Our first stop was the Banteay Samre Temple. It was built in the 12th century and dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. It is built in the same style as Angkor Wat, only much, much smaller.
Once inside the outer wall the steps were so large I thought Chinda and I might not get to go inside. But we made it and found our way around via the inner courtyard wall.
The carvings are so intricate and we found one that was mostly intact.
We headed back out and past the gauntlet of women trying desperately to sell us something. The driver had told us that tourism is down to half of what it was before Covid. Many people have left the country in search of work. Melissa didn’t want to buy anything but she gave one of the women $3. Another seller came up to her and said, “What about me?”
The drive to Banteay Srei Temple takes a full hour from our hotel. The long drive allowed us to see more of the countryside. Many of the houses are built on stilts. Our driver said that is because traditionally livestock was kept under the house. As we got closer to Banteay Srei, the terrain became more jungle like. We saw coconuts on the palm trees and tamarinds on the tamarind trees. Our driver stopped so I could get some tamarinds. They are sweeter than the kind I buy in California. We drove past many rice paddies.
Banteay Srei is a Hindu temple built in the 10th century, before Angkor Wat. It is mind boggling to realize it is over a 1,000 years old. It was dedicated to Shiva and Parvati. Some call this temple the “jewel of Khmer art.” Banteay Srei is translated as “city of women”. It is the only major temple at Angkor not built by a monarch.
This temple is unusual because it is mostly built of hard red sandstone that can be carved like wood.
It was the first structure of Khmer architecture to contain whole scenes of mythological subject matter on its pediments.
A causeway leads from the outer gate to the inner sanctuary.
The whole place is rich with mythological stories told in its carvings.
We exited and walked back past the lush jungle.
Our driver really wanted us to take advantage of the Landmine Museum. We were tired but he told us it wasn’t a long stop. We were glad we paid our $5 a head to walk through this small museum. The museum was created by Aki Ra. Orphaned before he was five, he became a child soldier for the Khmer Rouge at the age of 10. As a soldier he laid thousands of mines. In 1987 he defected from the Khmer Rouge and joined the Vietnamese army. In 1993 he began working for the United Nations as a deminer, learning how to clear landmines. He has been clearing mines on his own ever since. He founded this museum and for a time ran a school for children who were victims of landmines. He estimates that he has cleared over 50,000 mines.
On the wall in one of the rooms was a whiteboard giving the stats for mines cleared and locals educated on mines just in the month of December 2023. Aki Ra estimates that there are still 3-6 million landmines that need to be excavated and deactivated.
Every room was filled with deactivated mines.
There was artwork created from mines and other weapons found in his personal quest.
Artwork on the walls depicted the horror of landmines to the Cambodian people.
The founder of the museum is desperate to stop the use of landmines. Under Barack Obama the use of landmines by the US was banned. Under Donald Trump the landmine ban was abandoned. This advertisement for a shooting range is posted in the dirt just outside the Landmine Museum. It displayed clearly how the love of weapons makes a museum like this one necessary.
We stopped for lunch at a “tourist” restaurant and headed back to our hotel, hot and tired. I blogged for a short time and then decided I wanted to head into town and shop. I texted Brett to see if he had any recommendations. He texted back that he would be right over and take me. We got a tuktuk. They are so frightening and yet, I love riding in them.
We hit a French bakery, an outdoor market and a bunch of little shops. I found some presents and bought a dress and scarf for myself. Every time we came out of a store a tuktuk driver would yell at me, “Madam, I take you where you want to go.” I had so much fun with Brett.
Yves was in a great mood all day. Today was his 6 month birthday and he was super chill all day. Here he is getting dressed for dinner tonight, sporting his elephant outfit to match his Uncle Brett.
We ate dinner at Cuisine Wat Damnak. This is our last meal all together before Brett and Brendon leave tomorrow.
Cuisine Wat Damnak advertises Cambodian flavors with French culinary technique. They do a tasting menu. You choose between meat based or plant based. I went with plant based. It was nine courses. (I loved the cherry tomato sorbet.). This is the spring rolls with a mango plum sauce. I ate the sauce like it was ice cream! Yves slept through the entire meal.
We bid farewell to Brett and Brendon in the lobby of our hotel. Matt, Melissa, Yves and I are going to Angkor Wat for the sunrise and so will miss their morning departure.
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