Today is my last day in Cambodia, and I am personally very sad to leave.
We started early this morning at six am, heading out with Mr.Driver and Sothik to start our day at the temple of Beng Mealea, which was waaaayyy out in the country by way of tuk tuk. It took us a little while, but I enjoyed the ride and small talk with Sothik. For the first half it was chilly, and I found myself wishing that I had brought my hoodie. Sothik asked if I had had breakfast, and I told him that I ate my snack bar and such, and asked him if he had eaten, but apparently he had only had a small banana. He then brought up a traditional Cambodian breakfast, with pork or beef, and noodles, and I said I'd like to try that. Soon enough, we were pulled over at a stand and all of us were eating breakfast there at a local market. Sothik showed me how to eat it properly, cause I was poking at my noodles like the inexperienced chop stick person I am. I put some chili paste in there and ahhhh, it was so good. Really brought out the flavors, as well as made my lips burn a little (thats how you know its good.). The bowl was more than I could eat, but I was glad I got to try it. The bowl full of noodles, beef, and then iced tea was only .75. I was amazed at that. Something like that would cost at least $5 in the States.
While eating, Mr. Driver had to run off to purchase an e card for his phone. Apparently his children were sick and he needed to keep in contact. I did not get the chance to ask, but I hope that they are well. Perhaps I will ask tomorrow when he takes me to the airport. After having a nice breakfast with them, we got back in the tuk tuk and continued along. The trip was about 2 hours total, but again, I enjoyed myself. I liked seeing the different sights and talking with Sothik, especially since there was a breeze and it wasn't murderously hot. The every day way of life here is so different, with people riding on top of trucks piled with rice, or holding infants in arm while driving a motorcycle, but somehow they make it work. One thing I enjoyed seeing were the number of oxen and water buffaloes everywhere, something you just don't see in the States.
Beng Mealea
We got to Beng Mealea around 8:30 - 9 maybe, after a stop to purchase the extra $5 ticket and restroom break. This temple was fantastic to view. Firstly, maybe two other tourist there. Some locals were sitting outside the temple resting, while the children played amongst the ruins. On our way to the temple, Sothik got a call about his sister in law going into labor and heading to the hospital. She was only 8 months pregnant, so he called a friend at the children's hospital as well to try and check on things. As he waited to hear back from his family, we wandered around the temple taking photos, him telling me about the history.
Beng Mealea translates into "lotus pond", and is thus named for the giant lotus flowers that grow in the canal surrounding the temple. It was built as a Hindu temple, but has some Buddhist carvings as well. The temple is the most "ïn ruin"state of all the temples i've visited (and I think of them all) as a joint effort of robbery and the natural progression of the jungle. For years it was extremely difficult to reach, as roads were littered with land mines that had to be cleared, that process in and of itself being an extremely dangerous one. The history of this temple is largely unknown, and we only know a rough guess of the age due to the style of the temple being similar to Angkor Wat.
We followed the wooden path for so far, Sothik showing me various spots where I can climb around and explore on my own for a bit as well. Its amazing to see these temples in the first place, but at Beng Mealea it almost feels like you're discovering it for the first time yourself. The sheer size of the blocks is impressive in and of itself, and somehow with the building falling apart you can really appreciate the work that was put into it more.
The trees growing up and through the temple are amazing as well, and its odd to think that something that is lending to the destruction of the temple can also lend to the beauty. That being said, I was saddened to see at all of these sites various littering from tourists and locals alike. While crawling around Beng Mealea, one of the few sites where you can honestly do so, I came across water bottles or candy wrappers, and I just can't understand why you would want to litter in such a place as that. Although from what I had seen, tossing trash aside was not so uncommon in the area as I may have hoped. In the future, I imagine they won't allow you to climb the way you can in the temples. Some temples already have rules set up for preservation obviously ( do not touch the lions, do not touch the faces, do not write on the stone-) but there's a general lack of reinforcement at the sites. If someone was scaling the wall of one of the temples and was four feet in the air, I'm sure someone would shout at them, but so far at Beng Mealea, that does not exist. So Sothik and I climbed over fallen blocks, under doorways and over trees to explore the temple. I did my best to cause as little damage as possible, though its a bit difficult to do in a temple that is already more or less collapsed. That being said, the climbing was certainly a highlight.
Rolous Group
Leaving the temple, we passed several large buses of people showing up to tour the site. Sothik had succeeded again in excellent timing, helping me to avoid the masses of tourists. In the tuk tuk on the way to the Rolous Group, I gave him some pecans and we chatted about the scenery and food in general. Ahhh, food. We took a 'short cut' down a red dirt road, which I don't think was a short cut because Mr. Driver seemed lost in places, but I enjoyed it all the same. The trees and plants lining the path were heavily coated in red dust, completely changing the color of the plants. Sothik called them highlights, lol, and I suppose they were. Occasionally we'd hit a bump and get knocked around the tuk tuk, prompting Sothik to go, "ahhh, tuk tuk massage, yesss." Sothik definitely added to my trip, and I kept thinking how happy I was that he was my guide. We passed rice fields, sometimes with people in them working away, sometimes dotted with oxen or birds. Sometimes it was nothing but trees. Sothik pointed at the palm trees, calling them Cambodian Christmas trees, they decorate and then big party at night, lol. We went through several villages in the countryside, our 'short cut' giving me the opportunity to see some more of the farming life style. We stopped once for directions at a stand, where they had fish skewered on sticks and roasting up front. All the stands we have passed in general for the trip are speckled with fresh fruit of varying types, or scarves, hats, and bags depending on where the shop is set up. Along the way, Sothik got a call from his family. He chatted on the phone for a bit, smiling and laughing, and then after he hung up he happily exclaimed, "A boy!" So now he is an uncle! He seemed happy and excited for his sister in law and brother. Maybe this evening he'll get to go see them.
After another short stop for directions, we wandered out of the rice fields and onto a main road, merging with traffic once again as we exited close to the first temple.
The Rolous Group is made up of three temples, named individually as Lolei, Bakong, and Preah Ko, the group name being Rolous for the village/locals in the area.
Lolei
Lolei was the youngest of the three, built around 893 and was dedicated once again to the god Shiva. This temple was built for the kings ancestors, with towers for his mother, father, and his grand parents. The front two towers are for the males, where as the back two are for the females. The temple has many false doors, decorative elements, and is today located next to a monastery, where the monks live and keep the site holy. Photos of the site are easier to take from the back half, where the back two towers are not blocked by the ones in the front. The tops of the towers are covered in plants, most of which looked like cat tails to me.
Preah Ko
Preah Ko is the oldest of the three temples in the Rolous Group, and was made to honor the king's family, placed in relation to the god Shiva. Preah Ko is Khmer for Sacred Bull, as there are three sandstone bull carvings facing the temple in the front. These statues represent Nandi, the sacred white bull that Shiva uses as a mount.
Bakong
Bakong is the first temple mountain constructed by the rulers of the Khmer empire. It is separated by two moats, inside three concentric enclosures. Bakong has five levels, each suspected to have been coated in stucco and carved with a story. Today, only a small bit of the stucco survives. There elephants and lions on the corners of each level, in it its own state of disrepair, though still grand in their own rights. The temple is surrounded by old mango trees, none of which still bear fruit, though the shade they provide was very much welcomed. Here as well there is a monastery, as well as a prayer room for the monks with paintings dating back to its origin. You can visit inside the prayer rooms if you like. I did not however as I didn't want to be rude, taking photos of people praying and worshiping, as they were doing at the time.
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