2 days cycling around angkor
i understand why people say that cambodia is the most beautiful place on earth. it’s even beautiful, and clean somehow, in its poverty. the khmer are possibly the most tender, kind, jovial, and resilient group of people i’ve ever encountered. the pace is slower here, for me, anyway, because i can’t help but stop to talk more than a few times a day.
rented a bike and spent 2 days cycling around the angkor area. it’s 160 km2, and it would probably take the better part of a year to really discover all of angkor. built nearly 1000 years ago, it is thought to be the largest religious monument in the world. some temples have been restored, others left for the jungle to love as much as the visitors do. i strayed about 4km off track one afternoon and a guy came up behind me on his motorbike and offered me a lift back to my bicycle,. i declined, thinking he’d want money, but he said, ‘no no, no charge. i’m going that way.’ so i hopped on. this is so typical of cambodia. so refreshing.
hitched a ride on a motorbike out to angkor wat to watch the sunrise one morning. as i wrote in an email to a friend: it left me cheesily, utterly breathless. it’s the first time that architecture has ever had that sort of impact on me.
because i’ll forever wake up just after the crack of dawn even if i never step in a rowing shell again, i ate breakfast every morning with all of the guys who worked at rithy vin guesthouse where i was staying. 2.50 US a night for a great room with a double bed, shower, fan that would blow your skin off on the highest setting, and breakfast included. they kept asking me to play pool with them in the evenings. i decided to go for it on the last night there. because the other guys were all ón duty’, chinh (my best guest house friend) took me on his motorbike to a local pool hall. he kicked my ass at snooker, i came close to challenging him at a few subsequent games of pool. it was great, and i was the only foreigner in the room. i tell everyone about rejean.
Tags: Cambodia, Travel
Administrator
November 6th, 2005 at 4:18 pm
Cambodia alas!
The adventure begins.
I opened this entry with great delight and here it began with excitement, enthusiasm and openess to adventure. I felt as though I was bumping along in a pick up with you as you headed toward Siam Reap then on to Anghor. I can’t say that the bicycle glided over the cobbles of Anghor Wat but I could sense the story that each stone of this great momument holds. Thanks for giving me a glimpse of its alure and grandure.
November 7th, 2005 at 3:44 pm
HEy Fabian…
i’m a friend of Julies…can’t remember if she passed you my email or not.
but I did hear that my friend Matt aparently sent you some info on Bangkok.
I hope he warned you about the Poipet road…it’s notorious in Cambodia…
In any case…feel free to write me if you want any info on the country. You sound like you’re the sort of traveler that can just figure it out on your own though.
My favorite spot in the whole country was Kampot.
I learned to ride a moto bike there…really cheap rentals from the local motobike shop in town and they’ll teach you how.
Also…you can sleep up at Bokor, just look in your LP for a description of the place.
It’s around this time of year that they have a kickass asteroid shower and it’s the best place to see it from.
if you want more details on it…just write me and i’ll give you the lowdown.
i spent like a week out there in Kampot. so worth it.
I also really liked Phnom Penh…I stayed at the Last Home GH…close to everything, and very communal.
cheap as hell too.
good luck fab.
write if you need anything.
martine
November 7th, 2005 at 7:56 pm
Hey Fab!
I just saw your pictures or Cambodia, and read your journal lthingy. The pictures are awsome, i really enjoied looking at them, but i think you should tryr to get pictures of the lyfe styles and the poverty and wotever. But otherwise everything was gud. Do you lyke it there? Is it hott, any night clubs, attractive people? Anywayz, i hope your having a great time and yea.
bYE Love Rejean