Despite the previous’ day backbreaking drive, unexpectedly I woke up early and fully restored. When I was having breakfast downstairs, the landlady told me the Indian and Danish couple left the guesthouse earlier that morning. Their leaving a beautiful homely place set nicely in a tranquil part of town was beyond my understanding.
Preferring to make the most of the day, I asked about renting one of the bicycles from the guesthouse. The landlady informed me she was volunteering in a project on behalf of a charity called White Bicycles - http://www.thewhitebicycles.org/. Renting one of these bicycles, she continued, would help fund one of the organisation’s many worthy causes improving the lives of less fortunate locals living around rural Siem Reap. Though it wasn’t the latest of mountain bike models, the commendable initiative and the bicycle being in good running order were the things that really mattered.
Spending the entire morning exploring the heart of Siem Reap, I was overjoyed to cycle along leafy boulevards, Buddhist temples, quaint colonial houses, vibrant markets and catching a breather by the riverside. For those with money to burn, a sufficient supply of top-end hotels are sprinkled around town. Wedged the length of Siem Reap’s main roads, I was spoiled for choice by the many restaurants dishing up culinary delights from the world over. With a goldmine on the doorstep, Siem Reap experienced a rapid reversal of fortune from being a sleepy backwaters town to being the most significant base for visiting the temples of Angkor. And while Siem Reap has clearly embraced the modern, the old-fashioned charm is remarkably retained intact.
Returning to the Bou Savy late afternoon, I bumped into the Indian and Danish couple on my way up to the room. Almost making a habit out of crashing into them, I was glad to see them back at the guesthouse. Apparently leaving in search of better accommodation, unsurprisingly their search proved unfruitful, wisely returning to the Bou Savy. Resuming our plans, I was keen to visit the temples of Angkor with them as their great company meant the experience would be even more enjoyable. Making up for lost time, we swiftly struck a deal with one of the tuk-tuk drivers hanging around the guesthouse to pick us up the following morning.
Setting off when it was already late morning, our somewhat relaxed approach meant we will be in with the crowds and possibly get a beating from the sun. Having our photo taken at the main entrance, we paid the fee while waiting to be issued our three-day pass giving us all round access to the entire complex. Passing by Angkor Wat, we kept going towards the fortified city of Angkor Thom, built by the greatest of Khmer kings, Jayavarman VII.
Leading to the main gate of the city, the causeway is adorned with statues of gods and demons to the left and right sides respectively, a portrayal in reference to a celebrated episode in Hinduism known as The Churning of The Ocean of Milk. The gateway itself decorated by elephant heads at the base and the face of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara at the top, seemed to bestow a thoughtful smile as we drove through.
Famed for the 216 gigantic faces of Avalokiteshvara, Bayon struck me as one of the most captivating temples throughout the entire complex of Angkor. Clambering the steep stairs in around the temple, I felt like being observed every step of the way. Claimed by some scholars that the face of Avalokiteshvara bear a remarkable resemblance to King Jayavarman VII himself, the enigmatic expression encompass a sense of authority blended with the principle of compassion. This is suggestive to the notion that Jayavarman VII wanted to win the populace over by projecting himself as a just and considerate ruler.
Within walking distance from Bayon, we strolled over to the ruins of Baphoun. Similar to Angkor Wat, this temple is in the form of a pyramid, a symbolic reference to Mount Meru as depicted in Hindu mythology. Presently undergoing large-scale restoration, the current effort is a continuation of the original project that began almost half a century ago. Assimilating the rigorous method of dismantling every stone, the work had to be suspended during the Khmer Rouge frenzy. Detailed meticulous records were forever destroyed, leaving today’s restoration workers with the hugely perplexing task of accurately re-laying the stones scattered around the temple’s grounds.
Next to Baphoun, the impressive Terrace of Elephants was used as a massive viewing stand during formal ceremonies. In the huge field below the Terrace, the military might of the Khmer empire, displayed its prowess under the eagle-eye of their devaraja (god-king). With hardly any spot of shelter, the sun also reminded us of its might in this early afternoon hour. Fortunately it took a short time to locate our tuk-tuk driver who was relishing an extended siesta in the shade of the trees, sharing a joke with fellow drivers also waiting on their patrons to return from one of the temples.
Speeding away towards another extraordinary temple, no more than at this complex does one witness the endless struggle between that which man creates and that which nature takes back. Ta Prohm’s allure precisely lies in the fact that nature has run riot in what was once one of the largest temples of Angkor. Like immense constricting snakes, the brawny muscular roots twist, twirl and coil in around the stonework dislocating whole edifices to support trees soaring sky-high. Quite literally, it was only natural that the creepy foliage strangling Ta Prohm would feature as a backdrop for particular scenes in Tomb Raider. For this genre of film, this location is simply a director's paradise.
Parts of the temple are closed off as the risk of buildings caving in is critical, while other parts are maintained to avoid being swallowed up by the encroaching jungle thus preventing further damage to some structures. On clear days, particularly in the morning, shafts of sunlight pierce in between dense leafy branches emitting a golden and emerald play of lights, shrouding the temples with an ever-increasing mysterious aura.
Ta Prohm was the last temple we visited as the closing times were fast approaching. After all, it’s not so hard to loose track of time among such enthralling surroundings. The sun took it out of us in the end nevertheless we eagerly looked forward to the following day’s adventure.
