Batam yesterday morning. Took another boat to another Island, Selat Panjang. From there we took an
overnight slow boat to arrive in Pekanbaru just after 7am this morning. Not a lot do here and see
so will be heading for Bukittinggi tonight, arriving there before sunrise tomorrow, Inshallah.
Let me continue where I left off on Friday...
SATURDAY MAY 20
I'd planned on leaving this morning for Sienm Reap but really liked Phnom Penh and, in particular,
the guesthouse I stayed in so decided to spend another day. I'm really glad I did.
Spent most of the morning trying to withdraw some money. It was a Saturday so most of the banks
were closed for business. They were open, as in there were people working in them, but closed for
business, which I found really frustrating as I kept going in only to be returned. Eventually
found one that was also open for business.
After brunch took a motorbike to the Killing Fields of the Pol Pot/Khmer Rouge ragime, 15km South
of Phnom Penh. It was the ragime's biggest mass execution site with some 80,000 people meeting
their deaths there. It's a horrifying place, particularly the glass stupa that contained thousands
and thousands of skulls that were found there.
I returened back to Phonom Penh, had lunch, hired a bicycle and next went to a museum that used to
be the prison for those executed at the Killing Fields. (Before becoming a prison it used to be a
school.) They would be tortured for up to six months before taken to the fields. There were
grusome pictures of victims as they were found by the Vietnamese army when they finally overthrew
the Kmer Rouge. Worst still is that most of the atrocities were committed by children under 15.
After their fall, the Khmer Rouge maintained a guerilla war throughout the 80's and they were
armed and financed by China, Thailand and the US to fight agianst the Vietnamese backed government
in Phnom Penh. Their 'Brother No. 1', Pol Pot, died of natural causes in the mid 90's as a free
man. Sad.
Cycled back to the guesthouse in pouring rain. Got totally wet of course but after a while I found
it to be very liberating - your mind is set free as once you're wet you don't have to worry about
getting wet!
I then went for some free water/jet skiing on the Mekong. (Open day promotions). I'd never done it
before so found it really difficult to stand up on the skis. Actually, I found it impossible! But
it was a lot of fun though! The jet skiing was also great as indeed was the swim in the warm
waters of the Mekong.
Went for an Indian for dinner. Had rice and dhal, of course! It was good. I think it was the first
time I had dhal since Bangladesh. Played more pool before calling it a day.
SUNDAY MAY 21
Took a morning pick-up truck to Siem Reap. (Pick-ups cost USD5 inside and USD3 outside while the
bus cost USD9. I bought the USD5 ticket, but swapped with this New Zealander and spent half the
time outside. Didn't expect to get a dollar from him and didn't!)
As you can imagine the journey was quite rough. Cambodian roads get progressively worse as you
move Northwards. Most of the road was just dirt tracks. We got to Siem Reap just before 7pm and
man was I given a warm welcome or what! There were cards saying "Welcome Muhammad to Siem Reap"
and people wanting to shake my hands. Of course, they all had a reason. Basically, a guy from the
No.9 guesthouse in Phonom Penh phoned his mates in Siem Reap to tell them that I'd be arriving and
bringing other travellers with me...and so they were all there to take us to their guesthouses.
On the pick-up truck there were a couple of English travellers from Kent who I'd met the pervious
day. They and I stayed at the same guesthouse while the New Zealander went elsewhere. It only cost
me a USD2 for a double room with en-suite bathroom.
Went to the worst ever Indian restaurant with the Kent couple. Everything tasted bitter, from
Chicken Ticka masala to dhal. The manager was also the rudest I've come across. Not rude with us
but with the friendly staff.
MONDAY MAY 22
The only reason for going to Siem Reap was of course to see the world famous Temples of Angkor.
I'd booked a motorbike and a driver the night before and I was meant to be picked up at about
5:15am but the driver overslept. So I missed seeing the sunrise over the temples. But, as with
everything, it didn't really piss me off.
We first went to the fortified city of Angkor Thom which contained, notably, the temples of The
Bayon, The Baphoun, The Royal Palace, the Terrace of The Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper
King. I won't go in to deail about each of them but the Bayon was the most impressive,
particularly the eerie and unsettling third level with it's icily smiling faces of Avalokitesvara.
Next up were a couple of temples - Ta Prohm and Preah Khan - that were very similar in style but
very different in their state of preservation. Ta Prohm was left completely to the jungle with no
attempt to restore it at all. I found this one of the most impressicve sights. Took way too many
pictures there!
I then went to Phnom Bakheng, a temple on a hilltop from where one gets fantastic views of the
surrounding countryside and Angkor Wat. Seaking of which, that was the next site. And man, what a
site! Absolutely spectacular! Once you've seen Angkor Wat, there's no need to see another wat in
your whole life!
The Wat, built by Suryavaman II (1112-52) to honour Vishu, consisted of three stories each of
which enclosed a square surrounded by intricately carved galleries. There were three main towers,
two at 31m and and one at 55m. The temple was surrounded by a vast moat measuring 1.5km by 1.3km.
The grandeur and intricacy of it is amazing, particularly as it was built almost a millemium ago.
Returned to Phnom Bakheng to watch the sunset. Everybody at the site seemed to gather there. I
think it was the first time that I'd consciously seen the Sun set. And to do it with hundreads of
others made it a bit more special.
I had a great day at Angkor Wat and my guide, despite oversleeping, was great. I paid a dollar
more than the agreed USD6.
PS: Jahangir and Shah Jahan (cousins from NYC), welcome!
PPS: I'm sorry that I don't have time to reply individually to anyone.
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