We were sad to leave Cambodia. Of the three countries we have visited so far, it was by far our favourite, and my heart is hopeful that we will have reason to return some day.
Thailand is brown, at least, in my first glimpse of it. As though someone has burnt all the leaves and all that remains are the soil and the twigs. It so amazes me how these countries we are passing through, this time heading for Bangkok, sit in such close proximity to each other, yet have given birth to such diverse landscapes.
We really didn't take to Bangkok. Having expected it to be something of an assault on the senses we found it to be strangely silent in comparison to China, Vietnam and even chilled out Cambodia. Walking down street after street in an attempt to explore, we found a whole lot of nothing worth seeing; a city full of sparkly temples but void of personality. The famed Khao San Road, renamed "backpacker road"by some, is despised by those who prefer to avoid the beaten track, and rightly so. With those days of guzzling vodka cocktails well in our past, we felt isolated from the "peers" that surrounded us - drunk white twenty-somethings in search of a small piece of the world and a big party. Having anticipated a four day stay we left after just two, on the night train to Chiang Mai, capital of the North.
Chiang Mai is located in the heart of the mountains, and though a big city, it has the laid back vibe of a much smaller place. Our fairy light filled guesthouse was the perfect place to rest and in the surrounding streets we enjoyed all that Chiang Mai has to offer; ate good food, relaxed in quirky coffee shops, browsed elegant art galleries, wandered through the night markets, chatted with monks and even had our first Thai massage (of the legitimate nature, I hasten to add). Famed as the handicraft centre of northern Thailand, we spent our first day apart since the start of our travels, so that I could visit as many craft shops as I so pleased without Phil going crazy with boredom. Chiang Mai has certainly left my backpack a little fuller!
On our third day we treated ourselves to an all day Thai cooking course at an organic farm 30km from the city centre. It was such a peaceful and beautiful setting, and the perfect environment for learning the secrets to Thailand's culinary delights. The result was the most delicious lunch and very contented bellies.
Leaving Chiang Mai the following day, we headed off on a three day trek through the mountains of Don Inthanon National Park. After so much time travelling from city to city, it felt wonderfully refreshing to find ourselves back in the wilderness. Hiking between hill tribe villages through luscious jungle, surrounded by the sounds of waterfalls and grasshoppers, gave us the opportunity to meditate on everything we have seen and learnt on this journey, and contemplate what is yet to come. Our pint-sized guide, Pot, fancied himself the comedian and so we laughed much, and with our group enjoyed two nights under the stars, huddled round a roaring log fire sharing travel stories. Both relaxed and exhausted, we returned to Chiang Mai in anticipation of a hot shower and comfy bed. In the reality of traveller life this was, instead, a luke warm shower and mediocre, slighty lumpy, bed, but after three days in the jungle, neither has ever felt so good.
Thursday 27 January 2011
Friday 21 January 2011
To the temples... (part 2)
The first day we headed to Angkor I had butterflies of excitement fluttering around my stomach. The sun has just risen and it was a beautiful day. Finally we were going to set foot in Cambodia's pride and joy! But in truth, Angkor Wat, famous though it is, was somewhat of a disappointment. The architectural mastery and intricate craftsmanship that the temple displays are, undoubtedly, spectacular, but the huge amount of scaffolding and hordes of tourists largely detract from the wonder of this magnificent building. And having detached ourselves from any spiritual experience, it was just that; a building. The faces of Bayon and wild Ta Prohm, both of which we visited with less expectation than with Angkor Wat, we found to be far more fascinating. Although still too many tourists.
Our second visit proved more successful. Braving the early morning, we arrived at Prohm Bakheng to watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat. Watching the burning ball of red rise from the mist into a cloudless sky was both beautiful and peaceful, and worth the 4.30am wake up. It was a cooler day, which made cycling from temple to temple a pleasure in itself, as the scenery surrounding Angkor is stunning and a refreshing break from the city. The high point of the day was Preah Kahn. At 7am it was virtually empty, the quietness of which adds so much to the experience. The partially ruined temple was stunning, and exploring its maze of passageways in the dewy morning light was truly serene. Later, over delicious vegetarian curry and Angkor beers, we agreed that it had been the unrivaled highlight of our time at the temples.
On our final evening in Siem Reap, we cycled back to Angkor one final time, and in the last few hours of daylight walked around the imposing walls of Angkor Wat. Just before the sun set, we headed into the temple grounds, and in the silent glow of dusk were, finally, fully able to appreciate this spectacular masterpiece in all its glory.
An uncomfortable but scenic boat ride past floating villages took us to Battambang, our final Cambodian destination. Lonely Planet's description of it as a charming, colonial riverside town is disappointingly misguided, but the two days in this decidedly boring place has given us a chance to rest and plan the next leg of our adventure - Thailand.
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Our second visit proved more successful. Braving the early morning, we arrived at Prohm Bakheng to watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat. Watching the burning ball of red rise from the mist into a cloudless sky was both beautiful and peaceful, and worth the 4.30am wake up. It was a cooler day, which made cycling from temple to temple a pleasure in itself, as the scenery surrounding Angkor is stunning and a refreshing break from the city. The high point of the day was Preah Kahn. At 7am it was virtually empty, the quietness of which adds so much to the experience. The partially ruined temple was stunning, and exploring its maze of passageways in the dewy morning light was truly serene. Later, over delicious vegetarian curry and Angkor beers, we agreed that it had been the unrivaled highlight of our time at the temples.
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| Preah Kahn |
On our final evening in Siem Reap, we cycled back to Angkor one final time, and in the last few hours of daylight walked around the imposing walls of Angkor Wat. Just before the sun set, we headed into the temple grounds, and in the silent glow of dusk were, finally, fully able to appreciate this spectacular masterpiece in all its glory.
An uncomfortable but scenic boat ride past floating villages took us to Battambang, our final Cambodian destination. Lonely Planet's description of it as a charming, colonial riverside town is disappointingly misguided, but the two days in this decidedly boring place has given us a chance to rest and plan the next leg of our adventure - Thailand.
Tuesday 18 January 2011
To the temples... (part 1)
Even if you know nothing else of the Kingdom of Cambodia, you are likely to have heard of its treasure - the temples of Angkor. And if, by chance, the name rings no bells, you would undoubtedly recognise the infamous skyline of its highlight, Angkor Wat. Some would consider it sacrilege to come to Cambodia without paying a visit to the "eighth wonder of the world", and we were both excited to have the opportunity. So there was never any question in our minds that we would travel to Siem Reap, situated as it is just 7km from Angkor; the perfect base for eating and sleeping in between temple time. Needless to say, neither of even bothered reading what the Lonely Planet had to say regarding this small city, so convinced we were that our sole activity would be visiting the historic wonders that surround it.
So we arrived with no expectations, our anticipation solely for the temples, only to discover with much surprise and delight that Siem Reap is a magical city. Our intended four day stay became six, and whilst one would assume, as we did, that the highlight of our time here would have been the temples, in reality our favourite experience of Siem Reap was the city itself. Embodying everything we have discovered we love in a place, Siem Reap retains all the tale tell signs of past French occupation. Rustic buildings, picturesque alleyways, colourful markets, countless craft shops, quirky cafes and too many culinary wonders to sample in only six days. Though the longest we have spent in any place, the time past all too quickly, and if it weren't for all the other places we've yet to see, I'd have quite happily stayed in Siem Reap until our visas expired. For the first time I have felt truly torn between the desire to travel and that to stay and drink in every inch of this wonderful place.
We arrived on a Saturday, and on the Sunday we met with the Kellers, a couple and their one year old son, who live and work as missionaries in Siem Reap. A contact of my grandparents, I had assumed they would be much older until we met them and I realised my mistake. They took us to a Khmer church (with translator), which was our first proper experience of meeting the local people. They made us feel so welcome, and it was such a joy to worship with them. After lunch with the Kellers, Phil and I went to local international church - quite a different experience to the morning, as it was full of Westerners, including (much to Phil's excitement) a Northern Irish pastor! Once again we were welcomed with open arms. We spent the following evening at the Kellers home for dinner, our first home cooked meal since arriving in Asia. Spagetti bolognaise has never tasted quite so delicious. Spending time with this like-minded, young couple was such an encouragement to us, and in conversation with them we became aware of how many opportunities there are, in both textiles and IT, for people like us, in Cambodia. This both excites and daunts us. We are constantly seeking God's direction for where he wants us to be long-term, and for the first time, Asia felt like a possibility. Cambodia has really got under our skin, and fills me, in particular, with all sorts of emotions that I'm having trouble identifying. Siem Reap has, undoubtedly, been my favourite place of our travels so far, and the only thing that convinced me to leave was Phil's voice of reason, reminding me that there is a lot of the world that we've yet to see.
So we arrived with no expectations, our anticipation solely for the temples, only to discover with much surprise and delight that Siem Reap is a magical city. Our intended four day stay became six, and whilst one would assume, as we did, that the highlight of our time here would have been the temples, in reality our favourite experience of Siem Reap was the city itself. Embodying everything we have discovered we love in a place, Siem Reap retains all the tale tell signs of past French occupation. Rustic buildings, picturesque alleyways, colourful markets, countless craft shops, quirky cafes and too many culinary wonders to sample in only six days. Though the longest we have spent in any place, the time past all too quickly, and if it weren't for all the other places we've yet to see, I'd have quite happily stayed in Siem Reap until our visas expired. For the first time I have felt truly torn between the desire to travel and that to stay and drink in every inch of this wonderful place.
We arrived on a Saturday, and on the Sunday we met with the Kellers, a couple and their one year old son, who live and work as missionaries in Siem Reap. A contact of my grandparents, I had assumed they would be much older until we met them and I realised my mistake. They took us to a Khmer church (with translator), which was our first proper experience of meeting the local people. They made us feel so welcome, and it was such a joy to worship with them. After lunch with the Kellers, Phil and I went to local international church - quite a different experience to the morning, as it was full of Westerners, including (much to Phil's excitement) a Northern Irish pastor! Once again we were welcomed with open arms. We spent the following evening at the Kellers home for dinner, our first home cooked meal since arriving in Asia. Spagetti bolognaise has never tasted quite so delicious. Spending time with this like-minded, young couple was such an encouragement to us, and in conversation with them we became aware of how many opportunities there are, in both textiles and IT, for people like us, in Cambodia. This both excites and daunts us. We are constantly seeking God's direction for where he wants us to be long-term, and for the first time, Asia felt like a possibility. Cambodia has really got under our skin, and fills me, in particular, with all sorts of emotions that I'm having trouble identifying. Siem Reap has, undoubtedly, been my favourite place of our travels so far, and the only thing that convinced me to leave was Phil's voice of reason, reminding me that there is a lot of the world that we've yet to see.
Wednesday 12 January 2011
An unexpected gem...
"Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!" (Psalm 16v.5)
2010 was a great year. And so we begin its successor with great expectation in Phnom Penh, toasting its arrival (albeit a few hours early due to overwhelming exhaustion) in an ideallic little guesthouse called the Boddhi Tree.
Having arrived in Cambodia knowing next to nothing of this new place, our first discovery was of its tragedies. Though not a cheerful way to spend new years day, a visit to the Tuel Sleong Museum (initially a high school before being converted into a torture prison), gave us a mere glimpse into the devastating Khmer Rouge rule (1975 - 79) and a glimmer of understanding as to how this regime essentially attempted to destroy Cambodia from the inside out. Meticulously recorded by thousands of faded photographs, we found ourselves staring into the hopeless faces of men, women and children, and can only begin to imagine the atrocities that took place here (and around the country) resulting, ultimately, in the deaths of over two million people.
But despite such a horrific (and recent) history, the Cambodian people are a delight. Every person we have encountered since our arrival - regardless of age, occupation and language barrier - has been overwhelmingly friendly. Finally it feels that not everyone is trying to sell us something, and we have been able to breath a long awaited sigh of relief. Cambodia, it seems, has welcomed us with open arms.
Our visit to Phnom Penh was largely spent relaxing, though, in truth, the city itself didn't excite us as much as we had hoped it might. But we were still able to enjoy times of rest in various picturesque coffee shops and discover some of the culinary delights of Khmer cooking. The Sunday was spent visiting two international churches, and it was both a blessing and refreshing to feel that much needed sense of belonging.
From Phnom Penh we travelled to the South coast and the riverside town of Kampot, in hope of discovering Cambodia's rural side. Unfortunately, lone exploring is made difficult by the huge number of land mines that remain from the time of Khmer Rouge rule, but with the help of a local guide we saw salt and pepper plantations, caves, fishing villages and so much more, discovering that day the untouched beauty that exists in Cambodia. Quite unlike Vietnam, it is considerably drier and flatter, but, like its neighbour, it did not fail to take our breath away on more than one occasion.
That day in the stunning countryside was the highlight of our visit to Kampot, but we found our time spent in the town itself to be an equally pleasurable experience. Charming and wonderful, I found myself feeling totally at peace amongst the riverside restaurants and "good cause" coffee shops - a Cambodian phenomenon that has both satisfied my sweet tooth and captured my heart. The three days passed unbearably quickly, and I found myself wishing that we didn't have to leave. But alas that is the nature of travelling, and so to Kampong Cham we went. Famed for the weaving villages that surround it (which were the reason for our visit), I was intitally disappointed by the town's lack of aesthetic appeal. This quickly dissipated, however, when we, once again, ventured into the heart of the countryside. Even more incredible than that around Kampot, we were quite content in the back of our tuk-tuk amongst scenes of such unimaginable beauty, one can scarcely take them all in. As when we were in Vietnam, I find myself once again overwhelmed by the inadequacy of my words in describing the natural magnificence of this place. I couldn't possibly hope to do it justice.
What has become increasingly apparent is how undeveloped rural Cambodia remains, despite how well established the towns and cities seem to be. As we jolted along dirt roads we realised that it was quite uncommon for families to live in anything other than a wooden stilt-house, using the rain and the rivers for all manners of washing and cooking. Our mourning the loss of hot water and flushing toilets seemed suddenly insignificant, and the comforts which we have lived accustomed to seem unfair. It is the first time either of us has come face to face with real poverty, and one has to wonder why we deserve the privilege that we were born into. People stared and waved as we passed; delighted children shrieked excited "hellos". We felt like filthy rich celebrities, yet at the same time, an overwhelming sense of welcome.
Though we have been here only a week, we have been totally captivated by Cambodia, this jewel at the heart of South East Asia. Every day that passes I wish we could rewind, and I know that when the time comes, I will want nothing more than to stay in this wonderful place.
2010 was a great year. And so we begin its successor with great expectation in Phnom Penh, toasting its arrival (albeit a few hours early due to overwhelming exhaustion) in an ideallic little guesthouse called the Boddhi Tree.
Having arrived in Cambodia knowing next to nothing of this new place, our first discovery was of its tragedies. Though not a cheerful way to spend new years day, a visit to the Tuel Sleong Museum (initially a high school before being converted into a torture prison), gave us a mere glimpse into the devastating Khmer Rouge rule (1975 - 79) and a glimmer of understanding as to how this regime essentially attempted to destroy Cambodia from the inside out. Meticulously recorded by thousands of faded photographs, we found ourselves staring into the hopeless faces of men, women and children, and can only begin to imagine the atrocities that took place here (and around the country) resulting, ultimately, in the deaths of over two million people.
But despite such a horrific (and recent) history, the Cambodian people are a delight. Every person we have encountered since our arrival - regardless of age, occupation and language barrier - has been overwhelmingly friendly. Finally it feels that not everyone is trying to sell us something, and we have been able to breath a long awaited sigh of relief. Cambodia, it seems, has welcomed us with open arms.
Our visit to Phnom Penh was largely spent relaxing, though, in truth, the city itself didn't excite us as much as we had hoped it might. But we were still able to enjoy times of rest in various picturesque coffee shops and discover some of the culinary delights of Khmer cooking. The Sunday was spent visiting two international churches, and it was both a blessing and refreshing to feel that much needed sense of belonging.
From Phnom Penh we travelled to the South coast and the riverside town of Kampot, in hope of discovering Cambodia's rural side. Unfortunately, lone exploring is made difficult by the huge number of land mines that remain from the time of Khmer Rouge rule, but with the help of a local guide we saw salt and pepper plantations, caves, fishing villages and so much more, discovering that day the untouched beauty that exists in Cambodia. Quite unlike Vietnam, it is considerably drier and flatter, but, like its neighbour, it did not fail to take our breath away on more than one occasion.
That day in the stunning countryside was the highlight of our visit to Kampot, but we found our time spent in the town itself to be an equally pleasurable experience. Charming and wonderful, I found myself feeling totally at peace amongst the riverside restaurants and "good cause" coffee shops - a Cambodian phenomenon that has both satisfied my sweet tooth and captured my heart. The three days passed unbearably quickly, and I found myself wishing that we didn't have to leave. But alas that is the nature of travelling, and so to Kampong Cham we went. Famed for the weaving villages that surround it (which were the reason for our visit), I was intitally disappointed by the town's lack of aesthetic appeal. This quickly dissipated, however, when we, once again, ventured into the heart of the countryside. Even more incredible than that around Kampot, we were quite content in the back of our tuk-tuk amongst scenes of such unimaginable beauty, one can scarcely take them all in. As when we were in Vietnam, I find myself once again overwhelmed by the inadequacy of my words in describing the natural magnificence of this place. I couldn't possibly hope to do it justice.
What has become increasingly apparent is how undeveloped rural Cambodia remains, despite how well established the towns and cities seem to be. As we jolted along dirt roads we realised that it was quite uncommon for families to live in anything other than a wooden stilt-house, using the rain and the rivers for all manners of washing and cooking. Our mourning the loss of hot water and flushing toilets seemed suddenly insignificant, and the comforts which we have lived accustomed to seem unfair. It is the first time either of us has come face to face with real poverty, and one has to wonder why we deserve the privilege that we were born into. People stared and waved as we passed; delighted children shrieked excited "hellos". We felt like filthy rich celebrities, yet at the same time, an overwhelming sense of welcome.
Though we have been here only a week, we have been totally captivated by Cambodia, this jewel at the heart of South East Asia. Every day that passes I wish we could rewind, and I know that when the time comes, I will want nothing more than to stay in this wonderful place.
Saturday 1 January 2011
Goodbye, Vietnam...
Following the unbridled luxuries of Dalat, our journey to the coastal town of Mui Ne came as something of a disappointment. Despite excitement for our first ocean venture, we soon discovered that a backpackers budget doesn't go far in Mui Ne and, having indulged ourselves in Dalat, we were in no position to splurge. So, with all the beach resorts cashing in on the towns massive tourist potential, we found ourselves on the wrong side of the road with no pool, no place to sunbathe, and the beach rapidly disappearing due to rising sea levels. On top of all that the intense heat was too much for our cold weather constitutions to handle, and so the two days were spent sweating profusely with me in a grouchy mood (poor Phil). Though we did enjoy some scrumptious seafood whilst there, we were ready to move on to our final Vietnam destination, Ho Chi Minh City.
Not a particularly picturesque city, the former Saigon didn't captivate us in the same way Hanoi had, but still we had some treasured moments. A visit to the War Remnants Museum gave us an eye-opening insight into "Nam" and a side of that tragic story the West has largely, conveniently, forgotten. Seeing such stomach churning images, it is hard to believe that this now beautiful, peaceful country was once the setting for such unimaginable horrors. That same evening was spent having dinner with a missionary who has been based in Saigon for sixteen years. We shared our travel stories and he his experiences, which gave us an interesting insight into Vietnam, how it has evolved and why many things are as they are. Being the first Christian we've met since starting our travels, meeting with him really encouraged us, both in our journey and to seek out churches while we travel. Leaving both our physical and spiritual comfort zones has shown us how important it is to meet with other believers, and we have been missing that. He blessed us with a delicious meal, and fed us in other ways far more important.
The temperatures have been so hot and humid that doing much exploring becomes difficult and uncomfortable, so on our second day in HCMC we spent the afternoon in the "Sozo" cafe - a missionary project that trains and employs disadvantaged Vietnamese. We read up on Cambodia whilst enjoying delicious cakes (so rare in Asia) and Western sized coffees, encouraged to see the work of this project that seeks to help those struggling to help themselves and, ultimately, glorify God. ("Sozo" (verb) - To save, keep safe and sound...to make well, heal, restore...to save in the technical biblical sense.)
We leave, now, for Cambodia with soaring spirits and excitement for both the new year and the unknown delights of this new land.
Not a particularly picturesque city, the former Saigon didn't captivate us in the same way Hanoi had, but still we had some treasured moments. A visit to the War Remnants Museum gave us an eye-opening insight into "Nam" and a side of that tragic story the West has largely, conveniently, forgotten. Seeing such stomach churning images, it is hard to believe that this now beautiful, peaceful country was once the setting for such unimaginable horrors. That same evening was spent having dinner with a missionary who has been based in Saigon for sixteen years. We shared our travel stories and he his experiences, which gave us an interesting insight into Vietnam, how it has evolved and why many things are as they are. Being the first Christian we've met since starting our travels, meeting with him really encouraged us, both in our journey and to seek out churches while we travel. Leaving both our physical and spiritual comfort zones has shown us how important it is to meet with other believers, and we have been missing that. He blessed us with a delicious meal, and fed us in other ways far more important.
The temperatures have been so hot and humid that doing much exploring becomes difficult and uncomfortable, so on our second day in HCMC we spent the afternoon in the "Sozo" cafe - a missionary project that trains and employs disadvantaged Vietnamese. We read up on Cambodia whilst enjoying delicious cakes (so rare in Asia) and Western sized coffees, encouraged to see the work of this project that seeks to help those struggling to help themselves and, ultimately, glorify God. ("Sozo" (verb) - To save, keep safe and sound...to make well, heal, restore...to save in the technical biblical sense.)
We leave, now, for Cambodia with soaring spirits and excitement for both the new year and the unknown delights of this new land.
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