Balinese Cremation Ceremony

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:54:55 -0400

"Stop!"

A man dressed in a sarong and black t-shirt interrupted our only source of fresh air. We were exploring the small island of Nusa Lembongan on a tiny motorbike, taking in the breeze on this suffocating day. Many people were gathered around him, all looking in the same direction. I cut the engine and parked the bike on the side of the road. We had stumbled onto a Balinese cremation ceremony.

Nusa Lembongan is considered the island of evil spirits by the mainlanders, but for the residents and the tourists alike, it's a beautiful and calm place, surrounded by pristine beaches and amazing cliffs. We had left our bungalow in a quiet and remote part of the island and were trying to find our way into "the village", where the small shops and restaurants were located. We never made it. This stop was pure luck.

Ta Prohm and Banteay Kdei

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 19:34:34 -0400

On our second day at Angkor, we first recreated the “sunrise over Angkor Wat” experience. This time, we knew the terrain and it was much easier to select the good spot. We then headed towards Ta Prohm. Ta Prohm was built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries and turned out to be the most interesting of the sites there, mainly due to the fact that it was more or less left alone. Banyan and fig trees are growing everywhere, crushing parts of the temple. Some rooftops have collapsed over the centuries, leaving huge chunks of rocks lying around or even piled up. I also like to think that the pictures are the best from all the Angkor temples, with that temple being so well merged with the jungle. No wonder they shot the first Tomb Raider there.

Cambodia: Preah Khan and Phnom Bakheng

Thu, 7 Sep 2006 09:22:00 -0400

After the long visits of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, it was hard to believe that it was only 9h30AM! The joys of waking up early. So, drenched because of the humid heat, we headed back to the guesthouse for a much needed shower and siesta. I think our driver also appreciated the break. Next stop was to be Preah Khan, at around 14h.

Preah Khan was built at the very end of the 12th century. The site actually combined the roles of city, temple and Buddhist university: there were around 100,000 attendants and servants, including a thousand dancers and a thousand teachers.

Cambodia: Angkor Thom

Mon, 4 Sep 2006 10:13:52 -0400

After a thorough visit of Angkor Wat, our driver brought us to Angkor Thom, a spectacular walled city of 9km². Angkor Thom is surrounded by four walls of 3km each and high of 8 meters. That’s a lot of wall. The city was actually the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire. It was established in the late twelfth century by king Jayavarman VII. Many structures remain after all those years, including the immense temple called Bayon, as well as two terraces and a few smaller temples.

Cambodia: Angkor Wat

Sun, 3 Sep 2006 20:18:38 -0400

Built in the early 12th century for king Suryavarman II and dedicated to Vishnu, Angkor Wat is the best known temple in the Angkor site, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is also the best preserved as well as the most visited. This marvel of Khmer architecture has become the symbol of Cambodia: you can see the familiar shape of Angkor Wat on the Cambodian flag, on Cambodian money, at the border, etc.

The best way to visit the Angkor site is to hire a driver for the day. It is absolutely impossible to do it on foot and bicycle rides in this sort of heat won’t get you very far. The best way remains the Cambodian version of the tuk-tuk: a small passenger cart attached to a motorbike. For 10$ per day, the driver will get you at any site on the map, back in town (Siem Reap) or even at the airport. And for an extra 3$, he will get you there just in time for the sunrise.