Category: Travel

As I mentioned before, during the day, while the tourists are hitting the temples, Siem Reap is a calm and fairly sleepy city. Whether it is due to the heat (95+ F, and humid), or the laid back attitude, things move at a pretty slow pace.

We had decided to keep our last day in Siem Reap wide open, just walking around the city a bit.

Among the more interesting (at least for us) things we saw, was the Shrine to Ya Tep, a local spirit who is said to bring good luck. We thought the location of the shrine, in a traffic circle, in the middle of a street was fascinating.

Right across the street is the Royal Gardens, and the Shrine to Preah Ang Chek & Preah Ang Chorm, two local dieties.

Walking(very slowly) alongside the Siem Reap River, we made our way back to the Psar Chas (Old Market) area, and stopped to have some iced coffee at a popular Vietnamese Restaurant in the area called Soup Dragon. While having our coffee, we saw a Monk stop by, and various customers and employees would walk over to the Monk, hand Him an offering, and receive a blessing:

The Missus was enchanted with the idea, and went over to the Monk, and passed over a few Riel (but did not touch the monk…that is a no-no). Suddenly overcome with indecision….not knowing what to do….instead of receiving any blessing, She high-tailed it back to our table instead. Leaving the Monk with a bemused, somewhat puzzled look on his face.

The coffee had stimulated our appetites, and we decided to grab a bite at a place we passed several times on previous evenings.

All over Cambodia, we found that a typical little eatery, or even cart for that matter, would have a collection of pots sitting on a table. It is common to walk on up to the pots, open the various lids(if there were lids), peer inside, and order what you wish. Every night we’d pass this little place, and the Missus would inevitably stop and start opening lids, checking out what was being served that day. Usually, because it was later in the evening, there wasn’t much left. But on this day, the pots had just been brought out.

So I got a nice bowl of Beef Stew.

Very much like a cross between Chinese and Vietnamese Beef Stew, full of star anise and pepper flavor.

The Missus got a Hot and Sour Pork Soup with what we usually call Ong Choi or Water Spinach.

I dunno, the Missus enjoyed it so much, I never got a shot…..

Each of us also received a plate of excellent Jasmine Rice. A little bowl of fish sauce and chilies was provided. Along with the roll of tissue, a container of utensils was placed at the table along with a tin cup of boiling water. We learned that the hot water was used to sterilize our fork and spoon.

At first we thought that this was such a nice, thoughtful gesture, showing concern to us tourists. But as locals started to pour in, they were accommodated in the same manner.

We sat, chatted, and watched the stream of folks stopping by, many with "tiffin containers", picking up lunch.

Lunch for two, with rice, and a large bottle of water ran us about $3.50/US. It was funny, the Lady running the place had remembered us, since we had passed by every evening. And so we felt that we should eat here.

After lunch we wandered around Psar Chas a bit.

And even though the market is full of stalls selling various tourist knick-knacks and such, during the day there were much more locals around. And many of the booths sold items such as various dried fish and meats.

And one entire side of Psar Chas was dedicated to eateries just like the one we had lunch at.

We really enjoyed the vibe….very relaxed. It may have been very hot, and all the tourists were either visiting the ruins or in their air-conditioned hotels taking a nap….but no time was better than now for an intense chess match!

On the way back to the hotel we passed another street full of stands and couldn’t help but go and explore.

The Missus claims that the Longan She ate in Cambodia was the best She’s ever had.

And having been allowed to taste one, I’d agree….even though one of neighbors growing up had a Longan tree, these were much sweeter.

We also saw a very popular cart selling snails. Half of the snails were plain, the other half looked to be seasoned with chili pepper.

Later that evening we got our first, and thankfully only, tuk-tuk ride (a story for later), and per the Missus’ wishes had Indian Food for dinner again, this time at a restaurant called New Dehli, which turned out to be quite good. I had the Mutton Thali, the Missus the Vegetarian Thali.

Yes, Siem Reap is full of surprises.

Have you grown weary of all those posts on the temples of Angkor yet? Are they starting to look all the same? Perhaps you’re suffering from "Temple Fatigue"…. And yet, temple fatigue never really hit us. We found most temples interesting and unique, but I’ll keep the rest of my posts on the various temples short and sweet. Our post lunch started with…..

Banteay Kdei:

Called the "Citadel of the Cells", Banteay Kdei was built in 1181.

Banteay Kdei has been used as a monastery at different points in time.

The most well known feature of Banteay Kdei is the "Hall of the Dancing Girls". Where all of the columns feature beautiful bas-reliefs of Girls doing the Apsara dance.

Banteay Kdei has been kept somewhat unrestored, making for some fascinating viewing.

Some of which is due to poor construction and low quality materials. In addition, no one really knows who this temple was dedicated to, adding to the mystery.

Ta Prohm:

For us, Ta Prohm proved to be one of the more intriguing temples.

Built in 1186 by Jayavarman VII to honor his family, when the efforts to restore the temples of Angkor by the French began, the École française d’Extrême-Orient decided to leave Ta Prohm in it’s natural state.

It’s impossible not to gaze upon the giant Kapok (silk cotton tree) trees whose roots have have become one with Ta Prohm. Several of the trees have taken root on the ceilings and walls of Ta Prohm, giving the temple an air of mystery.

You see the roots of the Kapok trees snaking their way throughout Ta Prohm.

When FOY MrB checked out our photos of Ta Prohm, he immediately told me, "I’ve seen this as the set for Tomb Raider." And he was correct, Ta Prohm is easily the most recognizable of the temples used as a backdrop for the movie Tomb Raider.

When we returned from vacation I read an article that mentioned the the Archaeological Survey of India will soon begin to do some restoration work on Ta Prohm. To my relief all work is planned so that the trees are "not disturbed in any way."

Wandering Chopsticks also enjoyed Ta Prohm.

Ta Keo:

As we approached Ta Keo, we quickly noticed something unusual. There was no ornamentation, and it remained undecorated.

At around 1000AD, construction of Ta Keo ceased, and it was abandoned. Legend has it, that Ta Keo was struck by lighting, which was seen as a bad omen.

Thommanon:

The temple of Thommanon is well restored, and small enough to enjoy quickly.

But the thing we’ll always remember the most about Thommanon is the poor fellow on the right. While his parents and siblings were enjoying themselves, he was having none of it. Yes, "temple fatigue" was rearing its ugly head. His parents and siblings viewed this with much good humor….his brother even made sure to catch some great shots with the camcorder. I’m sure the tired little guy will hear about this for many decades to come! "Remember the time we went to Angkor, and you had a tantrum….."

Preah Khan:

Jayavarman II is credited as being the founder of the Khmer Empire, and according to legend, the Preah Khan, or "sacred sword" is said to have symbolized his power. It is speculated that this was the home of the mighty sword, a copy of which said to still be hidden away at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh.

Like Ta Prohm, Preah Khan is left in a rather unrestored state.

It is believed that up to 10,000 people lived within the walls of Preah Khan during it’s heyday. And also that a prestigious and famous school was housed on it’s grounds.

After Preah Khan, Narin asked us if we wanted to revisit any of the temples we had seen to end or day. We decided that The Bayon had been our favorite site, and making a more detailed exploration of the wonderful bas-reliefs would be a nice way to end our 2 day visit to Angkor.

Narin decided to take us through the lower East Gate of Angkor Thom, known as the "Gate of the Dead":

It is less restored, and much more peaceful than the famous South Gate.

We ended our day, taking in the bas-reliefs of the Bayon in greater detail.

Narin dropped us back at our hotel. We showered and headed out to dinner.

Siem Reap is an interesting town….during the day, it is very calm, and sleepy. During the evening, after everyone has returned from the temples, it is a bustling, and busy tourist mecca.

During the day this street:

Is transformed to this in the evening…..

Though these street stands are more directed at feeding the locals.

You’ll find an interesting variety of food at these night markets.

Chinese style roasted and BBQ’d meats seemed popular.

With grilled items a very close second.

A very typical meal for the locals goes this way; you walk up to a stand full of pots. It is perfectly fine to peer into the pots. You decided what you want to eat, and your meal comes with whatever is chosen and rice.

On this evening, noodles seemed to be very popular.

These stands use packaged dry noodles that are cooked and kept to the side. When an order is placed, the noodles are stir fried, with bean sprouts, soy sauce, hot sauce, and maggi, and sometimes served with a fried egg on top. A very cheap meal.

So what did we get? Well, you’ll just have to wait for that one!

Kbal Spean:

After our filling breakfast of Num Banh Chok, and a short stop to check out how palm sugar was made, we were on our way to our next stop, Kbal Spean. Kbal Spean is not a temple in the typical sense of the word. Located about 25 kilometers from Angkor Wat, Kbal Spean is a sacred site in the jungle. As we drove it started to rain fairly hard. This made Narin turn to us and say, "you are good luck, we’ve been waiting for the rain." After a bit of sliding and mild hydroplaning, we arrived at a large field.

At the rear of the field is the trail to Kbal Spean.

The hike takes about 20-30 minutes through the jungle. The trail was a bit slippery, but except for a few steep areas pretty easy. The humidity and the moisture made me feel like I was back home in Hawaii hiking.

The main feature of Kbal Spean is the river, which contain carvings that have been done in the bedrock. According to some of the literature we read; these carvings were originally made in the 11th century by hermits who inhabited the area.

Many of the symbols are "Lingas", sacred symbols.

And fertility symbols abound.

We had arrived right after a very loud group of Young Japanese Tourists who were making a racket and walking back and forth over the stone carvings. Soon enough, a little Gentleman wearing a blue shirt emblazoned with a badge restored order. Seeing that there would be no more jumping over the rocks and walking across the river carvings the group soon left. The Gentleman, seeing that the Missus was interested in the carvings, gave us a little tour.

It was a neat encounter; neither of us spoke the other’s language, but somehow we communicated and understood each other through gestures and sign language. And of course, there are gestures that are universal…..especially the ones used to explain which of the carvings were fertility symbols!

The water that passes over all of the symbols is supposed to be Holy Water. And of course you know the Missus had to get some of that!

Luckily we had packed our raincoats! As I always say, we need all the help we can get.

The hike down seemed amazingly short, and I felt refreshed by the change of scenery. And so we headed off to our next stop.

Banteay Srei:

About 20 Kilometers East of The Bayon; Banteay Srei is unique for several reasons. The first becomes apparent at first glance:

It’s the wonderful red color of the sandstone used for this temple.

Making some of the carvings quite stunning.

  The other unique bit of information about Banteay Srei is that it is the only temple in Angkor not built by royalty. It was instead built by two brothers; Yajnavaraha, the court physician and trusted confidant of King Rajendravarman II, who granted them the land, and gave the brothers permission to build, and his younger brother Vishnukumura, who was a wealthy landowner.

Whatever the history, this is a beautiful site, and quite deserving of it’s modern name Banteay Srei, which I was told means "Citadel of the Women". The temple itself is small, and can be covered fairly quickly, but chances are you’d want to take your time.

I can’t say the same about our next stop…..

Pre Rup:

This place gave me the heebie-jeebies. It just looked ominous…..and frankly kinda spooky.

The place was also very empty. As I climbed up the temple stairs, I could imagine flying creatures with fangs swooping down to prey upon us from the crumbling spires.

The Missus later told me that the current name, "Pre Rup" means "turning of the body", and many Cambodians believe that cremations and other funereal rituals were carried out here. This story is fiercely debated. But, I can see where the stories come from….

And while the Missus was standing on the third level looking for Angkor Wat, I couldn’t wait to get the heck out of the place. As I scurried down the tiny stairs, the Missus had to keep reminding me to watch my step. One false step could be my "Pre Rup"……

We got back to the car, and a more pleasant subject came up. Lunch!

Meet the Prahok:

Unfortunately for us, we stopped at one of the many tourist eating spots that line the edge of Srah Srang (The Royal Bath). We did convince Narin to eat with us. The menu was a uninspired collection of Thai, tourist-Khmer, American, and European dishes. Wouldn’t you know that the Missus ordered Fish Amok…sigh…..

I couldn’t even bring myself to taste it….

I ordered some very routine Lemongrass Chicken:

What did Narin order? Narin ordered in Cambodian, so it remained a mystery, until it arrived. He had ordered Hamburger and Fries!!! The Missus and I looked at each other in astonishment. It was a platter of mystery meat disks, that by the two handed effort (no buns, Narin held the fork with 2 hands to bite, nay tear a piece off) necessary to eat it, must have been closer to jerky than meat. There were strips of soggy looking shoe-string potatoes on the plate as well. Later the Missus postulated that Narin had never had a chance to have a burger and fries, so he probably took this opportunity to sample "American food". After eating that garbage, I wondered what he thought of the American diet? Regardless of what he thought of what Americans eat, there’s no doubt in my mind that he must think we have the strongest teeth and jaw muscles in the universe!

There was one bright spot of the meal. Narin had noticed that we enjoyed eating the local food much more than the tourist food, and brought by a little dish.

It was Prahok, the crushed or pounded fermented fish paste, a staple as important in Cambodia as cheese or butter is here in the States. At first taste, it was very pungent, the fermented fish flavor made me tilt my head back in surprise. But with the addition of some lime juice to take the edge off, I rather enjoyed it on my rice. I mentioned the crunchy texture, and the distinct sour flavor to the dish. This made Narin smile……if you enlarge the photo above, you’ll find out why…..

He told us, "it is the ants". Say what? As I focused my beady eyes on the little dish of half consumed Prahok, I could make them out. And yes, there they were, red tree ants, dozens of them in the dish….they were indeed crunchy, and added an interesting sour flavor to the dish. I took one of them out for a photo-op. So say hello to my ant:

Srah Srang:

One of the good things about this restaurant was that is was right across the street from Srah Srang, the Royal Bath. Not really understanding the magnitude of Srah Srang, we crossed the street, and dodged the grazing animals:

And walked to the edge of Srah Srang:

Boy, this was some bath…….

More like a lake. And the breezes coming off the water gave us some relief from 100 degrees plus temperature.

A few minutes later; sufficiently refreshed, we headed off on the last leg of our tour of the Temples of Angkor……..

As I noted at the end of my last post, we had just finished a repast of Khmer Noodles (Num Banh Chok), and the Missus had wandered off. It seems that She had been unable to ward off the temptation of fresh Durian. And having been suitably tempted, She purchased a nice fresh Durian. I’m sure that all travelers to Southeast Asia has at least one Durian story, and here’s ours.

The Missus has this Durian, the smell of ripe compost wafting in the air so thick I could have cut it with a chainsaw. She brings it into the car…now you must remember that we have a whole, hot, humid day ahead of us.

And though Narin thought it humorous that the Missus would be so excited over Durian, I was kind of worried about having the smell of stewing sewage permeating the car for the entire day. Which led to a conversation:

Me: Did you really have to buy that Durian?
The Missus: Looks good, huh? And I didn’t see any "no Durian" signs around the hotel.
Me (lowering my voice): You realize that this car isn’t Narin’s, right? He’s probably renting it. And he’ll return the car smelling like Durian.
The Missus: Oh….. 

Suddenly, the Missus brightened up…it had all become clear, a solution presented itself. The Missus reached over, opened my backpack, placed the Durian into my backpack, and zipped it up tightly. I should’ve kept my mouth shut. To this day, Sammy will be walking past my backpack, he’ll suddenly stop, sniff, and look up at me with an expression that says: "Daddy, did you poop in your backpack?"

Along the way to our first destination Kbal Spean, we passed numerous stands; each with woks, or pans simmering over fire. Narin, seeing our interest, stopped. These stands were making Palm sugar:

Narin showed us the various Palm Sugar products.

And even went over the fruit and differences between the male and female palm. Unfortunately, I flunked Palm anatomy and physiology, so I don’t know which is which.

There was also a Cashew Tree, which fascinated me. I’d never seen one up close before.

The nice lady even had the Missus taste a cashew fruit…..I could tell by the sour look on Her face, that I wanted no part of it.

As our way of thanking the lady for being so gracious, as we found most all Cambodians to be, we ended up buying two tubes of palm sugar.

This palm sugar is darker than the palm sugar I buy at the market here in San Diego.

The flavor is a much more condensed "complex" sweetness. I used some in a Beef Salad I made, and because I used the usual amount of the stuff, it overpowered everything else in the dish!

As we headed up the 25 or so kilometers to Kbal Spean, it started raining pretty hard. Narin smiled, turned to us and said: "this is quite unusual, it is early for the rains to start, you must be good luck."

Here’s another Durian story, some friends of mine have a bunch of siblings…so many that I think I’ve lost count. When they were young, their Mom, always so resourceful, used to lock up the Durian in a cabinet with chains and a padlock!

So what’s your Durian story?