Welcome to Hong Kong

6.22pm. My first glimpse of Hong Kong stares at me through a thick foggy skyline that uncovers bits and  pieces  of a blu-ish land mass.

Its late and I already feel jet-lagged from the journey but the adrenaline of seeing the far east for the first time keeps me pumped. The large swaths of sea and the outlines of where land starts and sea ends looks like an artful calligraphy painting.

There is an expectant hush around the plane as we approach the landing. As usual, people crane their necks for the tiniest glimpse of the outside world.

The land and sea which once appeared  so distant and unreal comes into clear view and soon it seems to be within touching distance. Our plane lands stiffly on the tarmac, made even darker by the approaching night.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Hong Kong”

Tags: airport, Hong Kong, landing

Rising Sun

From the 3 floor balcony of the guesthouse,  I was  looking out over Siem Reap from the highest point for miles around.

2 hours from leaving Siem Reap, the endless morning sunrise was the perfect backdrop for my leaving what had been a great experience in one of the most serene settings I’ve been to so far.

After the dizzying city life of Ho Chi Minh City this was a much needed piece of calm The chilled attitude in Cambodia was also a great counterpoint to the materialism that Vietnam presented. Their easy smiles and gentle ways seem otherwordly in the face of the immense modernization that most of SEA was undergoing.

As I gazed out into the glorious morning sun that was now turning the most amazing shade of purple and every shade of orange, I reflected on my time through the  SEA countries.

From the crucial political battles that were now unfolding in Malaysia to the growing pressures of the Singaporean Heartland and the expanding might of Indonesia, all the way to the factious peace in Thailand and neighboring Vietnam’s impressive development and coming to an end here in genteel Cambodia. I couldn’t help but feel like SEA was coming to an age of self-discovery and revelations. Whether it was reaching unprecedented levels of prosperity or the trickier task of unprecedented levels of political complexity and openness it was clear that the region all had serious issues to address.

The same way that I was enraptured by the most unfettered sunrise on the balcony of Siem Reap, the region held me captivated for long stretches. It was poetic that my journey in the region should end here. Having witnessed so much rapid change in the region, Cambodia was a time capsule that brought me back to humbler times. It served to underline the simple life that we gave up when development came to the region. But it also served as a warning that even great empires and civilizations fallto despairing depths when bad turns are taken by government.

With one final over the intimate setting of Siem Reap I wrenched myself from the balcony and rode off into the sunrise.

 

 

Tags: Cambodia, Siem reap, Sunrise

Ribbed

What’s the perfect tonic after a taxing day out in the field exploring one of then ancient Wonders of the World?

Ribs. Lots of it. Lots of stick icky ribs. By the roadside. Preferably next to some good company.

So it was I found myself with my new German friend, Stefan, in a roadside shake in downtown Siem Reap after a tiring day in the belly of Angkor Wat.

We chose the spot because most of Siem Reap was full of pretentious cafes serving pizzas or nachos. They all claimed to be recommended by “lonely planet” and carried western prices along with their western  fare.

Our criteria was:

1) Local food

2) No leisurely golden oldies smoking cigars

3) No lonely planed recommendation

4) Lots of hippies (they always seem to know the best places to eat)

There was no shortage of competition for our appetites either. With the host of each stall throwing their (identical) menus at us and offering us special prices since we were “friends”

We finally settled on a stall with the best smelling grill and sat down next to a hippie couple with dreadlocks and accompanying tattoo sets. We asked then sated couple what to order and they enthusiastically gave the place the thumbs up and told us that they had been here every day for a MONTH. The girl told us to get the fried prawns as they paid and left.

Against our best instinct for a safe meal we ordered under a the leaking tent. Stefan got the prawns while I got the sweet and sour ribs. We also got some fruit shakes. The waiter then bolted to a fruit stall round the back of the stall and bought our drinks in fruit-form before peeling them and putting them in a rudimentary blender. Aaah…such are the pleasures of Cambodia.

Stefan was telling me about “Big Ideas”, which is a book about future techs that will change our world, when our food arrived.

We dove into our food  like two men who had missed lunch and done lots of cycling for a day.The food was delicious in the simple and un-distinctive that I had come to associate with the food in Cambodia. The famines during the Khmer regime had basically wiped out most of the culinary wonders that the country no doubt harbored. So what you get is basically a combination of other cuisines from the region.

I was chowing down my ribs with great spirit, abandoning the flimsy plastic knife and making the most of my opposable thumbs when I heard that familiar tug on the shoulder.

The street kids had come begging for food again. I remember them from the previous night’s dinner when they asked for a sip of my coke. Looking up at them with my rib-coated hands and puckered lips, it was hard not to feel guilty. By contrast, Stefan looked far more dignified with his fork.

I encountered street kids in many of the countries I visited in the region too. The general rule that I observe is to allocate a portion of my budget to these children and limit myself that way. This worked well especially in cities like Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh City.

But in HCMC or Bangkok, the children were usually savvy traders that peddled everything from roses to NYT best sellers. Here I was faced with a completely different sort of street kid: the starving street kid. They were not asking for money or our business, they were asking for our food.

The next couple of seconds were awkward. We chewed on, but all we could taste was our guilt. The children could sense this I think, because they lingered for a litte while and started conversing with us in pretty good English. One of the little boys in particular was very proficient in the language. I guess when you’re subsistence depends upon it you tend to pick up a foreign language faster than most.

But Stefan and I knew that we had a dilemma on our hands because if we handed over our food to the children then they would come to us everyday for the rest of our stay, on the other hand its cruel not to feed these emaciated children.

After what seemed like an eternity we gave the children some money to buy some food at the grocery store instead. They then moved on to the next table, where they received the same cold shoulders from the tourists.

The rest of our meal was hard to swallow. You never quite get used to seeing street children like these. Sometimes I think that we the visitors are more emotionally affected by these moments than the street kids themselves, who are for the most part jolly and good humored.

Drunk on a splendid day in the grand sanctuaries of Angkor Wat, and a sumptuous dinner to boast, it was a sobering end to the evening.

 

Tags: Cambodia, Ribs, Siem reap, Street Kids

Experiencing Angkor Wat

I’ll detail the rest of my Angkor Wat adventure at the risk of sounding like a broken radio playing an advertisement for this ancient wonder of the world.

So there I was on the brink of the main temple complex, standing with mouth wide open  in the shadow of this mammoth beaute.

Cue epic Hans Zimmer soundtrack.

I couldn’t help but gasp in disbelief at the intricate cravings which seemed to adorn every inch of the temple’s aged body. They depicted slithering patterns and mystic gods, they told forgotten legends and brought to life ancient surrounds.

It was like something out of an Indiana Jones movie. The rows and rows of dancing Goddesses, the montages that describe the history of a lost religion, the pristine black stain of the heavy stone all subscribe to a vision to beauty that is no where to be seen today. Birds Nest Stadium be damned.

But my Indiana Jones fantasy only lasted for the merest moment of solitude as a band of Chinese tourists came shuffling through the narrow hallways of the temple.

I overheard one of the more garrulous tourist remark, “Why are some bits more shiny than others? …The old parts look so ugly! They should make it ALL SHINY!!”

Even with the sometimes awkward company of thousands of other visitors, Angkor Wat and its winding passages managed to carve out lots of intimate moments.Moments that really claw back the ages, when the very walls of the temple seem to hum their story in gentle hymns.

Trying to describe Angkor Wat’s  magic now feels futile to me because so much has been written about it, so much has been captured in film about it…and yet the soulfulness that you feel when you are actually amidst its inner sanctuaries is impossible to translate into words.

What I can say with more certainty is that the temple does not receive enough protection from the authorities. I understand from the green protective nets over some portions of it that its undergoing some restoration work, which is just as well when you you see the random sculptures strewn in odd corners and disjointed pieces of stone that lie  wake.

But what was even more surprising was that the temple was virtually unguarded. People could flagrantly step over “no entry” zones with no fear of apprehension.You could probably pack away a statue without anyone really paying much notice. There’s a business model waiting to be exploited.

But in all seriousness this was a little bit distressing. Having seen this wonder first hand I can’t believe its treated like a cheap theme park. Far more protection has been afforded to far less worthy embodiments of art and culture. Walk into your local art gallery and try and touch any of the pieces on display, you can expect to be in cuffs in no time. But pick at an 800 year old piece of history and no one so much as bats an eyelid.

I resisted getting a tour guide for my trip to Angkor Wat because my German anthropologist friend told me that the guides basically wing their way through any knowledge they claim to know of the place. In any case, there are so many of them around that you’re likely to get a running commentary of the place anyhow.

Something one of the tour guides said stuck with me. His group came to the large wall of carved figures that was supposed to tell one of the myths of the religion. One of the tourists asked if the guide could narrate the story as they examined it.

The guide tried to give a reasonable account but soon stumbled and meekly admitted that the religion was  lost and that no one knew what the hieroglyphics really meant.

Its poignant that such a wonderful structure should be maimed with silence. Maybe that’s why its status as a “religious structure” isn’t really heeded.Unlike the pyramids or the churches of Europe it doesn’t have the privilege of telling its side of the story.

Stand on Angkor Wat’s symmetrical courtyards for a instant and soak in its design though and its like no stories need be told.

 

Tags: Angkor Wat, Cambodia, Siem reap

WOW

This was a bad idea.

That was all I could think about as I paddled out on my white bicycle at 4.45 in the morning. It was absolutely pitch black save for some street lamps and the lights of the tuk-tuks.

I was headed towards the legendary Angkor Wat temples about 45 minutes away on bicycle. I had cycled for a couple of days around the city and even scouted out the road to Angkor Wat during the daytime. With some sandwiches and a large bottle of water in my bag I departed with all of the excitement of someone about to see their first ancient wonder of the world.

Most people decide to go at a more godly hour of the day. But I was on a mission to see a sunrise at Angkor Wat. And to accomplish that feat you had to beat the sun and ride to the sacred temples and arrive before 5:30.

The cold air and the dark streets made it a very challenging environment to cycle in. And it only got darker as I went further and further away from the city. But it was oddly comforting to see tuk-tuk’s ferrying their passengers to the temples as well. Their grumbling engine was the soundtrack of my ride to Angkor Wat.

I got a particular kick out of overtaking one or two tuk-tuk’s carrying one too many overweight passengers as well.

I soon arrived at the ticket booth and was happy to get off the spooky roads. I bought my day pass for 30 USD. The price of the ticket was a bit of a surprise and I envied the locals who got to enter for free. The ticket booth was pretty sophisticated. It automatically takes a photo of every tourists and prints it onto your ticket so that no foul play could occur.

I felt a little bit like a poor hippie compared to some of the tuk-tuk drivers waiting to enter the final stretch towards Angkor Wat. But I was consoled when I saw some other cyclists there as well. On the way, we waved and smiled at each other, as if in acknowledgment at our minority status and thus banding together.

So now it was time to cycle on to the final stage of my journey to Angkor Wat. I was half expecting to see the magnificient sights of the temples peeking out any moment. But the road laid on with no end in sight.

The darkness was still very scary and the road became even narrower. I had to be very careful not to hit any bumps or block any of the tuk-tuks coming behind me.

It was another 15 minutes before I arrived at the final leg of my journey. The traffic grew slower and more congested. I could now see a steady line of tuk-tuks and bicycles lining the road to Angkor Wat.

My heart raced as I spotted an ancient wall on the horizon beyond the lake of water that was parallel to the road. The excitement was palpable even in the cold morning air.

There was a real hush as I pulled into the parking area. I was told by the guy running the parking lot that I had to buy some breakfast in exchange for parking my bicycle. A rule that I happily complied with.

Having cycled for well over 45 minutes, my toil had left me with some very sore thighs but at least the exercise meant I was awake and no sign of grogginess was upon me. Indeed I felt sprightly as I walked on.

The bareness of the parking lot was misleading and I followed the throes of people with torch lights as they walked up some barely visible steps. I almost tripped over the ancient pavement in the process. The darkness sort of added to the feeling of discovering something that was entirely magical and I felt a little like Indiana Jones on one of his adventures.

I could barely make out the shimmering pond that was on either side of this walkway that led directly into the main temples complexes. This bridge of sorts that acted as the gateway already felt like a part of Angkor Wat. I could make out distinct patterns on its sides and its large stony make-up suggested it was older than the sum of the assembled visitors’ age.

Even in this absurdly dark setting, the crowds were flashing their cameras and trying to capture every minute detail of their experience. The flashes of light going off here and there only added to the novelty of the experience.

I could now see the great wall and grand entrance that leads into Angkor Wat. Even from afar I could discern its intricate carvings. The photo-taking intensified.

Angkor Wat ‘s fame has brought it so much exposure that as a visitor you feel your visit to the place can only be underwhelming when all is said and done. It can’t be as surreally beautiful as those postcards you see or as spectacular as the scenes from the Tomb Raider film.

But then you enter Angkor Wat and you get your first glimpse of the majesty of what this ancient civilization built and you realize how much more this place has to give in the flesh.

People were now fervently posing for shots seemingly around every corner of the place. This activity had the effect of robbing the place of some of its serenity (it is a temple after all) but I was told by my anthropologist friend that this was actually low season and that it was far worst during the high seasons.

Resisting the temptation to explore the intricate craftsmanship of the structures that lined the way en-route to the main attraction I walked quickly towards the main viewing gallery to position myself for sunrise.

I reached the pond that overlooks the main temple and set up shop at what I perceived to be a good spot.  The Japanese tourists beside me must’ve been here for some time as their heads lolled in sleepiness.

The gallery quickly filled up and there must’ve been at least 200 people by the time the moment we all waited for finally arrived.

It happens so stealthily that one barely recognizes it. First a dim light filled the atmosphere, the darkness slowly lifting. Then, the cacophony of colors we had all been waiting for erupted seamlessly.

You would’ve thought Angelina and Brad were in the vicinity the way the cameras were flashing non-stop. But the star of this show was a show stopping view of the Angkor Wat’s main temple and its flawless symmetrical reflection in the pond.

It’s a scene that you are unprepared for. Out of the darkness comes such creation. A perfect symphony of nature and man’s work to bring a gasp out into the open. Even as you snap away to get that perfect picture you are left bewildered by the beauty of your subject.

For 45 minutes, I watched the world turn and wake up beneath Angkor Wat. A structure that is so powerful that it compels you to believe in the gods.

What an amazing morning. Just wow.

 

 

Tags: Angkor Wat, Cambodia, Cycle, Siem reap, Sunrise

White Bicycle

The humble bicycle never really caught on in any of my travel plans.

I really enjoyed cycling as a kid but the last time I cycled must’ve been years ago while in middle school in Singapore when I would cycle to the HDBs nearby to get some hawker food.

But I think a combination of laziness, impatience and fear killed this sport for me. After watching some of my friends sustain amnesia and facial lacerations from cycling I buried the idea of cycling in the city for good.

And to be honest it didn’t feel like I was missing anything. With efficient and comprehensive train lines popping up in most urban centers and buses becoming more tolerable with better interiors there was simply no reason to cycle anymore. Even walking came to be more convenient as you didn’t have to lock up your bicycle and worry about it.

But Siem Reap was the first destination that made the idea of cycling about really appealing. A German anthropologist I met at the place I was staying at showed me his copy of lonely planet and pointed at the advice to “rent a bicycle”

I didn’t pay much notice to the advice until my skin had been seared several degrees darker and my feet had plunged into several watery potholes later. My German friend then pointed me in the direction of shop that rented out some rugged mountain bikes that looked like they could chew asphalt for breakfast.

Not really what I was looking for. I was thinking more old school, two big wheels set on a heavy iron frame with no whistles and bells kinda deal. I wanted something that the locals would use themselves.

And I found just that when I googled a list of charities in Siem Reap and found the White Bicycle project (www.thewhitebicycle.org). Founded by a Japanese guy called Ken Oishi in 2006, the project basically rents out the eponymous white bicycles from lots of participating Siem Reap outlets at a very reasonable 2 USD a day. All the money then goes towards either building a well for the local communities or helping to sponsor a child’s education.

Cambodian villager

This project was a brilliant example of sustainable charity tied in with an important local industry, in this case: tourism. I was so happy with the white bicycle that I got that I rented it for the duration of my trip. Its heavy set frame and large spokes soon became an inseparable part of my visit.

Aside from the win-win dynamics of the White Bicycle project, the experience of cycling around Siem Reap was in itself one of the highlights of my trip to Siem Reap.

Negotiating its intimate roads and narrow sights was a little difficult at first given my limited cycling skills. But soon, I came to enjoy the feeling of being able to turn into any lane I wanted to, not being afraid of being run over by a car or a bus. Being able to explore at a more rapid and breathless pace than walking would ever allow.

Stopping here and there by the river to observe the fishermen making their living and listening to the ripples of the water with my white bicycle blending into the scenery perfectly.

I was especially satisfied when I parked my bicycle alongside the locals and the tuk-tuk drivers no longer harassed me for rides on their vehicle. It made me feel just that little bit closer to the Cambodian way of life, especially when you see Cambodian schoolchildren riding to school in bicycles and the locals transporting their goods in them as well.

But most of all I enjoyed the balance of pace and freedom that my bicycle combined so well. Quick enough to get me around anywhere in Siem Reap under 30 minutes but also leisurely enough so that I could see things clearly and stop wherever I wanted to.

Obviously it would have been impossible to get the same cycling experience in any of the bg cities I visited. It was a matter of the right prop for the right play and Siem Reap suited the bicycle perfectly.

Siem Reap is like a parallel universe almost completely immune to modernization. Cycling around it on my white bicycle showed me what urban dwellers stand to miss: Its tranquility, its sense of endless time, its natural beauty.

 

 

 

 

Tags: bicycle rental, Cambodia, ken oishi, Siem reap, siem reap charity, sustainable aid, white bicycle

Monkeying Around

“You’re going to love Cambodia, everything is so cheap!”

I heard that a lot in Vietnam when I told other travelers that I was going to Cambodia next. They all had amazing stories to tell about the country; “beautiful people” or “my hotel had free beer”, but most of all they seemed to emphasized how inexpensive it was to visit Cambodia.

To an extent this is true. My long-haul bus rides into and around Cambodia were all under 20 USD. And my guesthouses were all amazing value for money.

But these were exclusive instances instead of general trends. Because everything seemed to be priced in USD and private enterprises were so hard to come by things were actually more expensive in Cambodia in many instances compared to HCMC.

I had to dig really deep to reach the basement bargains. Refusing to believe that 1 USD was the standard for bottled water, I went to a local cafe that sold me large 1.5 liter bottles for a mere 20 cents.

To describe this cafe as “bare” would be hyperbolic. The entrance was an improvised parking area for all the motorcycles and bicycles that fetched the locals here. Less said about the interior the better.

On a hot day (which is every other day here) the cafe did little to umbrella one from the screen of heat. It’s location close to the heart of the city with it’s chic converted colonial lots and lonely planet endorsed bars only added to it’s ugly-duckling-like charm.

In the absence of 7-11s, this cafe became my stalwart for supplies on Siem Reap. I even began to treat it like a 7-11. Going to it for snacks or drinks at every hour of the day.

Because I was told sunrise at Angkor Wat started at about 5.30 am, I tried my very best to kick my penchant for late nights. So I woke up at 4.30 am every day.

But this proved problematic because Siem Reap was no Bangkok. It was a very small town that was built almost entirely on the tourism industry that had sprouted around it’s

A sleepiness morning watching national geography in a Cambodian coffeeshop sipping on the dark brew while snacking on oily fresh fried pieces of dough.

One of the best feelings you can get while traveling is to become totally one with the locals. These moments are becoming so rare and will get rarer as tourism becomes more wide spread and locals more aware. But this was one of those occasions when I felt one of them.

It was at 5 in the morning. I had to take a short walk down a totally dark road to the coffeeshop, which was already totally packed with locals who were fixated with the TV.

A vivacious young blonde in khakis was looking for chimpanzees in the dead of the night in some jungle. The black and neon green color tone from the night vision on the show was strangely complimentary at this dark hour of the morning.

The cafe was silent save for the clang of metal pots being filled with coffee and the patrons sipping the strong brew. Something very voyeur-like about spying on a blonde zoologist spying on a chimpanzee. I think nature TV doesn’t get the credit it deserves for being the first real reality TV format.

The woman working at the cafe laid out freshly fried pieces of dough at each table. Perfect to munch while we watched the blonde zoologist making first contact with the chimp.

I stayed for a little less than an hour. The Animal Planet program concludes by showing the chimpanzee happily hitching a ride from the blonde into town.

The next show was substantially more uninteresting – some scavengers trying to find some sunken boat. And the scores of locals soon thinned.

After feeling ripped off for most of my time in Cambodia, not getting the super cheap prices I was always told about, I was glad to finally come to a place where you didn’t have to pay in US prices. But this was more than just a cheap trick, it was great coffee, oven hot snacks, served as you join the locals in that trance inducing tv show where some nature guys try to understand chimps.

As I walked back to the guesthouse in the early embers of the morning sun, a real sense of awakening arose in me. That’s what being a part of something as special as someone else’s community does to you. It makes you feel brand new again, like you were born again in a foreign land. As the sun burns ever so brightly through the uninhibited skyline that is Siem Reap’s low rise atmosphere, the air never tasted so fresh and my day never felt so good.

You just can’t help but smile.

Tags: animal planet, Cambodia, cambodian cafe, chimp, chimpanzee, Siem reap