Top 5 Temples of Cambodia’s Greatest Khmer Ancient City

Top 5 Temples of Cambodia’s Greatest Khmer Ancient City

Temple

The Temples of Angkor, located in the north west of Cambodia, represent the most important archeological site remaining from the Khmer culture; they are a tangible standing monument to the glory of the Khmer empire that once thrived in the heart and soul of Southeast Asia and are, up till today, a national pride for the Cambodian people. During the Khmer Rouge terror that took hold of Cambodia not so long ago (1975-1979), most of the Khmer cultural items were destroyed, but even the unstoppable rage of Pol Pot –its leader and instigator- was held by the greatness and immeasurable value of the Angkor Temples, which were fortunately saved.

The Temples of Angkor have been designated the Eighth Wonder of the World and encompass a group of religious buildings and complexes spread throughout the forest; they were once the worship centers of the Khmer empire’s nucleus and were located within a flourishing city. Stone was reserved as raw material for the gods and this is the reason why today we can only see the remains of religious buildings, with no trace of the commoner’s housing.

During the Angkorian period, the Khmer empire was the regional power and its culture was dominant over the territory which today encompasses Thailand and Vietnam, with Cambodia at its core. Khmer people were organized in a God-King Monarchy, where religion was tightly related to politics; most of the artistic production had to do with elements of divine worship. Because of the commerce between India and China, Cambodia was influenced by the Indian culture and religion: its influence is visible in the Hindu religion elements present in their temple’s design, along with Buddhism traits. In fact, one of the great Angkor Kings “Suryavarman II" was inspired by the Hindu deity Vishnu to create Angkor Wat, while King Jayavarman VII was led by his Buddhist devotion to the construction of Angkor Thom. Today, the majority of Khmers follow the Theravada branch of Buddhism; nevertheless, Hinduism is still threaded into it in different ways (ceremonies, legends, sculptures).

1. ANGKOR WAT

Angkor Wat is considered the largest religious center in the world and it is Khmer’s national symbol. The temple was build from sandstone blocks picked up more than 50km away and transported through the Stung Siem Reap river on rafts, which is quite an undertaking. Unlike the other Angkor temples, it has been continually used since it was built up to this day and it is in better conditions than other temples that where abandoned and invaded by nature.

One of Angkor Wat’s most cherished sculptures is an 800m long series of bas relief related to Angkor mythology. The most famous scene “The Churning of the Ocean of Milk” depicts 88 demons versus 92 gods, holding opposite ends of a massive serpent and stirring up the sea to extract the elixir of immortality.

2. BAYON TEMPLE

Angkor Thom is a fortified city containing different temples and ceremony centers:

• Bayon, a temple characterized by the enormous faces decorating the gothic towers.

Bauphon, which was taken apart by a team of archeologists working on it, and whose records were destroyed by the Khmer Rouge destructive madness.; this made it almost impossible to rebuild it, but now, after years of reconstruction, this temple has finally been restored.

• Terrace of the Elephants
• Terrace of the Leper King

3. TA PROHM

Ta Prohm is one of the most impressive temples of Angkor; all though it has been partially destroyed, its beauty lies mainly in the fusion between Khmer’s architectural art and the fecundity of the jungle that grows and expands, wherever it may need to anchor its roots, to exploit its powerful potential. Moss grows in every stone. Trees respect no boundaries. The vegetation at Ta Prohm reminds us just how old this human creation is.

4. ROLUOS TEMPLE

Bakong Temple, along with Preah Ko (see images above) belong to the Roluos Temples, which are the earliest big stone Khmer temples. Preah Ko belongs to the pre-Angkorian period. Bakong is dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva. Both are made of brick and sandstone with plaster reliefs.

Bakong is surrounded by charming little houses here and there, with beautiful flowered gardens that bring more color to the scenery. The dark stone, red clay, bright colored bugambilias and vibrant green make a beautiful contrasted composition.

5. BANTEAY SREI TEMPLE

Banteay Srei temple this is the fabled pink temple of women, so called because it is made of pink sandstone and considered a tribute to the beauty of women. Its small size, delicate carvings and remarkable state of preservation make Banteay Srei one of everyone's favorite temples. Its Apsara and male and female divinities represent the most skilled craftsmanship of sand stone carvings. Banteay Srei is located about 25 kilometers north of Angkor. It was dedicate in 987, making it one of the oldest temples in the region, though it was not rediscovered until the 1900s.

Unknown Pada 12:18 AM Komentar

Cambodia Spiders, snakes and deep fried insects

Cambodia Spiders, snakes and deep fried insects

Beside Temple

Cambodia style cooking of deep fried bugs.

Finger foods from Thailand and Cambodia can give a whole new meaning to Thanks Giving Day or Christmas.Out go the corn on the cob and the stuffing, in comes the Kentucky Fried Tarantulas and the Crispy Locusts.

Poisonous Spiders and Venomous snakes are just mouth watering treats in many parts of Cambodia and Thailand. Sounds a bit sickening, but don't knock it till you've tried it. How about a lovely snake stew to keep you warm in those winter months, or a portion of beetles to help the digestion system cope with the unexpected delivery of foreign finger foods.

These venomous spiders and snake finger foods may not be the normal daily meal in the larger cities of Thailand or Cambodia, but when visiting certain areas, you may be offered snacks and meals which could turn your stomach just by looking at them.

But they are also safe to eat, most of the time, somethings in this world, us westerners think should not be eaten, and if they are not prepared and cooked properly, can give you diarrhea, food poisoning and even cause death.

Deep Fried Tarantula Spider

Not so much finger foods, more like leggy foods. This venomous spider delicacy is enjoyed in many towns and cities across Cambodia and Thailand. Tarantulas caught and deep fried, the crispy critters don't stand a chance against a hungry Cambodian, who can chow down on twenty of them for breakfast, with a bit of salt, and they are full of protein.

The Thailand and Cambodian cuisine of tarantula spiders, is called 'A-ping', and you can usually find this delight from street vendors, freshly cooked, just after they have been harvested from their burrows. The crispiest tarantula spider is possibly the best one to eat, as the stomach juices may of hardened a little, rather than opting for a plump one and getting a mouth full of Tarantula puss and intestine juice.

The spiders are usually deep fried and coated with a sugar solution, so as not to let the hairs on the legs tickle your throat. The best way to eat one is to snap a couple of legs off first, if you try and put the hole spider in your mouth, then it may seem alive as all the legs might prick the inside of your mouth as you bite down.

Once you have got your two legs, just pop them into your mouth and chew delightfully on the sugery flavor, Then wait till you absorb the tastes of the mouthwatering body, the flavour apparently is nutty, but that soon disappears into a tongue lashing of bile's and fluids that really should never have invaded your taste buds. Very healthy and possibly stomach churning, a must for a daredevil tourist.

Crunchy Grasshoppers

Cambodian and Thailand Cuisine allows for the cooking of, well anything really. Grasshoppers make a fine and tasty nutritious rich snack or as a side dish with meat. Cooked and skewered, these street treats are very popular and can cost about $0.15 cents, for a chunky deep fried threesome. Cooked in a garlic and herb oil, and served with a sauce and a portion of rice to complete a lovely meal. These critters are also cooked in parts of Africa, South America and Mexico.

Grasshoppers can also be barbecued and can make a burger seem tasteless by comparison. Impress your guests next time you have a barbecue, and seek out the ultimate flavours of the world, I am so sure they will be impressed, they will be hunting their own grasshoppers the next day, after all, 5 million grasshopper eating people cannot be wrong, can they ?

Snakes

Snakes in Cambodia make a tasty alternative to deep fried tarantula, as with snakes they can be barbecued, grilled, and put into curry's and stews. Snake meat tastes slightly different depending on which snake you are to sample. From different restaurants and street vendors snake can taste like chicken or even strong fish. Snake can be served with many different side dishes, very similar to a piece of meat at home.

Some restaurants offer snake-bitten chicken dishes. This iswhere a live chicken is bitten to death by a venomous snake, then the chicken is cooked for you. Apparently the chicken meat will then have a lovely flavour and the venom is good for you. Snake meat is enjoyed in many places around the world, and is available in New York, Washington, London and most other cities in Chinese and Cambodian restaurants.

Try some today, take the kids for a tasty treat, just don't tell them what they are eating until they have finished.

Deep Fried Bugs

In Thailand and Cambodia, and also throughout Asia, eating bugs or creepie crawlies is classed as the norm. Our children go out for an ice cream or a bar of chocolate, whereas many Cambodian children go out for a deep fried cockroach or maggot snack. It's more or less the same, it is just the taste that is different.

Street vendors will sell virtually anything if it has legs or wings, and can put Sweeney Todd of London to shame, and Hannibal Lecter would call this place paradise.

Eating bugs such as maggots is actually healthy, according to most nutritional experts, full of protein, so when in Thailand or Cambodia, try one, according to most tourists, they do not taste that bad, probably not that good neither, maybe try a deep fried sea horse for starters.

Fried Sea Horse

Not to every bodies taste, this traditional cuisine will not go down well with many people whom adore these small creatures.

More difficult to eat than most due to their exoskeleton, the deep fried sea horse provides another example of Cambodian snacks.

Unknown Pada 6:28 PM Komentar

Obtaining a Cambodian Passport

Obtaining a Cambodian Passport

Travel Tips

Yesterday I once again became involved in obtaining a passport for a Cambodian national so I’ve decided to share this and give it a heading easily found in the TA Search In function. There have been occasional enquiries about this. So here it is and accurate:

All passports are issued by the Ministry of Statistics and Passports, Passport Department, Phnom Penh. Applications for passports initially processed by police in the provinces all come here for checking and processing.

A Khmer needs to produce two essential documents when applying for a Cambodian passport:
a. Family Book = KH … seivphaov kroosar / Band kroosar
b. National Identity Card = KH … Cat Procheachun / Atack sanghannaban Khmer
A Cambodian passport is issued for a period of three (3) years but may be extended on payment of the applicable fee, currently $60, for another three years.
The cost of a passport is based entirely on the speed of processing, which is somewhat flexible, and the fees at time of writing are:
45 to 55 Days $135.
25 days $185.
14 days $290.
03 days $380.
One day $480.
The above fees, when application is made in person in Phnom Penh, include the check and validation of documents, completion of the necessary forms by a department official and the photography.

Based on the four passports I have provided funds for and several renewalls, I have to say that the applicant gets what they pay for. Timings of delivery of the new or renewed passport can be a little bit plus/minus but are generally correct, In fact, in normal times 130 days seems to be the norm. However, currently so many Cambodians are seeking passports so that they can work for far better wages in Thailand that there is a bit of a backlog on getting passport processed. Hence the current guideline of 45 to 55 days. But i expect the current applicant, known to both of us and not your.

Unknown Pada 6:29 PM Komentar

Maximum amount I can withdraw from ATM

Maximum amount I can withdraw from ATM

Travel Tips

In some countries you could withdraw only a very small amount of money from ATM, not being allowed withdrawing more.

Yes, of course if you need more money you can repeat the withdrawal 2, 3 or 5 times. But most of the bank was charging a fixed commission for any withdrawal, which means a very high charge for any (small) withdrawal.

So you would like doing as few withdrawals as possible.

Which is the maximum amount of money I can withdraw at a time in Siem Reap?

It is depend on the bank you withdraw. ANZ Royal is the most popular bank that tourism would like to withdraw with and the maximum per day is 4000$. Canadia Bank, you only be able to withdraw 800$ per day.

So if you would like to withdraw money via ATM please call the bank for their information in case you need to withdraw big amount of money.

Unknown Pada 6:15 PM Komentar

How to combat the milk powder scam

How to combat the milk powder scam

Travel Tips

Last week in Siam Reap, I came across the milk powder scam ( a child holding a baby begs the tourist for milk powder instead of cash) and actually saw an American tourist pay $59 US at the mini market for the milk powder, which is then sold back to the shop etc etc. It was too late, but I told the American of the scam and whilst he was horrified, was also annoyed that he had parted with his cash. The young boy scammer, started getting extremely angry towards me for me explaining the scam to another tourist couple, who were possibly also about to be relieved of some of their cash. In excellent english he told me to "go away"and then kicked me in the shin when I didn't. The Police are in on this scam! He encouraged me to go with him...pointing to the two Policemen sitting at the end of Pub St. He showed no fear of walking towards them with me.

Instead, I got out my camera and started videoing him....saying "Hey...ok if I put this on You Tube?'' That's when his attitude changed very quickly. He tried pulling his tee shirt over his head, turning around, hands covering his face....anything to avoid his face and this scam being put on the internet. When he thought I had gone....he pulled his Tee Shirt down from over his head....only to find me still videoing. I'm not going to put it on You Tube....however....someone eventually might.....and the more exposure this scam gets, then the more likely that the perpetrators will have to give up on this horrific way of using new born babies to make money for scrupulous pathetic adults. So I might be wrong.....but by me taking out my camera....that was his biggest fear, not reporting to the Tourist Police.

Unknown Pada 7:33 PM Komentar

On the Snail Trail 6 Days, Siem Reap

On the Snail Trail 6 Days, Siem Reap

Travel Tips

We would wave goodbye to the many others that were still waiting for their transportation to arrive. In Stung Treng we would have some lunch at the Riverside Guesthouse while waiting for the 2 o’clock departure for Siem Reap, ETA 7:30pm.

Our van driver to Siem Reap would arrive at 2:30, from the guesthouse he would take us to the ferry for the river crossing. This vessel is an interesting trip in itself. The ferry is powered by an old tug. Try to stay upwind of the soot that belches from its stack. After walking up the riverbank on the other side, we were then taken to the van to SR, all 5 of us. There were other vans making the same trip. I noticed one van being force fed passengers and then luggage for dessert. For a time I felt sorry for them but that would pass. The five of us hopped into the van and we were on our way.

The road wasn’t that great, I thought not like some of the reports I’d read. After a couple of kilometres we were on the New Road to Siem Reap. Because of the late departure from Stung Treng our arrival into Siem Reap would be delayed. The first part of the trip was fine, a good road, the driver was OK we stopped for a twenty minute break along the way, all good.

Then it started to get dark, the things we saw along the road that night would be enough to turn your hair grey or, if that’s already the case white. Chinese mechanical ox jump out of the dark, large trucks with boards jammed up under the rear bumper bar (there would be men sitting on these boards that hung out 3 meters beyond the bumper) pedestrians appear and disappear before your brain registers exactly what just happened.

It’s a trip we would not do again if we could help it…. no way Jose!
The van pulls into a guesthouse very close to the Children’s Hospital in Siem Reap, we are invited in, we decline. We have other accommodations in mind. Making our way down the lane we flag down a passing tuk-tuk and head towards the Mandalay Inn. This is a place that receives good reviews and has so for years. The next morning we couldn’t get out fast enough. Now thinking back, we think it was a dead heat between the overnight bus from Pakse and this place for being, the worst night’s sleep we had on the entire trip.
We would then look at several of the other hotels in the vicinity, and found the Siem Reap Sky Inn just across the road from the Terrasse des Elephants.

If you drove past you wouldn’t know it was there, $12 a night, fan, air-conditioning, flat screen cable TV, refrigerator, hot water, clean white sheets that were changed everyday, and a lovely staff all within five minute of Pub Street. The Sky Inn had twelve foot ceilings with decretive cornice and ceiling rosettes that were a reminder of days gone by. A great find for $12.

The cook and I would stay here in the Sky Inn for another five nights. We would eat upstairs at the Cambodian Restaurant the Khmer Kitchen the Red Piano (a couple of times) Steven Corner BBQ down near the Night Markets was interesting and a few other places during our stay. On one occasion while we were sitting upstairs in the Red Piano we noticed a few of the milk formula mums breaking into a canter with a couple of policemen in hot pursuit. The police had several of the scam artists bailed up. We would also notice that in the mini mart where they exchange the formula for money, someone had written the words “milk scam” in text across the side of the can.

We like Siem Reap; we enjoy visiting the markets, talking to the people, and watching the town evolve. Although I will say that being asked if you want a tuk-tuk every five steps gets a little tiresome after a while. You’ll notice a gap in the traffic, get ready to cross the road, just then a tuk-tuk driver will slow down right in front of you and ask if you want a tuk-tuk. Having to negotiate your way around the traffic on the footpath becomes a pain in the rrrrs after a while, but all in all we like Siem Reap a lot.

After five days we think its time to hit the trail again. We pick up Capitol Tour bus tickets to Battambang from the ticket office just across the road from our hotel. For $4.50 a piece (in seats 1 and 2 sitting right behind the driver) we’d be on the 9:30am bus out of town the next day. Saying our goodbyes to the girls at the Sky Inn, before making our way across the road to the pick up point (the ticket office) for Capitol.
While we were waiting I had a nice talk to a young couple. He would mention the large numbers of his countrymen that were making their way back to the provinces from Thailand. He was a tuk-tuk driver taking a break during low season. He said things had to change, and how the old men were scared while the young had no such fear.

They pointed to our shuttle bus that would now take us down the road a few kilometers to the (what we saw as new) Capitol bus station and a big comfortable bus. Seat one and two on the left hand side of the bus are great, the seats opposite are terrible. At the time the road to Battambang (Buttumbong) is fine, short stretches of the road being resurfaced are evident. The bus pulls into the new (for us) bus station on the outskirts of town. Here we would (after evading the tuk-tuk huddle) hop onto the free shuttle bus that would then take us right into town. The Seng Hourt is the place we wanna be…we had kind of a tentative booking, we had arrived a couple of days ahead of schedule.

Unknown Pada 6:25 PM Komentar

Traveling from Bangkok to Siem Reap

Traveling from Bangkok to Siem Reap

Travel Tips

Why travel over land from Bangkok to Siem Reap?

The reason why many people opt to travel over land from Bangkok to Siem Reap is that there is an airline monopoly on the route. Only Bangkok Airways flies between the two destinations and for that the price for the tickets is high. Many people prefer to travel over land to save money.

How to travel from Bangkok to Siem Reap

Many has been written on many websites on how to travel from Bangkok to Siem Reap. You have to understand that there are two parts in the trip. It is not possible for a car to cross the border between Thailand and Cambodia, so you need to first travel from Bangkok to the border and look for other transport once you crossed the border.

There is a new direct bus line from Bangkok all the way to Siem Reap. They leave every day from the mo Chit Bus Terminal in Bangkok at 09:00 and the price for a ticket is 750 baht (not including visa).

The Scams

There are several scams at the border. The first one is the fake border office, where they will tell you that the visa costs 40 USD and you need to arrange it there to get a speedy crossing. This is complete Bull, you can get your visa once you pass the Thai customs and the price should be 20 USD. Unfortunately even the direct bus from Bangkok to Siem Reap from the Mo Chit Bus Terminal in Bangkok also makes a stop at the Scam office, which is a shame.

The money exchange scam, they might tell you that there are no cash machines in Siem Reap which is not true. They try to force you to exchange Thai Baht into local Cambodian Riel for a very bad rate. No need to do this, there are plenty of cash machines in Siem Reap, which will give you USD and Riel. Best is to use dollars, because you can use them later in your travel. There is no where that you can change Riel into other other currency outside Cambodia.

Traveling from Bangkok to the Border with the train

You can take an early morning train from the Hua Lampong Station in Bangkok to Aranyaprathet. It is the cheapest way to travel to the border, but also the longest. A third class ticket will cost you only 48 baht (1,5 USD). If you have enough time, the train is a very nice way to travel to the border. At the train station you need to take a Tuk Tuk to the border.


Taking the Bus or a Minivan

You can take big buses from the Ekkamai Bus Terminal and from Mo Chit, you can also take a minivan from the Victory Monument. The minivan is a bit quicker, but also less comfortable then the Bus. The Minivan brings you directly to the border, the bus might stop at the bus terminal from where you still need to take a Tuk Tuk to the border.

Traveling to the border with a taxi

The taxi is without a doubt the easiest and most comfortable way to travel from Bangkok to the border at Aranyapratet. A taxi can get you there in about 3 hours. A regular taxi will cost you about 2800 baht. I used a taxi once through Global Travel Mate and they got me a taxi to the border for 2600 baht. We where with 5 persons, so it was about 500 baht per person, which is not bad. A normal taxi will cost you 2100 baht. They picked us up from our hotel and brought us scam less to the border.

Unknown Pada 6:23 PM 1 Komentar