor Wat, Asia, bucket list, Cambodge, Cambodia, Camboya, Khmer, sights, temple, tourism, travel

Angkor Thom’s Main Temple: Bayon

7 January 2017 by Raul Leave a Comment

While Angkor Wat is the better known of all the temple complexes in Cambodia, there are others that are a must. Bayon is one of those. It is imposing and a veritable maze, making it fun to explore. Bayon (built in the 12th-13th century period) sits in the middle of Angkor Thom which was the capital of the Khmer Empire back when (it is said between 80-150K people lived there at its peak back then). Bayon was at the center of that capital city as its most important temple. If you look at a map, the moat around Angkor Thom is much larger than the one around Angkor Wat. (All these sites got “lost” in the early 1600s for a few centuries.) Movies like Lara Croft: Tomb Raider have had scenes shot at Angkor Thom.

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Bayon (Angkor Thom is the larger square around it) in relation to Angkor Wat

We approached Angkor Thom and had a great view of the wall around Angkor Thom and a bridge (or causeway) decorated on either side with sitting statues. One drives through a gate that towers at the end of the bridge with each side of the tower carved with the face of a divinity. I believe we went through the south gate.

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Causeway entering Angkor Thom from the south

View across the causeway of the south gate

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Statues on the causeway

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The south gate

In any case, one approaches the main temple at Angkor Thom, Bayon, among a green field with palm trees. Having first seen Angkor Wat with its dramatic towers and monumentality, Bayon felt a little less imposing yet so different it looked magnificent.

Approaching Bayon – majestic!

From then we walked around different former hallways and around many towers and carvings. It is said Bayon is more baroque while Angkor Wat is more classical Khmer style. I am not an expert but certainly can tell that Bayon was much more loaded with carvings and more elaborate. Bayon is certainly striking due to the many towers carved on four sides with faces of deities or other figures but it lacked the big open spaces within it that Angkor Wat had.

Imposing

The explorers look diminutive as our guide tried to capture it all

Interesting things no matter where you look

As in many places, it is fun to watch other tourists engage with the site – and take their photo while they do so 🙂

Strike a pose!

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One of the many tourists 🙂 (thanks, Phil I. for snapping this winner!)

While Angkor Wat is overall more imposing, Bayon is definitely different enough to warrant the time to explore it – hope you get to do so!

Filed Under: Asia, Cambodia, Travel Journal Tagged With: adventure, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Cambodge, Cambodia, Camboya, carvings, explore, Khmer, photo, Samsung Galaxy, temple, tourism, travel

Sunset over Tonlé Sap Lake | Off the Beaten Path Cambodia

4 January 2017 by Raul 1 Comment

As I mentioned in an earlier post about arriving in and exploring Siem Reap, we had asked the hotel to organize a drive that took us out of the town and into the countryside. We were looking to experience off the beaten path Cambodia. We were hoping to see more than seeing the fantastic and majestic temples that are the main reason for one to go to Siem Reap and Cambodia to begin with. The idea was to get away from the tourist beat (nothing wrong with doing the tourist beat!). Cambodia was new to us. At least, through a brief outing, we hoped to see something not likely to be found in a tourist guide. Something beyond the typical tourist agenda (though we WERE tourists).

The answer for off the beaten path Cambodia in Siem Reap

The hotel did well. They arranged a car to take us to see the the sun set over the Tonlé Sap lake. That was a great suggestion. I don’t know how long it took us to drive out. But was far enough to the part of the lake that looked west. Was it 45 minutes? Can’t recall. In any case, there were small boats on the lake, I assume for tourists but not sure. However, we had a private car take us around because we just felt like taking it very easy.

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Driving past the local market intown along the river

Beginning to leave the town, nice area for sure

Sights around the outskirts of Siem Reap

Having our own transport allowed us to go into areas that I would guess tourists do not visit – our driver did really well (I thought he had said his name was Seagull – we found out a little too late it was Sygold – lol).

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A real tuk tuk: cart attached to motorcycle

We got to walk around the humble homes of folks who live by the lake. This not only afforded us great opportunities for sunset photos but also to see more of local life, even if for too short an experience. Seeing kids return from school, or play football (soccer) by the road, or just having fun on a bicycle made Cambodia more than just mere ancient and magnificent temples.

Off the beaten path Cambodia and my world connect through a sunset

And the combination of the setting sun with the lake, the vegetation, and the local homes certainly made for a beautiful sunset.

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My poor attempt at a subtle photo of a family picnicking…

It was a GREAT first day in Cambodia. Getting to see the sun set over this lake, and also witnessing a different reality than ours at home was a memory I will not forget. But some of the reality we saw was not -really- unlike a reality anywhere else, just a little of the circumstances were different. Seeing the children play and laugh was all the evidence I needed to confirm, yet anew, how much more alike we are, than different. If you have the chance to catch this sunset while visiting Angkor Wat, I recommend it!

What to Know

Going to the lake is pretty easy and does not take long. If you can take a little picnic, it may be enjoyed while watching the sunset!
As sunset is when mosquitoes (those tropical beasts!) get more active and seek to bite us humans, be sure to put on some bug spray. I did not feel mosquitoes bite me, and I had forgotten to put on bug spray. But Cambodia has malaria risk so I was glad I was on anti-malarial, at least…
Bring water. And there were no nearby facilities that I could see – but plenty of bushes! Hand sanitizer anyone?
Be ready to kick a football/soccer ball if the opportunity arises!

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Save this to your travel board for an off the beaten path Cambodia image. And a phenomenal sunset!

Filed Under: Asia, Cambodia, Travel Journal Tagged With: Cambodge, Cambodia, lake near Siem Reap, off the beaten path Cambodia, Siem Reap, sunset, sunset in Cambodia, Tonle Sap lake

Siem Reap – Cool Place in the Tropics

29 December 2016 by Raul Leave a Comment

The plans for my visit to Cambodia were anchored, as you may well imagine, in seeing world-famous Angkor Wat. For that, we planned to spend 1.5 days and 2 nights to explore the town of Siem Reap which is just less than a few handful of miles from the historical sites. There are many many more temples to go explore and one can certainly spend 2-3 days just focused on that. A lot of things to see in and around Siem Reap! I felt I was more on a sampler visit due to the overall travel plans (anchored on a wedding in Bali) and the limited time off work but I was eager to see as much of the area as I could.

Paradise in Siem Reap

We arrived right in Siem Reap (very nice and modern small airport) from Bangkok after noon and headed to our hotel, the Borei Angkor Resort right in the town.

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Final approach (thanks to my bud Phil I. for the photo – he had the window seat!)

The hotel was a phenomenal spot as may be others. The spaces were very open. The pool was big enough and had a section with jets which were great after a lot of walking around the next day. And it helped that I stayed at the Privilege Floor 🙂 (Disclosure: No freebies, discounts, etc. were given to me for me to write about the place – I paid for it all myself and I write about it because I really enjoyed it.)

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Welcome!

The main lobby

Looking up from the pool

The pool…

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Not the fanciest of photos but it sure takes me back there!

Looking out from the front lobby to the hotel entrance

The staff was super eager to help and no one more so than our hostess, Judy, who ensured all the logistics of our sightseeing and the hotel stay were in order (everything was perfect!). We also enjoyed a server at the lounge who had a peculiar way of laughing and who called everyone “fabulous” though I could swear he called me “father” instead… He definitely made the place very lively!

View of the town from the room at sunset

In any case, we had decided not to hit the temples that first afternoon for a couple of reasons:

It would be peak heat and ‘suffering’ wasn’t high on the list of priorities…
People had said it was best to hit the sites at sunrise and then stay on-site through the morning, when some or many tourists would return to their hotels for breakfasts and/or extra sleep. (More on the visit to the temples in a future post.)

We quickly dropped our bags, changed, and headed to lounge by the pool for some nice R&R with some Angkor Wat beer 🙂 I think I ordered a sandwich or a pizza poolside for lunch – scary that I can’t fully recall. That was the way to start my Cambodia visit!

The local market in Siem Reap

We had planned to do a drive in the countryside later that first day – more about that in another post – but after that drive, as we were passing the local market, we decided to jump out and do a quick walk around of the market and that area of the town. I have to say it was definitely a chill place. While there were certainly tourist-oriented market stands and eateries (goodness, there was even a Hard Rock Café – yikes…), the market also served locals and it was neat to just meander through it seeing all sorts of goods from souvenirs to meat to household goods to clothing, etc. There was everything!

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Not the type of ‘meat market’ I’d hoped for 🙂

“Vienna Calling”, perhaps?

All sorts of goods from food & spices to textiles

Colorful town

The town felt lively and the colorful lighting on the bridges certainly contributed. Overall, I felt very safe and maybe, in hindsight, I should have explored more and sat down somewhere to watch life go by -plenty of things to see and experience in Siem Reap! But, sadly, I don’t always enjoy full clarity every moment of every trip. No worries, I still can say it was a neat place.

Around town – market on the left

Around town – maybe I should do that to the bridge in my backyard…

Around town – the fast lane!

What to Know

The heart of the town is very walkable and felt safe.
There are good eateries around the market – get a good recommendation from a trusted source, be it your hotel or an online review. You still want to keep your tummy in a happy state!
If you are looking for souvenirs, what you find in the market will be the same touristy stuff you will find elsewhere in the country – and at a slightly higher price since it is, after all, a very tourist-centric town.
Take your time, find a bench, watch life go by…

Filed Under: Asia, Cambodia, Travel Journal Tagged With: Borei Angkor Resort, Cambodia, experience Siem Reap, explore, exploring Siem Reap, local market, luxury, Siem Reap, things to do Siem Reap, travel

I Used to Not Know How to Spell Phnom Penh

Around Cambodia’s Royal Palace

Independence Monument Park

By the Mekong

And real life happening in the smaller streets of Phnom Penh…

Like this:

The Killing Fields of Cambodia

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