Angkor Wat (Siem Reap, Cambodia)

Posted on 31 July, 2014 by Benjie Layug — 2 Comments ↓

Angkor Wat

After paying admission fees at the ticket office, we approached Angkor Wat via its main entrance – a 350 m. (1,150 ft.) long sandstone causeway (a later addition which possibly replacing a wooden bridge) to the west which connects the western gopura to the temple proper.

Angkor Wat ticket office

Along the way are three ruined towers, naga balustrades and six sets of steps leading down to the city on either side. The western entrance is, by far, the largest. To the east, access to the temple is via an earth bank.

The author, Jandy, Violet and Osang at the causeway

Each side of the causeway also features a library with gopuras (entrances) at each of the cardinal points, in front of the third set of stairs from the entrance, and a pond (later additions to the design) between the library and the temple itself. The cruciform terrace (also a later addition), guarded by lions, connects the causeway to the central structure.

Northern Library

The Southern Library

Angkor Wat, lying 5.5 kms. (3.4 mi) north of the modern town of Siem Reap and a short distance south and slightly east of the previous capital (which was centered at Baphuon), was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century in Yaśodharapura (present-day Angkor), the capital of the Khmer Empire, as his state temple and eventual mausoleum.

Guardian lion statues

The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its decoration and for the numerous devatas (there are more than 1,796 depictions of devata in the present research inventory) adorning its walls. Above all, the temple has drawn praise for the harmony of its design.

Gallery with bas-reliefs

Larger devata images, all full-body portraits measuring approximately 95 cms. (37 in.) to 110 cms. (43 in.), are incorporated more prominently at every level of the temple from the entry pavilion to the tops of the high towers. Small, 30 cm. (12 in.) to 40 cm. (16 in.) apsara images were used as decorative motifs on pillars and walls.

Devatas

Angkor Wat’s extensive decoration, one of the causes for its fame, is integrated with the architecture of the building and predominantly takes the form of bas-relief friezes. Virtually all of its surfaces, columns, lintels and even roofs are carved, with miles of reliefs illustrating scenes from Indian literature including unicorns, griffins, winged dragons pulling chariots as well as warriors following an elephant-mounted leader and celestial dancing girls with elaborate hair styles.

Bas relief

One gallery wall alone is decorated with almost 1,000 sq. m. of bas reliefs. Besides the temple proper, its outer wall also enclosed three rectangular galleries (each raised above the next), the city and, to the north of the temple, the royal palace. Inside the temple, ropes and wooden steps have been introduced to protect the bas-reliefs and floors.

Corridor

Here are some interesting trivia regarding this temple complex:

It is the largest religious monument in the world
Angkor Wat is the prime example of the high classical style of Khmer architecture—the Angkor Wat style to which it has given its name. Architecturally, the elements characteristic of the style include: the ogival, redented towers shaped like lotus buds; half-galleries to broaden passageways; axial galleries connecting enclosures; and the cruciform terraces which appear along the main axis of the temple. Typical decorative elements are devatas (or apsaras), bas-reliefs, and on pediments extensive garlands and narrative scenes.
A powerful symbol of Cambodia and a source of great national pride, a depiction of Angkor Wat has been a part of Cambodian national flags since the introduction of the first version circa 1863.
It is the country’s prime attraction for visitors. Since the 1990s, Angkor Wat has become a major tourist destination. In 1993, there were only 7,650 visitors to the site but, by 2004, (according to government figures) 561,000 (approximately 50% of all foreign tourists in Cambodia) foreign visitors had arrived in Siem Reap province, most of whom visited Angkor Wat, increasing to over a million in 2007 and over two million by 2012. In 2013, Angkor Wat received over two million foreign tourists.
The temple’s original name is unknown as neither the foundation stela nor any contemporary inscriptions referring to the temple have been found. It may have been known as “Varah Vishnu-lok” (Barom Visnulōk, which means the sacred dwelling of Vishnu) or Parama Vishnuloka (Sanskrit), after the presiding deity. The modern name, Angkor Wat (alternate name: Nokor Wat) means “Temple City” or “City of Temples.” In Khmer; Angkor meaning “city” or “capital city.” It is a vernacular form of the word nokor (which comes from the Sanskrit word nagara). Wat is the Khmer word for “temple grounds,” also derived from Sanskrit vāṭa, meaning “enclosure.”
Constructed by Khmer King Suryavarman II for the Khmer Empire, it was originally, in a break from the Shaiva tradition of previous kings, a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu but was gradually transformed, towards the end of the 12th century, into a Buddhist
As the best-preserved temple at the site, Angkor Wat is the only one to have remained a significant religious center since its foundation.
The entire city of Angkor used up far greater amounts of stone than all of the Egyptian pyramids combined.
Angkor occupied an area significantly greater than modern-day Paris.
Sandstone, rather than brick or laterite, was used as the main building material. Sandstone blocks were used for most of the visible areas while laterite was used for the outer wall and for hidden structural parts. Sandstones, as smooth as polished marble, were laid without mortar, with very tight joints that were sometimes hard to find. In some cases, the blocks were held together by mortise and tenon joints while, in others, they used dovetails and gravity. Presumably, the blocks were put in place by a combination of elephants, coir ropes, pulleys and bamboo scaffolding.
Unlike the Egyptian pyramids which use limestone quarried barely 0.5 km. (0.31 mi.) away all the time, the entire city of Angkor was built with sandstone quarried 40 kms. (25 mi.) or more away. This sandstone had to be transported from Mt. Kulen, a quarry approximately 40 kms. (25 mi.) to the northeast.
It was designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas(gods) in Hindu mythology. The central quincunx of towers symbolizes the five peaks of the mountain while the walls and moat symbolize the surrounding mountain ranges and ocean.
Angkor Wat is a unique combination of two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture – the temple mountain (the standard design for the empire’s state temples) and the later concentric galleried temple.
Compared to earlier work, the statuary of Angkor Wat is considered conservative, being more static and less graceful.
Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west and scholars are divided as to the significance of this. Angkor Wat may relate to the Greek and Roman architecture record in terms of the west rather than east orientation of the temple.
It is the southernmost of Angkor’s main sites.
The temple’s bas-reliefs proceeds in a counter-clockwise direction (prasavya in Hindu terminology), the reverse of the normal order.
Among the Angkor temples, Angkor Wat is unusual in that, although it was largely neglected after the 16th century, it was never completely abandoned.
According to legend, the construction of Angkor Wat was ordered by Indra to serve as a palace for his son Precha Ket Mealea. According to Zhou Daguan, a 13th-century Chinese traveler, some believed that the temple was built by a divine architect in a single night.
Japanese Buddhist pilgrims who established small settlements, alongside Khmer locals, thought that Angkor Wat was the famed Jetavana garden of the Buddha, which originally located in the kingdom of Magadha, India. Fourteen inscriptions (the best-known tells of Ukondafu Kazufusa, who celebrated the Khmer New Year at Angkor Wat in 1632) discovered in Angkor area, dated from the 17th century, testifies to this.
As with most other ancient temples in Cambodia, a combination of plant overgrowth, fungi, ground movements, war damage and theft have extensively destroyed many elements of the temple’s design including gilded stucco on the towers, gilding on some figures on the bas-reliefs, and wooden ceiling panels and doors. Around 20% of the devatas are in very poor condition, mainly because of natural erosion and deterioration of the stone but, also in part, due to earlier restoration efforts. However, compared to the rest of Cambodia’s temple ruins, it has also received the most attentive restoration. So far, other than some graffiti, the influx of tourists has caused relatively little damage.
Some additional funds for the temple’s maintenance has been provided by tourism. As of 2000, approximately 28% of ticket revenues across the whole Angkor site was spent on the temples (although most work is carried out by teams sponsored by foreign governments rather than by the Cambodian authorities).
A number of countries such as France, Japan, Germany and China are currently involved in various Angkor Wat conservation projects. The German Apsara Conservation Project (GACP) is working to protect the devatas, and other bas-reliefs which decorate the temple, from damage.
Angkor Wat the location for some key scenes from the 2001 film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (the first major motion picture to be shot in Cambodia since Lord Jim in 1964), when Angelina Jolie arrives in a floating village in front of the temple. She exits the village and then enters the temple to meet a holy monk who heals her injured arm and lends her a phone.
Angkor Wat was also the setting for the final scenes of the 2000 In the Mood for Love, a classic Hong Kong romantic drama from Wong Kar-wai,.

Here is the historical timeline of the temple:

In the first half of the 12th century, the initial design and construction of the temple took place during the reign of Suryavarman II (ruled 1113 – c. 1150).
Shortly after the king’s death, work seems to have ended, leaving some of the bas-relief decoration unfinished.
In 1177, approximately 27 years after the death of Suryavarman II, Angkor was sacked by the Chams, the traditional enemies of the Khmer.
Thereafter, King Jayavarman VII restored the empire and established a new capital and state temple (Angkor Thom and the Bayon respectively) a few kms. to the north.
Towards the end of the 12th century, Angkor Wat was gradually transformed, from a Hindu centre of worship, to Buddhism, which continues to the present day.
In 1586, António da Madalena, a Portuguese friar visited the temple, one of the first Western visitors to do so.
In the mid-19th century, French naturalist and explorer Henri Mouhot effectively rediscovered the temple and popularized the site in the West through the publication of travel notes.
On August 11, 1863, the splendid artistic legacy of Angkor Wat and other Khmer monuments in the Angkor region led directly to France adopting Cambodia as a protectorate, invading Siam to take control of the ruins. This quickly led to Cambodia reclaiming lands in the northwestern corner of the country that had been under Siamese (Thai) control since AD 1351 (Manich Jumsai 2001), or by some accounts, AD 1431.
Between 1889 and 1937, the original temple site was presented in French colonial and universal exhibitions in Paris and Marseille.
From c. 1880 to the mid-1920s, Angkor Wat’s aesthetics were on display in the musée Indo-chinois, a plaster cast museum of Louis Delaporte which existed in the Parisian Trocadero Palace.
By 1885, a French exploration commission (who drew up a list of principal monuments) had worked up a chronology of the rulers and developed the outlines of a description of the civilization that had produced the temple complex. The true history of Angkor Wat was pieced together from stylistic and epigraphicevidence accumulated during subsequent clearing and restoration work. Subsequent missions copied inscriptions written on Angkor buildings so that scholars might translate them and learn something of Angkor’s history.
In 1898 the French decided to commit substantial funds to Angkor’s preservation.
The 20th century saw considerable restoration of Angkor Wat. Centuries of neglect had permitted the jungle to recapture many of the more significant structures and, gradually, teams of laborers and archaeologists pushed back the jungle, freed buildings from the embrace of huge banyan and silk-cotton trees (which might have crushed them to destruction) and exposed the expanses of stone, permitting the sun once again to illuminate the dark corners of the temple.
In 1934, the conservator George Trouvé, excavating the pit beneath the central shrine, finds a sacred foundation deposit of gold leaf, 2 m. above ground level.
On November 9, 1953, Cambodia gained independence from France and, since that time, has controlled Angkor Wat.
In the 1960s, a major restoration of Angkor was undertaken
During the 1970s and 1980s, work was interrupted by the Cambodian Civil War and Khmer Rouge control of the country but, during this period, relatively little damage was done. However, camping Khmer Rouge forces did use, for firewood, whatever wood remained in the building structures plus a shoot-out, between Khmer Rouge and Vietnamese forces, put a few bullet holes in a bas relief.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, art thieves, working out of Thailand, claimed almost every head that could be lopped off the structures, including reconstructions.
Between 1986 and 1992, as France did not recognize the Cambodian government at the time, the Archaeological Survey of India carried out restoration work on the temple .
In 1992, following an appeal for help by Norodom Sihanouk, Angkor Wat was listed in UNESCO’s World Heritage in Danger (later removed in 2004) and World Heritage Site
Between 1990 and 2016, the site was managed by the private SOKIMEX group which rented it from the Cambodian government.
In 1994, zoning of the area was set up to protect the Angkor site.
In 1995, APSARA was established to protect and manage the area.
In 1996, a law to protect Cambodian heritage was passed.
In 2005, a Japanese team completed restoration of the north library of the outer enclosure.
In 2008, World Monuments Fund began conservation work on the Churning of the Sea of Milk Gallery after several years of studies on its condition.
In 2012, the main phase of restoration work ended.
In 2012, at the ASEAN Tourism Forum, it was agreed that Borobudur and Angkor Wat would become sister sites and the provinces sister provinces.
In 2013, the installation of finials on the roof of the gallery was finished.
In December 2015, a research team from University of Sydney announced that they had found a previously unseen ensemble of buried towers built and demolished during the construction of Angkor Wat, as well as massive structure of unknown purpose on its south side and wooden fortifications.

Western gopura

Here are some interesting trivia regarding the temple’s design and construction:

The monument was made out of 5 million to 10 million sandstone blocks with a maximum weight of 1.5 tons each.
The temple sits on a site measuring 162.6 hectares (1,626,000 m²; 402 acres).
The 3.6 km. (2.2 mi.) long outer wall, measuring 1,024 m. (3,360 ft.) by 802 m. (2,631 ft.) and is 4.5 m. (15 ft.) high, is surrounded by a 30 m. (98 ft.) apron of open ground and a moat 190 m. (620 ft.) wide and over 5 kms. (3 mi.) in perimeter. It enclosed a space of 820,000 sq. m. (203 acres) and was built with perishable materials rather than of stone, so nothing remains of them except the outlines of some of the streets. Most of the area is now covered by forest.
The outer gallery measures 187 m. (614 ft.) by 215 m. (705 ft.)

Outer Gallery

The temple itself, standing on a terrace raised higher than the city, is made of three rectangular galleries (each with a gopura at each of the points) rising to a central tower (aligned to the morning sun of the Spring Equinox), each level higher than the last. The two inner galleries each have towers at their corners, forming a quincunx with the central tower.

Multi-armed Ta Reach statue

A multi-armed statue of Vishnu (known as Ta Reach), under the southern tower, originally have occupied the temple’s central shrine. Galleries, with square pillars on the outer (west) side and a closed wall on the inner (east) side, run between the towers as far as the two “elephant gates,” entrances on either side of the gopura that are large enough to admit these animals.

Northeast Tower

Lotus rosettes decorated the ceiling between the pillars; dancing figures on the west face of the wall; and balustered windows, dancing male figures on prancing animals, and devatas (including the only one, at the south of the entrance of the temple, showing her teeth) at the east face of the wall.

Headless Buddha statues

Another cruciform terrace, again a later addition, connects the second and inner galleries to each other and to two flanking libraries. Devatas, singly or in groups of up to four, abound on the walls from the second level upwards.

The Bakan

The 100 m. (330 ft.) by 115 m. (377 ft.) second-level enclosure, probably originally flooded to represent the ocean around Mount Meru, has three very steep sets of steps (representing the difficulty of ascending to the kingdom of the gods) on each side leading up to the corner towers and gopuras of the Bakan, the 60 m. (200 ft.) square inner gallery with axial galleries connecting each gopura with the central shrine, and subsidiary shrines located below the corner towers.

View of courtyard from Bakan

The author descending the stairs from the Bakan

The motif of the body of a snake, ending in garudas (heads of lions), decorate the roofings of the galleries while carved lintels and pediments decorate the entrances to the galleries and to the shrines.

The central tower

The tower above the central shrine, rising 43 m. (141 ft.) to a height of 65 m. (213 ft.) above the ground, is unlike those of previous temple mountains as this central tower is raised above the surrounding four. The shrine, originally open on each side and occupied by a statue of Vishnu, was walled in when the temple was converted to Theravada Buddhism (the new walls featuring standing Buddhas).

Outer Gallery

The outer gallery, with pavilions rather than towers at the corners, is open to the outside of the temple, with columned half-galleries extending and buttressing the structure.

Preah Poan (the Hall of a Thousand Gods) (3)

The outer gallery is connected to the second enclosure on the west side via the Preah Poan (the “Hall of a Thousand Gods”), a cruciform cloister. The cloister, whose north and south have libraries, marks out four small courtyards which may originally have been filled with water.

Preah Poan

A series of large-scale scenes, mainly depicting episodes from the Hindu epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, are found at the inner walls of the outer gallery.

Inner courtyard

The western gallery, from the north-west corner anti-clockwise, shows the Battle of Lanka (from the Ramayana), in which Rama defeats Ravana; and the Battle of Kurukshetra (from the Mahabharata), showing the mutual annihilation of the Kaurava and Pandava clans. The only historical scene at the southern gallery is a procession of Suryavarman II, then the 32 hells and 37 heavens of Hinduism.

Bas-relief gallery

The Churning of the Sea of Milk, one of the most celebrated scenes on the eastern gallery, shows 92 asuras and 88 devas using the serpent Vasuki to churn the sea under Vishnu’s direction, followed by Vishnu defeating asuras (a 16th-century addition). The northern gallery shows Krishna’s victory over Bana.

Bas-relief of Battle of Kurukshetra

Over the centuries, Buddha images have been left in the cloister by pilgrims. Although most have now been removed, we noticed that some still remain and many inscriptions, mostly written in Khmer but others in Burmese and Japanese, relate the good deeds of these pilgrims.

A Buddha statue

Angkor Wat: Angkor, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia. Coordinates: 13°24′45″N 103°52′0″E.

Angkor Archaeological Park (Siem Reap, Cambodia)

Posted on 31 July, 2014 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Our second day in Siem Reap was to be spent exploring Angkor Archaeological Park, particularly its star attraction – Angkor Wat. After breakfast at Bopha Angkor Hotel, Violet, Osang, Jandy and I were met at the lobby by our previous tuktuk driver who brought us, from the bus station, to the hotel the previous day. A lot of tourists tour Angkor this way.

Check out “Hotel and Inn Review: Bopha Angkor Hotel & Restaurant”

He agreed to bring us, on board his tuktuk, to the park and back for US$5 each (they prefer this payment rather than their local currency – the rial).

Touring Angkor Archaeological Park via tuktuk

Aside from Angkor Wat, we were to also visited Bayon Temple, Preah Pithu, Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King, Royal Palace and Phimeanakas Temple, Baphuon Temple, Chao Say Tevoda, Ta Prohm Temple, Banteay Kdei and Thommanon Temple.

A rainy arrival……

The tuktuk drive took around 20 mins. and we arrived at the park by 10:30 AM. It was drizzling when we arrived.

Check out “Bayon Temple,” “Preah Pithu,” “Terrace of the Elephants,” “Terrace of the Leper King,” “Royal Palace and Phimeanakas Temple,” “Baphuon Temple,” “Chau Say Tevoda,” “Ta Prohm Temple,” “Banteay Kdei” and “Thommanon Temple”

Old Market, Pub Street and Angkor Night Market (Siem Reap, Cambodia)

Posted on 30 July, 2014 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Angkor Night Market

Though the focus for most visitors to Siem Reap are the ancient temples of Angkor, there is still much to do after dark. After all, Siem Reap is a tourist town and the liveliest, ‘must see’ areas after dark are the Old Market area, and its surrounding area which includes the nearby Pub Street, the alley and lane off Pub Street, and the Angkor Night Market area (open in 2007, it is the first night market in the country).

Psar Chaa (Old Market)

The very popular,tourist-friendly and open-air Psar Chaa (Old Market) stretches from the river across to the night markets along Sivutha Blvd.. (the main north – south road a block or so west of the market). It is now the dining, shopping and nightlife center of town. Here,Osang, Violet, Jandy and I had dinner at the Nai Khmer Restaurant and Bar.

Pub Street by day

They offer the deepest selection of Khmer antiques semi-precious stones, and tourist souvenirs (T-shirts, backpacks, silverware, silk scarves, wallets, key chains, etc.), especially on the river side. You have to learn how to haggle, taking it to an art form level when buying more than one item..

Osang and Violet at Nai Khmer Restaurant & Bar

The north side of the market. along Street 9, is a good place for a budget meal and a taste of Cambodian cuisine as it sports a number of inexpensive cafe stalls serving Cambodian fare in an interesting, local atmosphere.

A variety of goods sold at Angkor Night Market

The Angkor Night Market, with a labyrinth of over 240 shops, fosters a very Cambodian atmosphere with its series of stylishly traditional, Khmer style huts. Items sold here include paintings, wood carvings, silk, and local delicacies.

Jandy at the Old Market

Weaver at Angkor Night Market

There were also a few massage and spa bars. Here, Violet had a free fish spa massage after a foreigner challenged her to last 5 mins., with her legs immersed and nibbled on by fish. He lost and paid for the session. At a massage spa, we all indulged in a little more pampering after a full day of exploring the city.

Violet rises to a challenge at a fish spa at Angkor Night Market

Pub Street, a couple of blocks from the Angkor Night Market, is a short alley flanked by clubs, bars and restaurants that offer a wide variety of Khmer culinary specialties and Western favorites.

Osang and Violet join revelers at Pub Street

Psar Chaa (Old Market): 2 Thnou St, Krong Siem Reap

Wat Preah Prohmreath Pagoda (Siem Reap, Cambodia)

Posted on 30 July, 2014 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

Wat Preah Prohmreath Pagoda

From Hard Rock Café, Jandy, Osang, Violet and I again walked, along the riverside, to Wat Preah Prohmreath Pagoda, one of the oldest monasteries in Siem Reap in terms of running time. It had a large imposing gateway and a red wall with a base of huge, golden lotus flower (which represents all achievement of all enlightenment) petals and Bayonesque heads on top of it .

The imposing temple gate

This monastery, dedicated to Ang Chang-han Hoy, a revered 14th century monk, and the spirit of Ta Pom Yeay Rat (who provided the land for the temple), ancestor of a rich family in the area, was founded in 1371 AD. It was also built to spread the Dharma (teaching of Buddha) and to provide lodging for monks.

The beautiful and quiet garden

King Ang Chan (reigned from 1806-1834) came to this temple to pray for victory against his rivals and, when he achieved this, the temple was named Ta Pum Yeay Rath. In the 1940s, it was renamed Wat Preah Promreath.

Golden lotus petals and a cannon

An active monastery and a school for monks, it also has stupas (cremation boxes) where the rich and famous have their ashes interred. Enjoying the peace and quiet of the gardens, we noticed a number of odd, garishly painted statues and a large replica of a boat with a monk on top.

Large replica of the monk and his boat

The revered monk Ang Chang-han Hoy (1358-1456) was said to have traveled 300 odd kms. every day by boat across the Tonle Sap lake, from Siem Reap to Long Vek (near Phnom Penh), to collect alms and then returned, that same day, to Siem Reap to have lunch.

One day (so the story goes), his boat was struck by a shark and cut in half. He continued on to Siem Reap, using the front half of the boat, while the other half ended up at Wat Boribo in Boribo District, Kampong Chang province.

Thanking Buddha for saving the monk, a temple was built at each place. In Siem Reap, a huge, reclining Buddha was made using wood from the boat. The golden boat statue in front of the vihear was built by Cheakaro Tong Teourm in 2007.

Inner wall with religious murals

The small open-sided temple has small statue of Buddha while the inner walls have a number of murals of religious scenes. The Preah Vihear (main temple), built in 1945, has a vast open hall with a huge seated Buddha at one end. The enormous reclining Buddha, which we failed to notice, draped in a very decorous orange and gold cloth robe, can be found in a pit at the back.

Posing with some monks in the temple

Phnom Penh to Siem Reap (Cambodia)

Posted on 30 July, 2014 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Jandy and I were to leave Phnom Penh for Siem Reap on the 7 AM Aero Express bus, so we woke up early, picked up our complimentary packed breakfast, checked out of the Elite Boutique Hotel and were picked up by our free coaster service, with Osang and Violet now on board, that would bring us to Central Market where our airconditioned bus was parked. Bus travel is the cheapest and the most popular means of overland transport between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

Arrival at the Central Market

We loaded our luggage at huge baggage storage compartment at the side of the bus, below the passenger deck, stored our hand carried bags at overhead racks and occupied a row of reclinable, side-by-side bucket seats with armrests. Our bus had an on-board toilet, ideal for the long haul trip that awaited us.

Our airconditioned Aero Express bus

As the road from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap is under construction, our 319.6-km. long trip was likely to take at least 7 hours no matter which bus we took. As we left the market, our bus slowly negotiated the mild traffic of the city center.

Road condition most of the way

Once out of the city, the road quality of Highway No. 6 changed dramatically, with frequent potholes and sometimes the road wasn’t even paved. Due to the road construction, we encountered some traffic bottlenecks that slowed down the traffic a bit.

Houses on stilts

However, we were also ushered into some interesting, though not spectacular, rural scenery as we observed small villages filled with traditional or modern stilted houses, rice paddies, small but pretty temples, distant mountains and rivers.

The roundabout at Skun

About 80 kms. out of the city, after crossing the Japanese Bridge, our bus passed the roundabout in Skun which has a statue of 2 children holding a bird. Highway No. 6 continued on to the left, going to Kampong Thom and Siem Reap.

View from across a bridge

About 206 kms. out of Phnom Penh, we arrived at the provincial capitol of Kampong Thom, We were now more than halfway into our journey and here we made a 30-min. lunch stopover at a restaurant located between Arunras Hotel and the market. The food served was mostly Cambodian fare.

A small temple along the highway

Jandy, Osang, the author and Violet having lunch at a restaurant in Kampong Thom

After lunch, we again boarded our bus for the remaining uneventful half of our journey. At a little past 3 PM, our bus arrived at the main Chong Kov Sou bus station near Phsar Leu (the ‘Upper Market’), a couple of kilometers west of Siem Reap city center. The journey took just about 8 hours. On arrival, we got out our luggage and easily got a tuk tuk (US$1 per pax) to take us to the Bopha Angkor Hotel.

Central Market (Phnom Penh, Cambodia)

Posted on 29 July, 2014 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

After our ice cream treat at Sorya Shopping Center (we were again to return here for supper), Osang, Violet, Jandy and I continued on our way to the nearby Central Market, a Phnom Penh landmark and “must see” stop just a 5-min. walk away.

The Central Market

The large, bright ochre-colored Phnom Penh Central Market or Psar Thmay (“new market”), built in 1937 in the Art Deco style, consists of four wings branching out into vast hallways and dominated by a central dome. When it first opened, it was said to be the biggest market in Asia. Its initial design and layout were done by French architect Louis Chauchon and its construction work was supervised by French architects Jean Desbois and Wladimir Kandaouroff. During the Franco-Thai War, the market was bombed heavily by Thai aircraft, causing heavy damage, and it had to be temporarily closed. After the end of World War II, the market was rebuilt in the modern style. From 2009 to 2011, it underwent a US$4.2 million renovation funded by the French Development Agency.

The market interior

Within the four wings as well as around the compound outside, almost anything you can think of are on sale. The extensive amount of products that are offered for bargain include electronic equipment, second hand clothing, watches, bags, suitcases, gold and silver curios , dried and fresh foodstuff, jewelry, cheap t-shirts, kramas (Khmer scarves), antique coins, pseudo-antiques, clocks, fabrics, shoes, flowers, luggage, books (including photocopied travel guides) and lots of souvenirs (key chains, ref magnets, postcards, etc.).

The market’s huge dome

Central Market: Neayok Souk, Phnom Penh 855. Open daily, 5 AM – 5 PM.

Sorya Shopping Center (Phnom Penh, Cambodia)

Posted on 29 July, 2014 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

After our National Museum and Royal Palace tour, Osang, Violet, Jandy and I made our way, on foot, back to our respective hotels to rest and freshen up. After an hour, we again met up, this time to go shopping for souvenirs at the nearby Central Market. Again, we made our way on foot. Along the way, we decided to make a short stopover at the 8-storey, Western-style Sorya Shopping Center, located just one block south of the Central Market.

Sorya Shopping Center

The first real mall in the city, this 40,000 sq. m. airconditioned shopping oasis, the largest in the city, was quite large, with passenger elevators and escalators (then a strange novelty when it opened in 2003). Inside were a number of Western fastfood restaurants at every level ( Pizza Co., Master Grill, Kentucky Fried Chicken, BBQ Chicken, BBWorld, Lucky Burger, etc.) plus a a variety of shops selling clothes, shoes, jewelry, toys, imitation watches, latest release DVD copies and some electronics and appliances.

Osang and Violet trying out the foot massage demo

As we entered the lobby, we encountered a lot of “demo” booths promoting products such as a stainless steel multi-tiered steamer; a stride-glide exerciser; a hand-held vacuum and recliner-massage-chairs. Osang and Violet each tried out the foot massager.We also each tried out a sundae treat (US$2.30 each), with many premium quality toppings such as Mars, Snicker, Oreo Cookie, etc., at Swensen’s, a premium ice cream parlor which originated from the U.S.A. It opened its first branch in Sorya Shopping Center in September 2007.

“Cooling off” at Swensen’s

The well-stocked Lucky Supermarket, the first supermarket set up in Phnom Penh (and now the city’s largest supermarket chain), has a branch at the ground floor. On the upper floors there a 3D cinema complex (Sabay Cineplex, Level 5), roller skating rink, sporting goods store (City Mart Sports Supply, Level 4) and games arcade.

Swensen’s sundaes

After shopping at Central Mall, we all had dinner at the local food court at Level 4. Virtually all varieties of dishes were available at very reasonably prices of US$2.00 to 5.00. However, their coupon system was a hassle as we had to buy a ticket first before ordering food from any outlet.

Food Court

Though less colorful than the traditional markets, Sorya Mall was still a such a good place to cool down, hang out or simply to take a break from the ‘culture shock’ that hit us when we arrived in Phnom Penh.

Food court fare

Sorya Shopping Center: 11-13 Preah Trasak Paem (Street 63), Phsar Thmei 2 Commune , Daun Penh District, Phnom Penh. Tel: +855 23 210 018 and +855 16 700 001. Open daily, 9 AM to 9 PM.

Royal Palace – Exhibition Halls (Phnom Penh, Cambodia)

Posted on 29 July, 2014 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Prior to ending our tour of the Royal Palace, Osang, Violet, Jandy and I visited a number of exhibition halls. The multi-purpose White Elephant room, located just outside the palace’s southeast wall, was traditionally used for special regal occasions including Royal births, deaths or weddings. The sacred white elephant is the most auspicious and revered symbol of royal beneficence. Here, we saw lines of ornate, gold-adorned chairs that elephants carried royals on.

White Elepant House

The Showroom of Royal Palanquins and Bossabok displays royal palanquins used by Cambodian kings and queens as they are paraded around the city as well as bossaboks (traditional Khmer-style thrones).

The Showroom of Royal Palanquins and Bossabok

The Elephant Boxes Showroom in Gold, Silver, Brass, Marble and Wood has wood and glass display cases filled with elephant figurines, of various sizes, made with gold, silver, brass, marble and wood.

The Elephant Boxes Showroom in Gold, Silver, Brass, Marble and Wood

The second floor, airconditioned Showroom of Royal Dancers Ornaments (Preah Kossamak) has wood and glass display cases exhibiting Royal Palace documents; royal dinner sets and silverware; utensils; medals; and dance costumes, musical instruments and ornaments of the Royal Dancers.

Showroom of Royal Dancers Ornaments (Preah Kossamak)

There is also a model of a typical, 2-storey traditional Khmer house, an exhibit of.photos of recent Royal Processions and a model of the King’s inauguration procession.

Traditional Khmer house

Royal Palace: Samdach Sothearos Blvd., Phnom Penh. Open daily, 8 to 11 AM and 2 to 5 PM.

Royal Palace – Silver Pagoda (Phnom Penh, Cambodia)

Posted on 29 July, 2014 by Benjie Layug — 3 Comments ↓

Silver Pagoda (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)

From the Throne Hall, Osang, Violet, Jandy and I proceeded to south side of the Royal Palace complex. The beautiful Silver Pagoda, built in honor of the Lord Buddha, is the official temple of the king of Cambodia. Formerly known as Wat Ubosoth Ratanaram, its official name is Preah Vihear Preah Keo Morakot (“Temple of the Emerald Buddha”), after the green baccarat crystal Buddha it houses. Its name is commonly shortened to Wat Preah Keo.

Mandapa of Satra and Tripitaka

Constructed in 1962, at Queen Kossamak’s command, by King Norodom Sihanouk, it replaced the wooden pagoda built by his grandfather in 1902, the original aging structure being too weak to stand. During the Khmer Rouge years, more than half its contents were stolen but the pagoda itself was pretty much unscathed.

King Norodom’s Statue

The Silver Pagoda, is so named because of its 5,329 silver floor tiles, each around 20 cm. (8 inches) square and each weighing 1.125 kg (2.48 lbs), and having a total weight of more than 6 tons. Some of its outer facade was remodeled with Italian marble. The pagoda’s construction shows the clear influence of Bangkok’s Wat Phra Kaeo, also home to a precious crystal Buddha to which the one in Phnom Penh bears an uncanny resemblance.

King Ang Duong’s Stupa

After removing our hats and leaving our footwear outside, we were allowed to enter the vihara which houses a rich collection of 1,650 royal gifts received by the Royal family over the years, including artifacts and Buddha images, many of them national treasures. The pagoda is more a museum than place of homage and no monks stay in permanent residence here. However, on entering the pagoda, we only saw a small area of the temple’s signature silver tiles as much of the floor was covered by carpets. Photography is also not allowed inside.

Kantha Bopha’s Stupa

On display are gold and jeweled Buddha statues, notably a a small 17th century baccarat crystal Buddha (the “Emerald Buddha” of Cambodia) and an impressive, life-sized gold Maitreya Buddha. The latter, housed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, was created in the palace workshops between 1906 and 1907. It weighs in at 90 kgs., is dressed in royal regalia commissioned by King Sisowath, and is decorated with 9,584 diamonds (the largest of which weighs 25 carats).

Reamker Frescoes

The main building (vihear) is bounded, to the east, by the statue of King Norodom (sitting on a white horse) and to the north by the Mondapa of Satra and Tripitaka, a library housing Buddhist texts. At the eastern corner is the bell tower, south of which, near the exit, is a model of Angkor Wat. South of the vihear stands 4 structures, from west to east – the chedi (stupa) of King Suramarit and Queen Kossamak, the Dharmasala, the Chedi of Princess Kantha Bopha and the Phnom Mondop (Mount Mondop, where the statue of Preah Ko is situated). The last mentioned is an artificial hill with a pavilion housing a bronze footprint of the Buddha from Sri Lanka.

Osang, Jandy and Osang at Kantha Bopha’s Stupa

These structures are surrounded by a wall – the oldest part of the palace – covered with 80 m. long, colorful series of frescos depicting episodes from Reamker, the Khmer version of the Indian Ramayana, , one of the great Hindu epics.ainted from 1903 to 1904, its bottom half has faded, throughout the Khmer Rouge years, due to neglect. Some restoration has been done but much of the damage is still clearly visible.

Royal Palace: Samdach Sothearos Blvd., Phnom Penh. Open daily, 8 to 11 AM and 2 to 5 PM.

Royal Palace – The Throne Hall (Phnom Penh, Cambodia)

Posted on 29 July, 2014 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Throne Hall (Preah Tineang Tevea Vinichhay)

Upon paying the admission fee of US$6.25, Jandy, Osang, Violet and I started our guide-less tour of the Royal Palace grounds.The first major building we passed was the open-sided Preah Tineang Phhochani, the banqueting and dance hall, inaugurated in 1912. The pristine gardens of the palace grounds are dotted with topiaried trees and are planted with tropical flowers and plants such as Allamanda cathartica, Couroupita guianensis and Jatropha integerrima.

Osang, Violet and Jandy at top of grand stairway

We started with the cross-shaped Throne Hall (Preah Thineang Dheva Vinnichay Mohai Moha Prasat, or “Sacred Seat of Judgement”), the most impressive building in the royal compound. The Throne Hall , crowned with 3 spires, is the second building to be built on this site. The King’s confidants, generals and royal officials once carried out their duties here and it is still in use today as a place for religious and royal ceremonies (such as coronations and royal weddings) as well as a meeting place for the King’s guests.

A 7-headed naga

The first building was constructed of wood in 1869-1870, under King Norodom, then demolished in 1915 and the present 30 x 60 m. building, a faithful reproduction of Norodom’s wooden palace, was built in 1917 and inaugurated by King Bat Sisowath in 1919. This building, as well as all buildings and structures at the Royal Palace, faces the east (best photographed in the morning). The building’s central, 59 m. high spire is topped with the white, 4-faced head of Brahma.

A garuda appearing to support the roof

Inside are 3 royal thrones (2 traditional and 1 Western-style) and golden busts of Cambodians kings and queens, starting from the reign King Ang Doung onwards. However, we, as well as all other visitors, weren’t allowed to go inside, much less take pictures of the interiors, even from the outside. We could only take photographs of its exterior.

Spire topped with the white, 4-faced head of Brahma

The hall’s broad and grand entrance stairway has banisters formed by 7-headed nagas. Each column of the colonnaded veranda is topped by a garuda with outstretched wings, all seemingly supporting the eaves of the roof.

Hor Samranphirum

To the right of the Throne Hall is the Hor Samran Phirum, the Royal Rest House, built between 1915 and 1917. It is not open for public viewing. On coronation day, this small pavilion is used as a royal rest house and waiting area. Here, the incoming King and Queen wait for their elephants to be bought around. On one side of the building is a door and some posts which are used to harness the elephants while the royals board. The king no longer keeps elephants and, today, this building is used to house gifts from foreign dignitaries as well as the royal musical instruments and utensils used in royal coronation processions.

Hor Samrit Vimean

Exhibits at Hor Samrit Vimean

One small but elaborate pavilion we could photograph, both inside and out, was the Hor Samrit Vimean, also known as the Bronze Palace. The Royal treasury, this tall but narrow building houses regalia vital to the coronation ceremony including the Great Crown of Victory; The Great White umbrella of state; The Sacred Sword; The Victory Spear; The Fan; various procession group figures bearing the national, religious and monarchy flags; and clothing worn during King Sihamoni’s coronation on October 2004. We joined other tourists at the small display room at the lower floor where we observed, and photographed, display cases exhibiting some of the more minor royal regalia and utensils. At the rear, we note the 7 mannequins wearing seven days’ worth of colors.

Preah Tineang Phhochani

Just north of the Preah Tineang Phhochani, the palace grounds are closed to visitors so we could only observe the other buildings beyond from afar. Getting a much-needed facelift and shielded by a huge tarpaulin (with the actual likeness of the building inside) during our visit was the cast-iron, French-style Pavilion of Napoleon lll, the oldest surviving structure on the palace grounds. It was presented by French Emperor Napoleon III to King Norodom in 1876 and re-erected here. The pavilion was used by the Empress Eugenie (Napoleon’s wife) during her inauguration of the Suez Canal in in Ismailia, Egypt in 1869. It now serves as a museum of royal memorabilia and a photo exhibit of former Cambodian kings.

The Pavilion of Napoleon III and the Preah Reach Damnak Chan

West of the pavilion is the Preah Reach Damnak Chan. Built in 1953, it’s partly a museum housing a collection of gifts to the royal family while another part is an office for the Ministry of the Royal Palace. Just past the Pavilion of Napoleon III, a gateway provided us access to the Silver Pagoda.

Royal Palace: Samdach Sothearos Blvd., Phnom Penh. Open daily, 8 to 11 AM and 2 to 5 PM.

This travel blog, a diary of the author’s local and international travels, aims to provide the reader with news and information on people, places and events that would interest the avid traveler and tourist. But, it also aims to be much more, providing insights on the wonders of this beautiful country, as well as the world, beyond the strict confines of the city. Have a BLAST seeing old churches, exotic temples, educational museums as well as palm-fringed islands; white sand beaches; thundering waterfalls; placid lakes; fiery sunsets; turquoise seas; cathedral-like caves; swirling rivers; majestic mountains; stupendous, amphitheater-like rice terraces; awesome volcanoes and the like. Get to know the movers and shakers in the tourism industry; find out where to titillate the palate; rejuvenate your body; feed your adrenalin, unwind and relax; satisfy your craving for history and culture; and find out what's being celebrated and where.

BENJAMIN “BENJIE” LAYUG, an architect by profession (he finished his B. S. Architecture degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1982), is an avid reader, traveler and free-lance travel writer in his spare time, contributing articles to Travel Update, Philippine Daily Inquirer, COLORS, TODAY, 7107 Islands Magazine, Business Day, Bluprint and the Business Mirror.

He is also the author of the following travel books:

A Philippine Odyssey (New Day Publishers, 2005)
Pathfinder’s Travel Guide: Boracay (Great Books Trading, 2006)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Churches (New Day Publishers, 2007)
A Tourist to Notable Philippine Historical Landmarks, Monuments and Shrines (New Day Publishers, 2010)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Museums (New Day Publishers, 2012)

Some of his books now appear in the local library shelves of the National Library of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, University of Sto. Tomas, U.P. Diliman, Centro Escolar University, San Sebastian College, Miriam College, Silliman University, to name a few, as well as internationally at the National Library of Australia and the University of California Berkeley Library.

Now a senior citizen, he is probably one of the oldest, if not the oldest, active travel blogger in the country today. He also has a lifestyle blog called F.Y.I.:Firing Your Imagination (www.firingyourimagination.blogspot.com). Benjie has traveled to two-thirds (53) of the country’s 81 provinces and over 20 countries in 4 continents.