Thursday, April 19, 2007

Cambodia, i like it

After an hour in a minibus over unpaved mound littered potholes we crossed into Cambodia. With roads ready to be paved a sweet compacted rock road greeted the minibus with much more ease. 3 hours later we hoped on a ferry ate lunch hoped on another mini bus for 8 hours. Somehow the travel agent forgot to make arrangements for 6 of us on the bus so we had to continue another 3 hours out of our original way. Awe the joys of travelling. Phnom Phen was not really a place for me although i was only there for a night. Early the next morn it was back on yes you guessed it another bus backtracking a bit then west toward Siem Riep and Angkor wat. My friends had arranged a tuk tuk for me but did not know i was 3 or so hours late. Poor dude. They do something kinda funny there though the guest house you spend the night at before arriving there sells your name ahead so someone comes on the bus with a card claiming he has accommodation for that special person! Fortunately i new this before hand and slipped through the cracks arriving at my pre arranged guest house.

$20 will buy you a pass for a day of templing. They give you a little perk of enjoying the sunset from a hilltop temple the day before you embark. Slowly sinking like an orange i watched with those goatherd in amazement. From the opposite side Angkor Wat was in view and I was awe struck. Although nothing could prepare me for the day ahead.

5 am wake up straight into a tuk tuk that would remain with me for the rest of the day. Still no sight of the sun the driver made his way through the quiet streets and I arrived at the main gate of Angkor Wat. Massive shot like a firework from my mind. Blood, sweat, and tears are no doubt the creators of this amazing place. Once the bridge over the moat is crossed and the outer wall breached i took in the infamous three spires that are world renown. Ever so slowly an array of ever changing reds, yellow and oranges began to engulf the nights darkness. All in attendance began snapping photos wildly trying to capture this unrelateable experience. I was among those guilty. Although photos come close, there is no substitute for the eye and the mind working together in that solitary moment. My friend Vered and I moved closer and closer eventually reaching the base of the North tower. We scaled it and took in the still beautiful rays shooting out across light-years. Everything was peaceful and the sounds of the many tourists slipped into the distance and I found some quiet time away from everyone. Every wall is covered in intricate details and different carvings. Each telling a different story. We wondered for about to hours through passageways taking in the various sculptures that had been given to the temple such a long time ago. The scale of this place is so vast i cannot explain. Energy of a very spiritual nature leaked from every pore and crack of every stone that was placed here so intricately. Some stones appeared that a touch would send several sections tumbling. As i lit an incense stick and bowed to the Buddha 3 times i felt calm wash over my body. Here i was in this far away land getting my spiritual side on. Very cool!

With a ride through the woods and an entrance to another temple took form. I could feel the beginning to set in and i knew i could not last all day at this pace. A short walk through the woods lead me to the entrance of this temple. I like to call it the "Indiana Jones" temple. Yeah, its like that. Walls had crumbled to lush green floor some time ago and trees collectively decided to take this place over. Massive roots lay exposed wherever you look and some trees appeared to be growing out of the top of several walls that still stood. Huge curtains of roots slithered to the ground. How these trees got to be so ginormous i have no clue, but like Angkor this temple seemed to be surrounded in a magical air of spiritual energy. Only the trees knew it. Like finding a hidden treasure i excitedly moved through its entirety and was ready for our third.

Bayon temple knocked me even further on my butt as soon as i laid eyes on it down the paved street. I turned into an excited obsessive picture taker here and still i have no way of really conveying the awe that filled my body like an effervescent tablet. Maybe 30 or so spires jutted into the sky and each tip was adorned with a carved faces of the Buddha facing all four directions. Each with its own personality. This temple was very raw like the one before and the weathering of mother nature was quite apparent. Some faces had begun to erode away and others were cracked due to shifts in the foundation. I was surprised at the scale when i found myself standing next to one of these faces. So large and painstakingly precise each and every last one of them.

Lastly in the dead heat of the day i sort of deliriously walked the elephant carved wall and others adorned with time consuming carvings.

Each temple held something different for me which i will forever treasure and remember. If anyone that reads this gets the chance i would recommend seeing it!

The rest of my time in Cambodia was spent on the beach and on a cool quite island!!! With big palm trees and a large beach i was at home.

Trekking in a minibus from the south of Cambodia to Thailand is no light undertaking as the infrastructure is no where to be found. Well actually it is somewhere, and soon the south of Cambodia will be a hit tourist spot.

Somehow i got caught on a motorbike in the middle of Songkran trying to get from one side of Koh Chang to the other and upon my arrival i was soaked along with the rest of my baggage. Songkran is the Thai new year and everyone gets really wet and clean due to copious amounts of water and clothes wash powder.

Much love and Peace to everyone.

Next update: India!!!

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