Tintin and the Temples of Angkor

The air was humid and still and the only sound the high shrill of Cicadas. A black passage lay in front of me, beckoning me to explore it. Large stone blocks lay piled up in my path. I clambered over the fallen stones, all wedged immovably on the backs of one another for god knows how long.

Whooooseeekki!!! flflflflfflflf ththttht ffff – Around the corner it screamed, faster than my eye could trace it. There were more though the darkness prevented me from seeing how many. I continued, and as I encroached I caught sight of the next bat as it shot out overhead from its resting place. Around the corner the passage this time was blocked, a window streaming in light was not wide enough to fit through and climb out of. On the other side was another courtyard also subsumed by the jungle. I backtracked. The others, close by, had explored other rooms, passages and potential routes through the jungle temple. Regrouping we moved on following the path with the most light.

Beng Mealea lies more than 60km from the rest of the Angkor Temples and has been left as it was found. The jungle has taken over; its roots entrenched in the matrix and foundations of the stone slabs. Light shafts filter through the trees. Few travelers find their way here due to its remoteness and the fact that it was only cleared of mines two years ago. For these reasons Rich, Berna, Debbie and I, not yet done with temples after 3 days in Angkor, set out with the spirit of Tintin. We sat and ate lunch on the temples highest point near the collapsed central tower overlooking the surrounds and spared a thought for what the rest of the world might be doing right now.

The temples of Angkor, built between 800AD-1300AD, rate amongst my highlights of all Asia. The high point of the Khmers architectural exploits is Angkor Wat, the largest religious building ever conceived. The approach into Angkor Wat along the bridge and across its massive moat gives you plenty of time to soak in its size and grandeur. We returned to Angkor Wat 3 times in 3 days, viewing it among the myriads of other tourists, again at first light, and again at sunset on day 3. With each viewing the light changed, my experience of it differed and its awe became more impressed on me. Intricate Bas Relief’s, hundreds of meters long adorn the walls telling of religious stories and the culture’s histories. Today Cambodia is predominantly Buddhist; however the temples of Angkor are more influenced by Hinduism, recalling these myths and worshipping the Gods Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma and their female deities.

Our modes of transport differed on each day. Day 1 we cycled from Siam Reap town to no fewer than 4 major temples covering maybe 30km. The gateways into the ancient city of Angkor Thom are watched over by massive carved faces sitting a top the tunnels. Cycling through and beneath these massive heads was a magical feeling, and the prize on the other side was just as good. The temple of Bayon is a close second place to Angkor Wat and was a favorite of the four of us. We returned here twice, once in the blackness of the morning to experience it as the light came up. Bayon, inside the ancient city wall of Angkor Thom, stands with its many giant carved faces looking out. These faces give the Temple a unique character among the dozens of temples of Angkor. We cycled past the walls of the Leper Kings and elephant carvings, and spent time in the afternoon at Ta Prohm and Preah Kahn.

Outside every temple are hordes food and drink vendors and even more children selling postcards and bracelets. They see you coming and start running, first to get to you has first dibs on trying to sell to you. The kids are cute, and smart too. A conversation might go something like this:

Child: Where you from?
Me: New Zealand
Child: I’m from Wellington
Me: laughs
Child: If I tell you how many people in New Zealand you buy from me?
Me: I do not want to buy anything
Child: Buy a bracelet for your girlfriend
Me: I don’t have a girlfriend
Child: You don’t have a girlfriend because you don’t have one of these! If you buy my bracelets you will get a girlfriend…

This emotive selling coming from a little 5 year old girl!

Day 2 and the modus operandi was a tuktuk, a very slow tuktuk, that we took to sites a little further a field. After an Angkor Wat sunrise we chugged to Bantei Srey, one of the most ornate temples of Angkor whose sandstone composition had some pastel tones. Tourist buses had descended upon it so we had returned another day for a fuller appreciation. The Roulos group is the earliest cluster of Temples some distance to the east of Siam Reap. By this stage under the suns heat we were getting a little Wated out and not so easily impressed. Call us spoilt. The ruins weren’t in as good condition (being older) but were interesting stylistically as precursors to the great later Wats. They also boasted intricate Sanskrit engravings on their doors telling a history of the people and their King, the first God-king of the Khmer. On the drivers recommendation we finished our day at sunset at the Beyer Temple. This really was a sight – tourists crammed a top the temple like a gannet colony pointing their cameras at the sinking golden disc. I preferred my photos of them.
Seeking something different the four of us took motorbike guides out to Kbal Spean, to see the riverbed carvings. Our city bikes bucked on the back roads like untamed broncos. We skirted around holes in the dirt roads, some filled with water, others heavy with sand. Kbal Spean is an idyllic spot, adorned with carving worn by the rivers flow. Sadly, as a symptom of its beauty and remoteness, a carving was hacked and stolen only last year, the latest theft in the Angkor area. The area leads down to a waterfall where I took the opportunity after lunch to have a kip after consecutive 4:30am rises.
Returning after sunset we got another sight of Siam Reaps big bats gliding over the roads in dim light.

***

With Berna, Rich and Debbie, I left Angkor after 4 days of wonder. The road out to the Thai border was the worst I’ve ever taken. I’d been a little sick the night before and now on the little bus we were thrown around like a washing machine. I said my sad goodbyes to Berna and Debbie at the border, Debs whom I have been traveling with for about 2 months now. (Ill be sure to read wonderful life

Things have gone a little awry in recent days. I lost my visa card which has been a real hassle and I’m now a bit stranded on Ko Chang island until I get my replacement. I’ve had to extend my India departure (again) till the 12th. Since I’m feeling a bit disconnected I’d love to hear the odd yarn about what’s been going on in Aotearoa (or London).

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