An ancient Kingdom - Travel log

A small  country with big history that is both inspiring and depressing. This was once Asia's most magnificent early civilizations, the mighty Khmer empire of Angkor, the Kingdom of Cambodia. I went on a group tour with 21 others  on a five days tour to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

Angkor Wat, was once a mighty Kingdom and one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World

The site was so huge that it could take you a week or two or maybe more to explore while we only had an hour and forty minutes to do so. There was a crowd, large as apparently it's tourist season and the best season of the year to be in Angkor before the rains comes pouring. Therefore, literally I am doing a quick walk a round , climb several structures and went up to the highest peak and that's it, it's time to head back to the bus.

The floating village Tonle Sap near Angkor Wat is the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia and of great importance to Cambodia. I supposed that's the way of life, as we speed by, I spotted people just lazing and lying around their verandah or in their hammocks. Such carefree days away from the hustle and bustle of city lives.  Spotted are a floating church and school. Some even own floating gardens, literally they have potted plants floating on a flat surface looking raft next to their floating homes. Seeing those made me simile. Somehow I can't imagine myself living in a home without a land but water. Where would I go ? May be I will be more productive with stitching. I wonder if they have electricity, looks like none thou. Silly thoughts !

Angkor Thom, The Bayon Temple is full of mysterious gigantic 'unknown' face sculptures that adorn it's towers.  Our tour quide, Mr Kao Thatata, a khemer of Chinese descendant  explained that there are about  40 such towers on the site,  each with  faces facing four directions on every towers. Reminded me of the four face Buddha.

Almost all the sites had some kind of ruins and rambles.

Conservation work are ongoing for some selected  temples.  

and there's cravings of Apsara Dances such as these on almost every walls

and  I spotted these traditional Apsara dances on my way out where I just had to take a photoshot

Look at those gigantic roots

Ta Prohm , the one with trees growing over as if the jungle is taking over it. 

This is the movie site of Tomb Raider’s movie and it has to be one of the most unique temples of all as it was found and left the way it was, with the trees and roots invading it's temple walls inside and out and everywhere. Preservations of the site is very visible most probably from possible vandalism.

Wefie Shot

Only half of us went exploring into the temple's interior

the far right guy sticking his tongue out is our cheeky chatterbox tourguide

Mythic statues line the causeway  leading to the south gate of Angkor Thom,

literally called “Great City.”

The Killing Fields temple (no photos - may the souls rest in peace)

The resilience of the population in which estimates say a quarter to a third of the entire population was killed by the Khmer Rouge brutally . Critics, intellectuals, middle class people were executed by the hundreds of thousands and many other perished from starvation and overwork.  Can you imagined new born, toddlers, children and women are not spared from the killing?By the time Vietnam invaded Cambodia and overthrew the Khmer Rouge in 1979, over a quarter of the Cambodian populations had die and many of them buried in mass graves on this very site known as the "killing fields". A pagoda was built to house the skeletal remains of those killed.

Phnom Penh the City
The journey to the City from Siem Reap took approximately 6 hours. The journey was pleasant with views of paddy fields or water plots. Literally , the land has plenty of water and they seem to be planting their paddy as and when they deem fit. They don't seem to have a systematic planting season and harvesting season unlike my country.  As such, along the way, you see some green patches, or vast lands that seem like a lake, while other plots had baby paddy. Some plots even had paddy almost due for harvesting. It was a very sleepy journey, so no photos taken.

The City, like Ho Chih Minh, it's traffic chaotic and their motorcyclists seem to be going at every directions. Maybe it's just me .

The exotic cuisine
Cook and fried Tarantulas, worms, grasshoppers, ants, bees are among the so called exotic food found at one of our pit stop for the 'little room'

Most people from my group tried the worms, it was said to be crunchy, none went for bugs thou.

 Me? No thank you !

Cruising the river is a good relaxing way to end a day's city tour

The Royal Palace

The Independence Monument

built in 1958 as a memorial to Cambodia's independence from France in 1953.

 Statue of King Norodom Sihanouk,honoring the late King Norodom Sihanouk Phnom Penh

Artisan Angkor 

creating job opportunities for young people in rural areas, while reviving traditional Khmer craftsmanship 

Beautiful silk crafts and wood cravings

My five days came to an end too quickly. It was a pleasant journey, sweaty and lots of walking and climbing. The setbacks are we weren't given enough time to explore each and every site we went, but then it's impossible to cover Angkor Wat alone in four days I was told. The best part of this trip was that it's a pre- planned group tour with fixed itinerary and that made life a lot easier. It's like playing follow the leader, who is our assigned  tour guide for the trip. 

I enjoyed the fushion of cusines on this trip.

Chaktomuk Restaurant in Siem Reap, specializing in Cambodian and Vietnamese Buffet

Chrystal Angkor Restaurant in Siem Reap, a fusion of Chinese and Khmer

Red House Restaurant - A Chinese/ Khemer dishes, in Phnom Penh

Tonle Bassac Restaurant  - They serve Khmer, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese and European lunch and dinner. They have grilled sea food, sushi and Sashimi, BBQ and more

We had one evening at Shabu-Shabu & Sushi Buffet, where it's eat all you can.

Both  our 4* hotels, Chatunak and Karavan from both venues had swimming pool and gym and rooftop bars. Happy hours with Angkor Beers is between USD0.50 to USD0.75. I enjoyed a couple of  cocktails to end my day. 

I supposed having a long time friend, Jaimis on this journey with the same zest and shared the same enthusiasm to explore every journey we took on this trip was a true gem in our friendship.

CAMBODIA 18-22 November 2017

Will I be back ? maybe some day to Siem Reap.

Thank you everyone for your good wishes on my trip and thank a lot for coming my blog and for your time to leave me your comments .
Wishing all a fantastic month of  December, ho ho ho