The international airport in Siem Reap is three years old, clean, air conditioned and elegant. Likewise, the main road from the airport to our hotel is lined with very large, brand-new, internationally known chain hotels. This is not the way I pictured Cambodia. Our hotel, though more local in style, is also lovely but the road it is on is made of rutted, soft sandy clay. Cambodia is a country of contrasts.
We are only here for a few days. The cost of a flight to Siem Reap exceeds any of the flights we have taken so far. Cambodia wants travelers but it seems only those who are well heeled.
The hotel we stayed was on a rutted, dirt road, just off the main drag. The Auberge Monte Royal is a charming oasis. Our room had a four-poster bed, bright white down duvet, a lovely lanai, a delicious breakfast with 6 choices of fresh fruit and all the amenities of a modern hotel.
Following a delicious breakfast on the hotel lanai, we met our tour guide Dee and driver Rosa. Our three-person tour, set up by Barbara, was, thankfully, in an air-conditioned minivan. Rosa offered us bottles of cold water. Dee and Rosa took good care of us during our stay. Cambodia was scorching and humid even early in the morning. We spent two days visiting various wats. The most famous wats are those in the Angkor Wat complex. These wats were built for King Suryavarman II as early as the 12th century. However, it was King Jayavarman VII in 1181-1227] (aka Jaia 7) who is credited by the Cambodian people for building temples that honored both Hindu gods and goddesses and the Buddha. Jaia 7’s religious tolerance allowed both religions to coexist and created peace in Cambodia. Unfortunately, religious tolerance was not continued under his nephew and successor, Jaia VIII. Jaia VIII had all the Hindu gods and goddesses removed and replaced by statues of Buddha. The first morning we explored some wats in Bayon, on the outskirts of Siem Reap. Seven man-made lakes surrounded this complex. These lakes represented the seven oceans within the kingdom. Man-made lakes surround many of the wats. We also visited the Jungle wat, a wat taken over by the jungle and used for the filming of Indian Jones. We did a lot of climbing.
On our second day we concentrated on the Angkor Wat complex. We admired the bas-relief on the temple at Angkor Watt. The bas-relief is a pictorial retelling of Hindu mythology. We marveled at the architectural genius and engineering feat evident in the Wats. We ruminate on the lives that must have been lost constructing these magnificent monuments. What have we constructed that would stand this test of time?
All were spectacular; but after awhile, though each was fascinating, I began to get temple weary and confused. Happily we took a break and visited a silk farm. I found the visit fascinating.
However, what I realize I like most about traveling is the people we meet. One who touched my heart was Sophea Pheach, a Cambodian woman who left her country as a child when her family became political refugees during Pol Pot’s regime. She grew up in Uruguay and was educated in France. A few years ago she returned to Cambodia to found an orphanage. From there she has continued to help her fellow Cambodians by establishing a silk farm employing over 110 locals, many of them orphans and poor local girls, and making gold silk that is turned into museum quality tapestries, clothing, bedding and accessories. Sophea’s determination to preserve this traditional Cambodian handicraft and helping her country is both admirable and inspirational. Check out her site at http://www.goldensilk.org/index.html
and a wonderful review of her business and one of a kind silk products at http://luxurytravelreview.com/2011/11/07/interesting-inspiring-visit-to-cambodia-golden-silk-farm/
Mark and I also met a young man, Ping, in a temple who spoke to us of his struggle to get an education. As the child of farmers, he is not able to pay for his schooling. He was in school at a monastery but had to return home when his father was injured. He longs to attend school but is now too old to attend the monastery school. He has found a monk who works with him on English. He is unable to marry since he cannot find a good job. This reminded me of the predicament we heard about by some of the men we met in Jordan. It seems that the current employment situation has had a direct impact on their marriage prospects.
As I said earlier, our visit to Cambodia was extremely short. We had a brief glimpse into the poverty that still exists there as we took a taxi to a restaurant that was outside the heavily trafficked tourist area. On the way we saw people living in squalor along the riverbank. With the recent memory of the flooding in Thailand, we wonder how long these people will have their homes before flooding washes theirs away also.
As I reflect on my time in Cambodia, I once again realize how fortunate I am.
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