Has there ever been a greater civilisation on this planet ?...

LATEST BLOG NEWS!

Day 232 - Sunday 31 August 2008 - 'Where did all the love go ...' available NOW in 'My blog's are archived here ...' down the right hand side on IIJCDI and on all good blog sites (and some rubbish ones!)

Day 225 - Sunday 24 August 2008

Imagine your nearest cathedral, then imagine 100 of them, then imagine them spread over an area the size of your nearest town, then imagine that town to be smothered in tropical forest, then imagine the temperature to be 32 degrees C, then imagine the humidity hovering around 80%, then add poisonous snakes, big biting red ants, black and yellow spiders the size of your hand, millions of chirping cicadas, brilliant butterflies, a squadron of dragonflies, sucker footed lizards, scuttling beetles and troops of monkeys - then leave it all alone to crumble and ruin for almost 1000 years - you've just arrived at the Temples of Angkor



















OK - sit down - make yourself comfortable - and settle in for a healthy read - this stuff's unreal - and I know I've probably said that a lot on this adventure - but this time I really mean it - and there's a top prize up for grabs at the end of this post - so enjoy!

When any explorer ever says that you must go and see Angkor Wat it's a bit of a misnomer - yes - you must see Angkor Wat - but that's only one small part of the story - what you must actually see are the Temples of Angkor - many, many, many of them

Macchu Picchu sits atop it's amazing setting in Peru almost alone - yes there are other structures atop Huayna Picchu - and in the Sacred Valley you'll pass many ruins - some close to Macchu Picchu on the Inca Trail - but nowhere nearer this volume, size, density and preservation

Or maybe I should say restoration - for this whole area of temples in northern Cambodia is a work in progress - Japan and India seem to dominate the scene - and Cambodia are obviously leading the way themselves (they're not sitting back and letting others do the work for them - much of modern Khmer culture leans on the ancient civilisation of Angkor for it's meaning) - but many diverse countries have bases here and teams working on the ruins - for it's all one enormous jigsaw (not helped by the Khmer Rouge killing many of the only experts and destroying the only copies of the solution) - the temples are in ruins - and pieces lie scattered in every direction (often accompanied by a small white number scribbled on them by an archaeologist)

And yet there's so much stone here - many of the iconic temples, despite their ruinous state, are complete enough for you to imagine yourself as a pilgrim who's just made a two week journey on foot through a dense jungle canopy full of elephants and leopards to pay homage to the Hindu gods Vishnu or Shiva

For don't make the mistake I did - and believe that the Temples of Angkor are all about Buddhism (Mahayana Buddhism - the 'great vehicle' - to be precise) - because many (maybe most) were created to worship the Hindu faith - the influence from India into this part of South East Asia was enormous bringing both of India's founding faiths here - yet time and the beliefs of various kings of the Khmer Empire have actually fused a variety of religions together in the temples we see today - it's common place to see a statue of Buddha next to a statue of the eight armed Vishnu (Hindu) and a statue of King Jayavarman VII (Devaraja or god-king) - confusing huh? - try writing this stuff!

You know I just can't quite get my head around how this stuff was all constructed into the edifices we see today- the volume of stone is simply mind blowing - and the fact that it was quarried 30-50km away up the Tonle Sap River makes me wonder 'how was it all moved here?' - yet alone - 'how did they then lift it into perfect position 200m from the ground?' (in the case of the Central Sanctuary of Angkor Wat - the highest structure at 200m) - that's half the height of The Empire State Building in Manhattan, New York - 900 years ago (the finest Wat was built between 1113 and 1150) - with ropes made from vines and scaffold made from trees - what a group of geniuses - how could they not hold their empire together?

For everything was pretty much abandoned from the end of the 16th Century - and arguably a few centuries earlier because the Khmer Empire slowly shifted from it's capital here to Phnom Penh (away from the powerful Siamese, modern day Thais, and their capital in Ayutthaya, north of present day Bangkok) - the Temples of Angkor were 're-discovered' again (in the eyes of the west anyway for everyone around here knew what lay lurking in the jungle) by a Frenchman, Henri Mouhot, in his publications in Paris and London in 1863

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Mouhot

(These links aren't working so please cut and paste!)

The French established the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme-Orient in 1899 and took responsibility for the conservation of the monuments - a role it handed over to an International Co-ordinating Committee in 1993 after designation of the whole 400km squared (!!) area as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1992

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/668

And how do I know all this stuff - I'd like to say it was a cracking History teacher at Newent Comprehensive School - I liked Mr Ricketts - but he was bogged down by a crappy National Curriculum and the repeal of those bloody Corn Laws - no - it's books - many of them - Siem Reap is a wonderful and incredibly chic (for Cambodia) town about 8km south of the ticketed entrance to Angkor Park - everyone stays here - there's no accommodation around the Temples (although there are local villages everywhere and a day around the temples gives you not only the best history on the planet but also an insight into the daily lives of rural Cambodians - and more lovely interactions - like my negotiation for 3 not 2 dragon fruit from a stall on the side of the road on my way back to the amazing Mandalay Inn last night - now just $7 for a big room a night)

But books - Siem Reap has loads of books for sale - some from shops - and many from kids trying to make a few bucks during the school holiday/vacation (August is holiday time across the entire Northern Hemisphere) - if you already have the one they're trying to sell you - they'll always be another one - and I currently have 4 on Angkor and the Khmer Empire (admittedly only one from kids - my fave shop is in town) - they're only $5 a go and - the best selection and value I've found anywhere in the world - the odd dodgy photocopy kicking around - but generally ace - ask anyone who's been to the Temples of Angkor if they bought a brilliant, glossy book for a cracking price - and they'll say yes!

For the record we and I explored 35 temples in 6 days = 1 day in a car, 4 days on a tuk tuk and 1 day on a bicycle (me, yesterday and a must if you want to really feel the Temples of Angkor at their best) - but tuk tuks are not far behind - and the company of our driver for 5 days was a joy - Mr Keo Yan is a patient, kind, sincere man with a good sense of humour and an uncanny ability to drive safely around a multitude of obstacles on Cambodian roads (you soon adjust to seeing speeding motos coming at you the wrong way around a blind corner!) - if anyone reading this is coming to Siem Reap please use Yan - it's a hugely competitive market providing rides to foreigners and I can't recommend him highly enough - here's his email address and a picture of him and Lucy ready to hit yet another temple - I hope I see him again in my lifetime

keoyan_2006@yahoo.com

Telephone (Calling Locally) 012 635032
Telephone (Calling From Overseas) 855 12 635032
















But Lucy has now headed back to the UK and I'd like to thank her for coming out to sample this crazy journey and the delights of Vietnam and Cambodia - I probably wouldn't have explored quite so far into the deep parts of these places if I'd been on own - I hope you're back safely Lucy and your photographs look as great on your computer as they do on your camera!

Despite my love for all things Angkorian I won't be covering every temple on this blog - there's just way too many and I have too many notes - instead - in a Top of the Pops (you add the da-da-daaa-da-da-daaa-da-daaa count down music!) style here's a run down of my top 5 - maybe you'll be surprised?!

At 5 - Angkor Wat - the Daddy of all the Temples of Angkor - it's audacious, the entrance causeway/walkway is half a mile long, the bas relief carvings stretch for a mile, it has beautiful sunlit apsaras, it's iconic and everyone comes here - so you can't climb it anymore - and for that reason it's not the best!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat

Nuns and THE Wat ...














Denied ...














Those gorgeous celestial nymphs (or apsaras) ...




















At 4 - Ta Nei - it's deep in the jungle, it's crawling with insects, it's serene, it's covered in moss, it's seldom visited and so it feels like you've just come across a lost city

We're off and walking - I did say deep ...













One visitor in the central sanctuary if you can see past the vine ...




















At 3 - Angkor Thom's East Gate - down the end of the original ancient road (that was paved 12 generations ago but never since), secluded and populated only by monkeys and hundreds of yellow butterflies and still looking the way that Henri Mouhot would have discovered it again 150 years ago

A shopping bike and ancient paved road didn't go together but it was worth it ...

























At 2 - Bayon - covered in hundreds of 2.5m high images of Avalokiteshvara, beautifully lit by the sun at dusk, still an active place of worship for Buddhist monks and the scene of my first ever elephant ride in a French explorer way (the method of transport favoured around all the temples before the way was cleared for the motor engine!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayon

The contemplative Avalokiteshvara ...




















You'll have to enlarge this one to do it justice and see those awe inspiring faces ...




















My transport for the morning ...














At 1 - Beng Mealea - the biggest and best 'ruin' and the ultimate Indiana Jones/Lara Croft/Nathan Drake experience - 'I'm having the afternoon of my life' - miles off the beaten track (over an hour in the car from Siem Reap) - 4 collapsing libraries that saw me scramble and climb my way through them in search of ancient, undiscovered Buddhas while brushing aside big cobwebs that must have been created by big spiders - a central sanctuary that had completely collapsed and provided an ace climbing test - and a close call with the poisonous Hanuman snake - a light green, superbly camouflaged and fast serpent that, thankfully, saw me coming and flashed off into the undergrowth - all in all - the most amazingly adventurous time - if you're ever here - don't miss Beng Mealea !

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beng_Mealea

And here it stands in ruin ...



















Go on my friend - treasures of exploration lie in wait ...













'OK - I can't go back - anything except snakes please ...'




















Hot, sweaty and inspired ...




















A naga lurking in the afternoon sun ...














How many kings and pilgrims once walked through this entrance ...
















Other temples that deserve a mention are Pre Rup because of the grazing water buffalo who hoover up the vegetation in pools of water surrounding the grand scale of the towers - water buffalo are ace - and maybe my second fave animal behind those bloody topper kangaroos!

























And finally Banteay Samre - a closely packed temple that saw one of my two Buddhist/Hindu fortune readings - both of which wished me good luck (the other one was in Angkor Wat) - have I sat cross legged, donated to the gods, had a prayer read for me, had a red piece of wool tied around my wrist (and blown on) and burned incense with monks - of course - I'm in Cambodia - here's the peaceful, charming, warm and friendly Yu Lun and where he spends his days





























OK blog fans - well done for getting this far - I'm now starving hungry and about to laze around the coffee shops of Siem Reap all afternoon writing post cards - but here's that prize opportunity (which I'm also off to buy late this afternoon when the markets get going) - to win - you have to be the first person to either post a comment or email me (for those not 'commenting') the correct answer to this question - 'what's in these bottles?'

A day of downs and ups in Cambodia's capital ...

Day 223 - Friday 22 August 2008

(A 'double blog' posting day - the other one's called 'A slow boat up the Mekong' and if you like to read in order head there first!)

OK - where were we when the last post finished before I headed to the superb Blue Pumpkin for a tad of air con and a lazy lunch here in Siem Reap - oh yes - last weekend in Phnom Penh and a hot bath at the Star/Khmer (businesses change names like the weather here!) Royal Hotel on the Tonle Sap River

That night we indulged in a bit of what I like to call 'Alan Whickering'- Alan Whicker is an octogenarian traveller who travelled the word for BBC/ITV in the 1980s speaking barely a word of the local tongue and dressing like David Niven - not my usual style but it was time for an evening of comfort!

Alan Whicker would have loved the Foreign Correspondent's Club in Phnom Penh - it's a very classy ex-pats establishment with a cracking history in a beautiful French colonial building covered in open balconies that overlook the Tonle Sap River (just a few short steps from our hotel)

http://www.fcccambodia.com/phnom_penh/

It's a restaurant/bar/chitzy hotel with the best service I've had yet in South East Asia - the food was similarly brilliant and reasonably priced ($20 for the works) - but maybe best of all is taking in a beer and observing daily Cambodian's lives unfold on the streets below you - for although we had just hopped over the border from Vietnam the difference was tangible - gone were the myriad of new buildings being developed all over Vietnam and gone were the punchy motorbikes of Hanoi - instead - people were living on the streets and tuk tuk drivers were desperate for your business - Cambodia's got some catching up to do to it's neighbour we'd just left ...

The next day I did the sights of Cambodia's capital in a day (it seems I'm always awake by 6:30am now) - and what a day - a great day on this adventure - but one of stark contrasts - it started with only my second ever tuk tuk ride - and a fast, off the cuff shot, that didn't disturb this monk (I don't believe you should take shots of them like they're dressed up for you - those robes are significant - and while I have a few shots of monks - they're respectfully distant and discreet) ...














I spent the first hours of the day at Tuol Sleng Museum - Tuol Sleng had a more ominous name - Security Prison or simply S-21 during the reign of the Khmer Rouge - they seized power in 1975 until the Vietnamese liberated Cambodia from their grip in 1979 - in the years between 1977 and 1979 16,000 Cambodians and foreigners died at S-21 - that's about 100 a week - in what was simply an old inner city high school - it wasn't a place for pictures so I'll let Wikipedia do the necessaries

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuol_Sleng

I'm glad that I went - but I never want to go back - I deeply admire the way the Cambodian people got through those years to be the bright, fun loving people they are today - maybe it's the political stability - but anyone 30 or more lived through the rule of a party following Mao's 'Great Leap Forwards' - and it's given me another perspective to my earlier comments about communism that are now more balanced - communism is clearly a terrible thing interpreted in that form

But it's also given me another perspective on the War in Iraq - a theme I picked up from Tuol Sleng is 'why did nobody come to the Cambodian's help earlier' - and I wonder if Saddam Hussein was still in power we wouldn't be saying the same thing for the Iraqi's in 20 years time about the human rights abuses committed under his regime - the Weapons of Mass Destruction justification remains unacceptable in my view - but it's another look at the situation in Iraq

But this is about Cambodia - and the rest of the day was as wonderful as the start was grim - Phnom Penh has a brilliant National Museum where all of the best stone carvings and bronze /silver/gold treasures from the Temples of Angkor reside - the architecture of the building itself is a joy to behold - resplendent in orange and red tiling with outrageously long, numerous points from nagas incorporated into the roof (a naga is a mythical snake from the Angkor period - it's everywhere and awesome - and Angkor is the ancient sanskrit word for city - see - maybe you're learning again?!)




















My fave pieces from the National Museum were the head and torso from one of South East Asia's largest ever bronze Sivas and a crystal linga that was IDENTICAL to the Sankara Stones from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - I should know - I got one out of a vending machine in Tokyo!

It's not here but lingam are central to the Hindu faith and this is interesting ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linga

After a chic cafe lunch (the western influence is very prevalent here and smoothies and swank cafes abound in their areas of tourism) I headed back to the capital's Royal Palace and reminded myself that I was back in a democratic country with a constitutional monarchy - it was a bit like Buckingham Palace in that the outer grounds are open to visitors but you can't get near the current King Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromreath Norodom Sihamoni!

The architectural style and the sunny, stifling heat are a bit different mind you - as are the multitudes of those friendly, intelligent (maybe the best education system here is in Buddhist temples?) saffron robed Buddhist monks again - who walk the streets umbrellas in hand for both the sun and the rain - though not always - these guys were clearly optimists!











The biggest structure of the Royal Palace is the Throne Hall with it's 59m high tower that thwarted the attempts of a lovely guy from the United States who tried to get me in this shot
















But the stand out area of the Royal Palace surrounds the Silver Pagoda - it's an opulent Buddhist shrine with a floor made of over 5000 solid silver tiles weighing 1kg each - sadly they're mostly covered to protect them from all the foot traffic - but I managed to find a sneaky corner and feel the grandeur beneath my bare feet - the Pagoda also housed the 2 most beautiful Buddhist images I've seen since the statue posted on one of these blogs from Zenko-ji in Nagano, Japan - I like to think it was the serene beauty in their faces (it's strange how Buddhist images look female to my eyes) but maybe it was the fact that one was made of green glowing Baccarat crystal (The Emerald Buddha) and the other was life size, solid gold and covered in 9584 diamonds, rubies, sapphires and other precious stones - wow - probably worth a ticket to Cambodia on it's own - no photographs inside the Silver Pagoda sadly but for your $6 Royal Palace entry fee (steep here!) you get a fancy book - and it looks great from the outside ...



















Surrounding the inside protective wall of the Silver Pagoda enclosure is a mural that was painted in the early 20th Century depicting the entire story of the Reamker (Cambodia's version of the Ramayana)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reamker

It's a piece of art that must stretch for close on a kilometre - battered and worn throughout it's length it's slowly being restored but the country's money is better spent on it's people I guess - you can't deny that it's bold, dramatic and striking
















Cambodia seems to rely on foreign countries and Non-Governmental Organisations helping to preserve it's history - none from Great Britain you may be interested to hear - but the French of course and especially Japan are stuck right in here - the restoration continues at a slow pace!














The enclosure also featured a miniature of Angor Wat, a deceased king riding his horse and numerous pagodas dedicated to other members of the royal lineage - and I just couldn't stop snapping them against this imposing sky!













Which gets a mention for one simple reason - we're in Asia and it's the hot, steamy and sometimes wet season - because a couple of hours later the heavens opened and it rained more heavily than I've probably ever seen it rain (and I've been wet a few times on this trip) - by the time it had eased and we ventured out for our evening meal we turned the corner and central Phnom Penh was thigh deep in water - but did it stop the plucky Cambodians from going about their daily business - no chance - did we watch the trash on the side of the street earlier in the day float past our knees - yep - did we get laughed at (and soaked) by 6 monks crammed into a still working tuk tuk while wading through the back streets of their temple lodgings - yep - and was it fun - you better believe it - if you don't find re-enacting the garbage compactor scene from Star Wars (A New Hope) your idea of a good time - then maybe Cambodia's not for you!

And, of course, there's no need to panic - because by the time we jumped on board our bus to head north the next day - the water had miraculously gone - we were heading up and alongside the Tonle Sap River and the vast, flat expanse that is central Cambodia - we went through a province that suffered a shortage of food in the post Khmer Rouge years and ate off the land - a tradition they've retained - fried, big, hairy, black spider anyone - I passed - the cobra wine was still in my system!
















But that was nothing and Cambodia's ultimate adventure awaited ...

Where did all the love go ...

Day 232 - Sunday 31 August 2008 (and Dad's/Derek's/'Del's' 70th Birthday today - nicely played Dad!)

Maybe I loved Vietnam and Cambodia more than I thought - maybe I'm just a bit knackered - maybe the developING countries have got it right all along - or maybe it's the big, impersonal hotel I'm staying in ...

But I'm over the border in Thailand, back in a developED country where flashy cars, superhighways, designer shopping malls and great food is a fact of everyday life - and yet most of the Thai people I'm encountering (admittedly only in the service industry) - seem mighty pissed off!

Gone is the smiley banter of Cambodian street markets and instead it's replaced with a game of 'who can frown the longest' - and, if you don't buy, a bemused expression of expectation that your passing interest in someone's goods should surely have resulted in a sale

Now that all raises one big question for me - why? - when we're only such a short hop from neighbouring countries that have influenced me so positively and each other's cultures for centuries - needless to say - I have a few theories!

Number 1 - it's the type of traveller that is attracted here to Thailand and is interacting with the Thai people - maybe - it's certainly the first time on my journey that I've seen hoards of travellers crammed into a bar watching another unoriginal Adam Sandler movie that's been out 'back home' for a while - and the first time for ages I've seen a traveller involved in a rude interaction with a market seller that would have undoubtedly caused the Thai person to lose face - a big insult in this part of the world

Or number 2 - the Thai people don't know how lucky they are compared to their smaller neighbours - part of the reason for their development ahead of Cambodia and Vietnam is the well established trade links with countries from all over the world - especially the west during the 19th and 20th Centuries (lead by King Rama V - the first King from Siam - as it was then called - to visit Europe and adopt western dress)

Or number 3 - what do you expect when you stay near Th Kao San Jez!




















For that's where I type from - the north end of Th Khao San - but before I get ahead of myself here's a different tactic on IIJCDI and the first 'look back' posting about a country - I'm out of Cambodia now but here's what I found out about it - if you like your history - how can you not put this amazing country on your list!

They've got all white cows - and all brown cows - and they look a bit skinny - and they've lovely water buffalo that graze like water vacuum cleaners

There's some brilliant customer service in the Foreign Correspondent's Club in Phnom Penh - and across a lot of Siem Reap

The streets are full of saffron robed, smiling, chatty, open and interesting young monks (men all do a period, e.g. 3 months, as a monk) - and you shouldn't really photograph them - at least not by sticking a camera in their face like they're an attraction

A cracking selection of replica Khmer sculptures for souvenirs (don't buy the authentic stuff - 'it belongs in a museum')

Rurally the people live in wooden houses on stilts with a welcoming flight of steps on the front and the space underneath used for relaxing, storage, socialising and keeping cool!

People display their political allegiances by putting up big signage of a political party outside their house (FUNCINPEC and Cambodian People's Party dominate)

CNN and BBC World News is watched closely - at least by a wonderful tuk tuk driver in Siem Reap called Mr Keo Yan - and again - if you ever need him - keoyan_2006@yahoo.com

Tuk tuks are the best and only way to travel - a 360 degree view of the country - and a refreshing breeze that'll cool you down better than any air conditioning unit

There's a cracking French feel and influence wherever you go - and lots of French travellers - alongside the world's best tourists - the Japanese - who dominate the Temples of Angkor - and I bloody love those guys!

The people in the hotels are so trusting - they'll happily stick a $200 flight on your room bill and tell you to 'just sort it out when you leave

A $1 book will end up costing you $11 really!

The Temples of Angkor give you the most amazing look at modern, rural, Cambodian life alongside ancient, regal, Khmer life

The gasoline comes straight out of Johnnie Walker bottles on the side of the road - it looks like a cool, refreshing lemon drink - just don't make the mistake of trying it!

If you're caught short you take a jimmy on the side of the road here - being seen in a compromising position is better than stepping on a land mine - though they've done a great job of clearing up around the Temples of Angkor

Graceful women (and long robed monks) ride side saddle on the back of speeding motos

It's double currency land - 'we'll take Cambodian riel or US dollars' - 'do you know the current strength of the dollar?!'

Anything goes on the road (I'd know from biking on it) and it's hairy, scary and a right laugh!

The whole country operates outside - and so office spaces get covered in dust - and then feather dusted down every morning!

The people have maybe even wider smiles than the Vietnamese - especially, again, when you try out their incredible Khmer language

The amok leaf in cooking rocks!

It's Buddha-tastic here - and spine tingling when you hear a big group of monks praying to a 5m stone Buddha backdropped by one of the world's greatest, ancient Buddhist temples

The team of young staff at the Mandalay Inn could teach the 'super-casinos' in Las Vegas a thing of two about customer service - they were attentive, forgiving (when I broke the shower head) and, by the end of my week and a half, friends

Cambodia - I sneaked a final last look at those Temples of Angkor on a very clear and sunny early morning (rare in this rainy season) - how I miss them!






































I arrived here in Thailand after one of those 'you'll tell your god-kids about this' journeys - on the Cambodian side of the border at least - for having been picked up from the Mandalay Inn in Siem Reap on an empty bus at 07:30 - I was still in Siem Reap at 08:30 and the empty bus I had sat on earlier?! - was now so full we had to wait while the driver ran to his mate's cafe to grab a plastic chair that promptly slid around the aisle for the morning while the over-booked passenger tried to keep his backside in contact with it - and as for luggage - well - that was wherever it would fit ...














Hot, dry and dusty (well - an open window is air con of a sort - even on baked clay, dirt roads) is how I'd best describe my arrival in country and capital number 11 (OK - 11 and 10 - you've got me - China's the only country I've visited where I've not been to the capital)

And heading back to where I first started this blog I'm not really judging all of Thailand (only a tiny cross section of it) - I'm actually enjoying myself and having a great few days - there's tons of new stuff to experience and notice - like these brilliant men's toilets signs in glitzy, Bangkok shopping centres - if only Great Britain was bold enough to put it so bluntly (and amusingly) ...














Bangkok has a couple (probably more) sides lurking to it - the flashy monied side (east of the city) where all the Hong Kong-esque stuff sits - read skyscrapers and western priced shopping - and the older, more traditional, sightseeing west side (where the traveller ghetto resides)

Now Th Khao San (Th is the abbreviation for road here in Thailand) is a real melting pot of nationalities and, as I understood it, side streets of snake blood shots and go-go girls - (maybe I took the book and the film, The Beach, a bit too literally - well - I had nothing else to compare it against) - in reality - it's more of a kitten than a tiger - it's just a big street full of t-shirts that you can buy in any Top Shop in England - for the real deal of rough end, in there elbowing and haggling with hard sellers of knock off goods' - head to the markets around Mong Kok in Hong Kong - they'd scare this little lot to death!

And why do I say this so vehemently - well check out the first shot of this blog - Th Khao San has sold out to globalisation - in fact I'm just off to sip a 'mocha-choca-latte' in Starbucks when I finish !!!

The other day I spent a happy morning in Thailand's National Museum where their history is presented superbly and you get a real sense that King Rama V and the current King Rama IX (and his Queen Sirikit) are bloody, as we'd say, legends - constitutional monarchs who really care about their people and go about their lives trying to make everyone happier - except maybe the people from Myanmar - it's right to say that the 2 countries have fought each other in the annals of history forever - and resulted in the capital re-locating itself from Lopburi (west of the Chao Phraya River) to the safer, east side (also defended from the Khmers in the east by another river whose name I forget!) - in fact Bangkok has an elaborate network of canals and, with these rivers, has long been dubbed the 'Venice of the East' - my commute from here to head to the 'downtown' west uses the Khlong Saep Saen express boat!

Through history the Siamese used elephants to top effect - and they know how to make a good diorama about it these days!











And then the afternoon was dedicated to my first Thai temple called What Pho - having politely told a renegade tuk-tuk driver it WAS open despite his conviction that it was shut and that I should go with him somewhere else (a long running scam often involving fake gems and giving tuk-tuks a 'don't bother using them' name here in Bangkok)

I was right (it was open 2 hours past what the scallywag tried to tell me!) and to prove it I snapped a shot of the hugely impressive Reclining Buddha - all gold and 46metres long - for this is flashy Buddhism here in Thailand - and I'm not sure if I like it - I thought the principles of Buddhism were about giving up your worldly possessions (and to an extent your wealth) - you don't need to make something as big as possible and cover it in gold leaf to venerate it - still - the Thai's have ...

























http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wat_Pho

But yesterday was more up my alley when it was a case of 'another day, another ancient civilisation' - here I am in hot and sunny Ayuthaya/Ayutthaya (various spellings around 1 or 2 Ts - not unlike Elliot or Elliott, Nick!) - and to be precise stood in front of What Phra Si Sanphet
















Ayuthaya (as I like it!) was the civilisation that pretty much brought the Khmers and the glory of Angkor to an end - it was Siam's capital for 417 years and during it's early years they sacked Angkor Watt and made off with the bounty - covering stupors like the one's behind me in kilograms and kilograms of gold - that have long since been nicked by someone else!

Ayuthaya was interestingly different to the Temples of Angkor - there are similarly loads of temples and abandoned royal palaces - but in an urban setting that's yet another mini-Venice and, consequently, defendable - like everything in Thailand (compared to Cambodia) it was shiny, immaculately kept, lovingly restored and lacking in a bit of atmosphere as a result

But they did pull the 'still makes me smile' Asian issue with R's and L's out of the bag - something I've not seen since Japan for South East Asia is a paradise for English speakers - the literary skills of this part of the world are to be applauded - with the odd, very acceptable, slip up ...











And the lacks were to keep your daps safe while you paid a visit to Wihaan Phra Mongkhon and another behemoth of 'Flashuddhism' - a 50m tall bronze Budhha now covered in gold leaf thanks to a generous donation from the lovely Queen Sirikit (by the way - King Rama IX looks a bit like my Dad - the same spectacles and camera constantly around his neck - I can't find a specific shot of that but here's his Wikipedia page - he's got 10 years on Dad though!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhumibol_Adulyadej

And here's that enormous Buddha - located behind massive stone pillars holding up an enormous (and flashy in red of course) building that makes up the What




















The afternoon in Ayuthaya was dominated by the iconic visit to What Phra Mahathat and a massive stone Buddha's head that's been engulfed by it's 'host' bodhi tree - the head was thought to have been in the process of being stolen when it's robber dropped it and it was too heavy to pick up again - an abandoned city for 100 years did the rest - our ace guide Mr Pok told us to behave ourselves around the image 'cos religion and the law are inextricably linked here - you must always place yourself lower than the Buddha (in reverence) and the sign shows you what to do - he told us that 2 guys 'I won't say where from ... nudge, nudge' (hinting USA I think - he was ace except for that moment - I hate the way everyone assumes that stuff) were locked up for 8 months in Thailand for standing over and mooning at this image - probably a scare tactic related to his tourism permit?! - it worked - I was suitably deferential - as always mind you


The beautiful face may remind you of the stuff seen around Angkor and rightly - for there's imagery and symbology shared across borders here in South Est Asia - it's all Hindu/Buddhist again here in Thailand - right up to the present day ...
















For this shot was taken earlier today at the Royal Palace back in the heart of Bangkok - garudas holding their deadly enemy the nagas! - 'and a little bit more gold leaf'











It was taken on the building on the right of these below (showing the whole temple complex of the Royal Palace) - namely What Phra Kaew (or Temple of the Emerald Buddha) - remember Phnom Penh in Cambodia - there's a theme here - Thailand's version was bigger, grander, dressed in it's rainy season attire (I kid you not - the hot and cold versions were safe inside their attached museum), and worshiped by hundreds on this Sunday morning



















What struck me most about the Royal Palace was it's efficiency, it's tidiness, it's compactness, it's slickness and it's theme parkness - it seemed almost ethereal - and, at risk of being locked up (you don't disrespect the monarchy in Thailand), Disneyland like - but I guess I mean that as a compliment for I have very fond memories of my trip to Walt's place - it's all in the Victorian lamp posts, the shimmering buildings and the immaculate topiary ...




















So all in all it was fun - and to top the day off - the admirably respectful people of Thailand didn't accept my knee length shorts as suitable - and dressed me up in a pair of cotton trousers that were a little large and had me knowing exactly what it feels like to be a pregnant woman in a pair of MASSIVE elasticated waist trousers - still - it could have been worse - it could have been 35 degrees C and melting point for most Europeans - but then - I'm not sure what nationality I am any more ...




















And that's the city and ancient bit of Thailand - I'll be back in Bangkok for a couple of days in about a week to watch a couple of movies (still not seen Wall-E!) and stock up for Nepal and maybe the greatest challenge of this journey (Everest Base Camp here I come!) - but for now - while you're returning from your holidays in the UK (I hope you all had a topper break) and getting ready for the Autumn run - I'm about to have a holiday of my own - it's knackering this professional traveller/blogger stuff you know - well - Thailand is famous for it's beaches ...

http://www.samedvilla.com/

A slow boat up the Mekong

Day 223 - Friday 22 August 2008

OK - so there's some catching up to do - a week and a half has elapsed since the last blog and so much has happened I better dive straight in ...

Last Tuesday we joined Delta Adventure Tours for a 3 day and 2 night trip from Saigon to Phnom Penh - little did I realise what a feat of organisation it would be for them - for when you sign up for a South East Asian trip they seriously share the wealth - we must have passed through the hands of about 6 different guides, placed our butts on 5 different buses seats (for short hops), jumped on and off 12 various boats and viewed miles and miles and miles of muddy sediment coloured Mekong River - what a journey and what an experience

It was straight onto a fast boat out of Saigon and an intriguing switch from city river life (advertising billboards lining the river) to rural river life (small corrugated iron houses, backed by palm trees, on stilts over the river using sand bags to prevent erosion) - and the first of many cramped, hot and sweaty boats - but only inside - get out on the boat's roof and the breeze is a joy (if you can stand the baking sun) - and unless it's the middle of the day - when my thermometer hit a new record high for this crazy journey of 39 degrees C!

Our first stop when we reached Mekong City in the heart of the Mekong Delta (the Mekong is called Nine Dragon River by the Vietnamese) was Unicorn Island where they specialise in making coconut candy (got to use the locally growing produce and they make this stuff everywhere) and a strong wine not un-spirit like in taste - I can tell you that from experience - because despite not being a mega-fan I figured drinking a wine made from them might help protect me - maybe it did - read a newer blog for another snake encounter - this was cobra wine!











There are loads of Islands dotted all around the 40,000 square km's of the Mekong Delta and we tripped between Turtle, Phoenix, Dragon and Unicorn Islands in a small boat up narrow tributaries like this one ...





















The day went by in a blaze of local 'cottage industry viewing' which, in developing countries, is interesting - but maybe not as interesting as the tour companies would like you to believe - these did feel fairly authentic and they were churning out the products for onward sale - but I can only hope this wasn't another display for tourists - I don't think so - again - these people don't have anything compared to our very fortunate selves - I'm pretty sure they needed the sales to help them make a living - and so I wish them good luck for their businesses

Having left the islands we headed to Vinh Long and on the back seat had a very bumpy bus ride - the Mekong Delta's roads are covered with bridges over the myriad of waterways - bridges that don't have the smoothest run ins and run offs - so every few minutes we had a quick flip akin to the drop of the Nemesis at Alton Towers - not that I'm complaining mind you - in fact - I'm amazed at how all these journeys are so common place and easy for me - it seems that life on the road has seen me inherit my amazing brother's ability to never get travel sick - I guess I'm always moving and I've got used to it - if you gave me a copy of War and Peace and told me to read it on the back of a bus across shocking roads? - 'chuck it over, no worries!'

From Vinh Long we skipped across the Mekong (a 20 minute boat ride cos it's that wide!) to An Binh Island and a night staying with Mr Phi's Vietnamese family - they had a fairly big piece of land surrounded by swampy waterways - and had built a simple wooden structure complete with dormitory camp beds (that were brilliantly comfy) and cold shower cubicles (refreshing!) - it was great fun - we did some cooking (spring rolls and fresh veg chopped into crinkles) before helping out with the washing up (which involved squatting on your heels and rinsing everything through 4 different bowls of water to slowly remove the suds) - the ovens were amazing clay fires with a holes in the top where various pots and pans produced the tastiest local, simple fare - a great experience - and as for drying up? - well - let nature drip it all dry alongside the kids playing with their toys and running around ...














Having gone to bed at 21:00 we were up at 06:00 (in this part of the world, like many others, the sun drives everything) for a trip to the local floating market at Cai Be Island - this is where the local farmers in the Delta bring their produce and sell it off the back of their boats - to advertise their wares they tie a couple of examples to the top of a tree branch and attach it to their bows - my fave fruit in the world is now the dragon fruit (a white, sweeter and similarly pippy version of a kiwi fruit) - you might just see one in the distance of this shot ...
















The rest of the day saw displays of making rice paper and Vietnamese rice crispy cakes using a massive bowl that's boiling hot and full of warm (probably roasting) sand - chuck in some oil and the rice (in their husks) and watch it all pop into a product that should be taking over the western world (unlike those e-numbered Rice Krispies cack that I used to eat!) - and what top recyclers and innovators - the husks are recycled and burned to produce the heat for cooking - what bloody legends!

On this day we paused back on the other side of An Binh Island and hammocked (v popular here for afternoon South East Asian 'siestas') before jumping on push bikes and pedaling around local villages - it made us feel a bit special and celebrity-ish - because all across the Mekong Delta the local people prove their open nature and loveliness - you can't travel far before hearing kids shouting hello from a river bank, seeing big waving hands (the waves are big not the kids hands!) and watching smiles as wide as the Mekong itself - you will spend all day doing exactly the same as them back - and it's a marvelous feeling that everyone should experience at least once in life!

At the end of the day we 'docked' in the town of Sadec (still in Vietnam) and cleaned up at the home of Marguerite Duras - a French author who was the subject of the film L'Amant (The Lover) starring Jane March - it was typically French colonial but the dusk market kicking off outside was more interesting to keen photographers - 'veg anyone'




















Little did I realise when I jumped on our overnight boat to go up the Mekong River towards Cambodia that I was about to see a natural display over the next hour that would rival anything I've ever seen - I guess it's to do with the vast, flat, land based expanse that is the basin of a river that's travelled from the Himalayas across half of the world's largest continent and 5 countries before emptying itself into the South China Sea - it's that same endless sky that is non existent in hilly, small Great Britain

Firstly - the sun dropped quickly (dusk is always very short this close to the equator remember) and lit up fluffy clouds in the west behind Sadec just as we left our mooring ...



















Then a little later looking north west the orange glow of the horizon was punctuated by a mushroom shaped cloud formation, the diagonal streeeetch of dark clouds and one of the world's mightiest rivers (I'm putting it third behind the Amazon and the Nile) dotted with photosynthesising, floating plants ...



















Finally - and unphotographably (for my little camera although Lucy grabbed it!) an electrical storm lit up the south west sky and fork after fork of lightning (accompanied by a cacophony of thunder) flashed and illuminated white clouds - high and south was a clear three quarter moon with a very visible Sea of Tranquility observing the earthly display - and bathing it in a translucent glow - all of the described was viewable in the same panorama!

It was unreal - as was the musty, fly infested basin shower I had before jumping into my bunk alongside 23 other boat travellers falling asleep to the chugging of a slow boat taking you closer and closer to your destination - for all of this journey was just that - a journey to a destination - that for me - made it all the more special

We woke early doors still in Vietnam (just!) at Chau Doc on the Cambodian border and a weird, flying visit to a tiny Islamic community nestling in the bosom of a Buddhist state/continent - peacefully co-existing - if all the world could learn from their example - here's our guide number 5 arranging our Cambodian visas in the local mosque ...














And then it was a long, lazy, day on a vast stretch of the Mekong River to the border of Cambodia - a crossing that was wonderfully rustic - our passports were checked alongside a Vietnamese or Cambodian farmer taking his cattle to go grazing (I'm guessing they didn't need documentation) - and after a few hundred more metres of 'no man's water' we arrived at Cambodian immigration - complete with deserted buildings, plenty of laid back staff and a badminton court - well - it's quiet - and when you're done stamping passports a quick game would liven you up for more work! (I joke for effect - it was official, the staff were were suitably professional and I was on my best behaviour as always at border crossings - but it's certainly different to arriving at Hong Kong International Airport)

Having made it into Cambodia by organising all of my money through banks I decided it was time to use one of the many local (and usually a bit expensive cos they're convenient) money changers - just for the experience (very quick and easy!) - these guys (almost always) carry unruly amounts of cash in a million currencies and denominations - and have an exchange rate a bit detached from the great Stock Exchanges on this planet - 'but I can get 4100 Cambodian riel to the dollar at the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation' won't get you far here - actually - he was very competitive - and our final guide - who saw us safely to Phnom Penh and a deserved, 3 star stay for a couple of nights in Cambodia's capital - ahhh - a hot bath!