I have received a few reminders that Monday was actually a couple of days ago and I have not kept up to my promise of completing the weeks blog! But some things are really worth waiting for.
The photos above are a few of the 124 that I managed to snap in the course of a 2 hour exploration of this amazing Temple called Beng Mealea. This temple complex once had a direct road to the Angkor Wat complex and is about 40 km away as the crow flies or an hours drive from Siem Reap. Lois and I were very lucky to have been taken there by my friend Nak. This so far has topped the hit parade of temples that I have experienced. It is a 12th Century temple enclosed by a massive moat that is partially dried up but what remains is so pretty. There are also the symmetrical ponds that are found at the main entry.
This temple has not undergone restoration. Parts have been secured for safety reasons and much of the undergrowth has been cleared, that for centuries hid this fantastic place. It is what a temple should be, serene and spiritual. The carvings are magnificent and I spent quite some time sitting in what would have been the courtyard garden, examining rocks and seeing how it could be pieced together by using the puzzle of the carvings. There are Apsara torsos on one massive stone and around it lay equally large stones with carvings of legs and others with heads. Imagine trying to put it all together. I actually believe that by seeing the temple in this state allows us the luxury of contemplating the past and how the destruction occurred. This temple deteriorated over the ages but once the Khmer Rouge located its existence, they then went on a rampage of explosive destruction looking for treasure that was thought to be hidden. Of course that had been removed centuries before and their behaviour just demolished more history and caused even further destruction for the Khmer people to deal with.
In 2004 a movie was shot on location here and a large wooden walkway was built and this allows visitors the opportunity of viewing the ruins from so many different angles and perspectives.
After our visit to the temple we viewed the river bed which extends from Phnom Kulen and this is where the stone blocks were cut and then transported to the temple site. The cuts and partially completed stones are still evident in the river bed.
I could rave on for hours about this place, absolutely loved it.
After this exploration we drove to the other side of Siem Reap and visited the land mine museum. This is the work and collection of a Cambodian man called Aki Ra who as a boy was enlisted into the Khmer Rouge and had the job of laying land mines. He then went on to defect to the Vietnamese army and fought the Khmer Rouge. His knowledge of the placement and his ability to defuse the landmines made him a valuable asset. After the war he then made it his mission to clear landmines and assist land mine victims. The funds from the entry fee go towards running an orphanage and centre where land mine victims can be educated and employed. There is a big collection of defused mines and artillery here and is most depressing to know that many of these were dropped by the USA yet they take no responsibility in assisting to clear them and I believe have never assisted with financial compensation. Their mission was to blow up the Ho Chi Min trail that went through Cambodia and in doing this left behind a massive swathe of destruction.
Very pleased that I have managed to fit in a little more culture on this short trip!
Of course the day was completed with a swim followed by an extravagance. Us girls tarted up and went to Raffles for high tea!! The hotel and pool complex there is as you would expect - magnificent! Pity the same couldn't be said about the high tea. Disappointing. High price for Cambodia and average food offerings I am sad to report. Dry sandwiches, little in the line of sweet offerings but there was a redemption in a nice pot of tea. Still it was an experience but not one I could recommend to fellow travellers. I shall try the Hotel De La paix if I can find an interested person to accompany me!
Needless to say we both collapsed into bed relatively early Sunday night! School tomorrow and another week of tales to share in the next chapter!
Good luck for you, good dreams for me.
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