The temples of Angkor are the main tourist attraction in Cambodia. I didn’t know too much about them but the pictures i had seen looked lovely, so i decided it is a must – despite the cost of the entrance fee! It is US$20 for one day, US$40 for 3 days and US$60 for one week. I chose the 3 day option, and you can choose 3 days in a row or any three days within one week. So i chose the any 3 days and ended up going every second day – which was really nice to have a rest day in between.
At the first guest house i was staying i got a free bicycle for loan, which was as old as the hills but it got me there! Now some people will know that ‘I don’t cycle’! I much prefer to walk, no matter how far. But as the temples are quite a distance from town, it would have meant that it would take me a long time to get anywhere – and it is really hot! (On the internet it says it is only 31 – clearly that weather man is not in Cambodia!!) Once i moved guest houses (cheaper and free wifi), i paid US$1 a day to rent a bicycle, and it was a better bike – i could feel it in my leg muscles. So yes, i took to the roads – initially with a bit of fear, but after 3 days of cycling i was owning my space on the road.
I woke up at 4.30am and was on the road by 5am (still dark – with my little head light) in order to make it in time for sunrise. The temples with the sunrise backdrop are just phenomenal, and the light at that time of day is really a good time to take pics, so i would be out until mid day and then come back for my ‘free breakfast’ – which has actually become my lunch. I was advised not to go to Angkor Wat on the first day – and save it to the last day – so i went to Angkor Thom on my first day and encountered Baton temple at sunrise. I then went to all the other places within Angkor Thom, and when there were rain showers i would run for cover. So my first day was spent seeing only Angkor Thom. On my second day i decided to go to Angkor Wat for sunrise, and if i liked it then i could go again the next day (which is what i did). From there i went to Ta Prohm and then back through Angkor Thom and back to my guest house for breakfast. The third day was much of the same, but it felt a bit less haphazard than the other days. This time i went in a circle starting at sunrise at Angkor Wat and then doing the small circuit – all still on bicycle. After ‘breakfast’ at 12 i had a nap and then went back to Angkor Wat for sunset. I had not gone for sunset on any of the other days as it was raining mostly, but the weather was good on the last day, and the sunset was beautiful as well – it is a pity my camera battery died before it had finished!
My experience of going to all these temples was mixed – i loved the Bayon temple as they have the 216 huge figureheads of Avalokiteshvara around the temple and it is just beautiful. Some of the buildings had very interesting stone carvings, some depicting battle scenes, some overgrown by trees and some had none of these characteristics. I noticed myself getting bored and extremely irritable with the bus loads of tourists that are chatting at high volume and it is all about having their photo taken at the place. That equanimity which i was cultivating in solitude on retreat was out the window – this was the real test for equanimity, and i failed! The other thing which really tested my patience was the local people who were trying to sell you stuff. On the one hand i can see that they are desperate to earn a living, and some of them are young kids, so are only doing what their parents have told them to do – but from the time you arrive at your first temple you are bombarded with ‘Lady park your bike here free Lady’, ‘Lady do you want some water Lady?’, ‘Lady do you want breakfast lady?’. All with a kind of American twang to their English. But by the third day i was being a bit more human about it all and trying to remain open to the experience, instead of completely shutting off.
Considering whether i was a pilgrim or tourist on this adventure – i would have to say that i was a tourist, from sunrise until sunset...
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