Holiday in Cambodia

I have just returned from an amazing holiday in Cambodia. I left just a week ago, Saturday morning at 4:30 AM. I headed with my friend Emily, a girl I work with, to the train station in central Bangkok. Since the train we planned to take to the border is a commuter, we had to get there early to get seats. The train left at 5:55…. About 45 minutes later we passed our apartment building! So, not off to the smoothest start, but it was amusing. The train ride lasted about 6 hours, with stops every 20 minutes or so. Many Thai people hopped on and off loaded with food and goods to sell at various markets. Finally around noon we stopped in Aranya Prathet, and after dealing with 3 stops along the border, we headed into the lovely town of Poipet, Cambodia. We were warned to pass through the town as quickly as possible, and NOT to stay the night… It was good advice as there was an immediate distinction between the 2 countries.

After some persuasion, we found that the most logical (while expensive) way to get to Siem Reap was through a share-taxi. So we packed into a compact car with a couple from Germany to head north. Along the road we saw much evidence of the havoc the rainy season has reaped on the dirt roads. There were areas where the road was under waist-high water. At each of the pools, there were locals waiting around to help guide transportation through. Children would lead the cars through the shallowest area, and then hold out their palms for a tip. It was an adventure, at times a bit scary and trying, but we made it. While going through the deep areas, the bottom of our car filled with about 6+ inches of water, but would quickly drain as we made it through.



We arrived in Siem Reap and checked into a guesthouse. Upon checking in, we were lined up with a driver to take us to the temples. For $12 a day, he would take us wherever we wanted to go.

We spent spectacular 2 days exploring the temples. They are amazing… really. I encourage everyone to check them out. Each temple is diverse from the next, while open to exploring, and remarkably beautiful. I instantly became interested in the history upon seeing the differences in the temples. I was persuaded by one of the many locals touting goods, to buy a guidebook. I did not realize until later that night, that I was handed a book in French…. Although I have been considering freshening up on the language I have not studied since high school, I don’t believe a book on ancient Cambodian temples is the best route…

The temples were built over a period of 600 years. The Cambodian god-kings each strived to better their ancestors in size, scale, and beauty, with the culmination being the world’s largest religious building; Angkor Wat. Hundreds of temples survive in the area today. The temples are the heart and soul of Cambodia, and a source of pride and inspiration to all Khmers, whose recent history has been quite trying.
Angkor Wat with Reflection

Overgrown Temple

Young Artists selling watercolors

Buddhist Nun

Bayon Temple, (my favorite)

Temple With Blue Sky

After 2 days of exploring, we spent the third around Siem Reap. We started the morning with a boat ride checking out the floating village of Chong Kneas. Then we headed to a silk factory, which was extremely interesting. The organization is called Artisans D’Angkor, a cultural rehabilitation project that encourages locals to train and work in different areas of silk production. The factory is involved in every step of the process, beginning with growing mulberry trees. The leaves are then fed to silk worms over a period of 27 days. Once the worms have eaten their fill, they surround themselves in a silk cocoon. A percentage of the cocoons are left to hatch, produce eggs, and continue the cycle, while a majority are used for silk. These cocoons are steamed and stirred with a whisk to extract a thin strand of silk. The strand then goes through a monotonous process of spinning and winding to make everything smooth, before it is dyed, and used in the weaving process. Each step was incredible to see, and the looms were fantastic. It did make me anxious to move somewhere where I can set up my loom! The women weavers, through a translator, were very excited to hear that my mom is a weaver. At the end of the tour there was a beautiful shop filled with many silk goods made on site.



After the silk factory, we headed to a children’s hospital to donate blood. The hospital is run by a man from Holland, and provides free medical services to children. We then filled up with a delicious Khmer dinner, (the food was excellent), and headed to bed anticipating the long journey home.

We returned to Bangkok using an alternative route, as even the share-taxi’s had stopped attempting the treacherous road. We began with a 6-hour boat ride to a town called Battambang, then a 4-hour share-taxi to the boarder, and finally a VIP bus back to Bangkok. Total travel time for the day was just over 17 hours… but we made it safely, and it felt good to be back ‘home’.

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It has been almost 3 weeks since returning from Cambodia, as I have dealt with some computer problems delaying this update. I have stayed busy since returning to Bangkok and work… The biggest news is that I joined a local gym. I LOVE IT!!! It is brand new, and I am still one of only a few members. I have a personal trainer named Kuhn Maew. She is tough, and thinks I am extremely fat. I guess compared to the tiny Thai women, she is partially correct, but we are working hard on fixing that. I often spend a few hours each evening after school running, using the elliptical or wave machines, lifting weights, stretching, and sometimes joining yoga or aerobics classes. I am so happy getting back into cardio activities, while not being concerned about the drastic heat, air pollution, or traffic. It is nice to have something to do with my evenings as well.

I am counting down the days/weeks until I head home for Christmas. I am very anxious to see my family and friends, as well as having some much anticipated surgery. I will be in Wisconsin from about Dec. 17th through the end of the month. I hope to catch up with many of you who are keeping in touch, and reading this blog… Thanks to all who keep in touch, it is comforting, and appreciated… it makes the challenge of living far away much easier.