Temple Time in Kampuchea
Sunday, February 07, 2010 by Ry
After spending some quality time in Vietnam we realized if we wanted to taste the other three countries on our itinerary we would have to skip some intricate exploration. Entering Cambodia we realized right away that we would have to return to get a the full flavor of the lives these people live and decided to make Siem Reap our focus after a brief stop in Phnom Penh.
Siem Reap is conveniently set up for tourists and backpackers making their way through Cambodia. So not to get confused they've even labeled a street 'Pub Street' with happy hours from open to late with buy one $.50 draft get a second free. The town has a carefree Southeast Asia feel to it with night markets selling silk, silver and just about anything you can write Angkor Wat on. There are many western comforts lining the streets from pizza and hamburgers to massage tables and convenient stores. The true attraction and often why so many people stop in this town is because less then 10km outside of town lies the lost city of Angkor.
What was once a bustling city is now only remnants of the finest artisans in history. The carvings that remain in the sandstone and plaster describes their lives in amazing detail and tell stories of gods that these people devoted their lives to. Angkor is the most hands-on experience you will ever have with art from thousands of years ago. You feel mischievous as you climb over large pieces of sandstone with elephants and buddas carved into them, almost as if you snuck into the museum after hours and crossed the velvet rope. In the land of Angkor nothing is off limits as you wander through the Khmer world.
Although we had an incredible time exploring this piece of Cambodia's past it pains me to look around and realize that everyone my age and older has lived through one of the most horrific periods in our worlds history. We know that we must return to this beautiful country to get a deeper feeling for the battle these people have had to fight in their lifetime. There is so much beauty in Cambodia and the people are amazing in their generosity as we travel through a land that is so foreign to us. It makes me step back and think about how solid the ground is in our country and how shaken it has been for so many to this day.
Siem Reap is conveniently set up for tourists and backpackers making their way through Cambodia. So not to get confused they've even labeled a street 'Pub Street' with happy hours from open to late with buy one $.50 draft get a second free. The town has a carefree Southeast Asia feel to it with night markets selling silk, silver and just about anything you can write Angkor Wat on. There are many western comforts lining the streets from pizza and hamburgers to massage tables and convenient stores. The true attraction and often why so many people stop in this town is because less then 10km outside of town lies the lost city of Angkor.
What was once a bustling city is now only remnants of the finest artisans in history. The carvings that remain in the sandstone and plaster describes their lives in amazing detail and tell stories of gods that these people devoted their lives to. Angkor is the most hands-on experience you will ever have with art from thousands of years ago. You feel mischievous as you climb over large pieces of sandstone with elephants and buddas carved into them, almost as if you snuck into the museum after hours and crossed the velvet rope. In the land of Angkor nothing is off limits as you wander through the Khmer world.
Although we had an incredible time exploring this piece of Cambodia's past it pains me to look around and realize that everyone my age and older has lived through one of the most horrific periods in our worlds history. We know that we must return to this beautiful country to get a deeper feeling for the battle these people have had to fight in their lifetime. There is so much beauty in Cambodia and the people are amazing in their generosity as we travel through a land that is so foreign to us. It makes me step back and think about how solid the ground is in our country and how shaken it has been for so many to this day.
