Enjoying la dolce vita
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
An excellent picnic set
An excellent picnic set
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Chicken wings, sausage, som tom (green papaya salad), and sticky rice.
Bungalows out of Mad Max
Bungalows out of Mad Max
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
On the northern end of White Sand Beach were a few bungalows that looked like set decoration out of a Kevin Kostner flick from the '90's.
White Sand Beach
White Sand Beach
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
For 40 BHT, we rented a coupe beach sling chairs to relax the while away.
Lonely Beach
Lonely Beach
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
I rented a motorbike and drove down the hilly east coast of Ko Chang. I settled on this nice stretch of sand to spend the afternoon. It wasn't crowded with burnt package tourists, and the water was perfect.
Horseshoe crabs in a restaurant aquarium at Bang Bao, Ko Chang
In a few of the seafood restaurants at Bang Bao, they had fish tanks with wierd creatures. I assumed these were for eating, but I'm not sure.
Preying mantis prawn?
Another curiosity in the fish tanks were these prawns with heads like preying manti. These critters sort of creeped me out, as I declare in this video (R-rated for language).
Shrimp and what's that?
Shrimp and what's that?
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
I never read about these wierd flat-shrimps (next to the large prawn) in oceanography class.
Bang Bao "fishing village"
Bang Bao "fishing village"
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
A fishing village on stilts -- this reminded me of the "Muslim fishing villages" in Phra Nga Bay. There were plenty of seafood restaurants and bungalows there.
Heading to Ko Chang
Heading to Ko Chang
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
From Siem Reap, I headed back to Bangkok. The transportation options from Siem Reap were the same as getting there. I got a $4 ticket for the tourist bus that was supposed to have air-conditioning from my guesthouse. Well, most of the buses had air-con, but the last one (mine) was covered with red dust on the inside, so I knew it wouldn't be a fun ride. Sure enough, the air-conditioning wasn't working and the windows were rolled open to let the gravel and dust in. Not a great experience, but not my worst bus journey either. After a couple stops, I made it to Poipet at 2pm to make the border crossing on foot, took a tuktuk to the bus station in Thailand and caught a government bus to Bangkok's Mor Chit station. The tourists on the bus from Siem Reap had paid $15 to get to Bangkok, but including tuktuk fare, paid about $13. Not bad considering I got there faster and with more leg room.
With little over a week left in Emily's stay in SE Asia, we made a dash for another beach; this time we headed to Ko Chang, a large island near the Cambodian border. Once again, avoiding the Khao San tourist traps, we headed to Ekkamai, the eastern bus station, and caught the last two seats on the 0745 bus to the Laem Ngop pier, over five hours away.
When we arrived, we were surprised that most people going to the island were on prepaid minibuses to their designated hotels and resorts.
Ko Chang is much larger and more developed than Ko Samet (i.e., there are paved roads). I settled on the main beach, Hat Sai Kaew, or White Sand Beach. The bungalow prices change quickly here. The Lonely Planet's recommended place has jumped from 500 BHT to 2000 BHT/night with air-conditioning. I guess that's the way with progress. I got a large bungalow away from the beach ensuite with fan and a nice porch.
The hordes ascending Phnom Bakheng for sunset
The hordes ascending Phnom Bakheng for sunset
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
The base of this hill was a virtual parking lot full of tuktuks and tourist buses. There were even elephant rides ($15 going up and $10 going down) available. Everyone comes here to catch Angkor Wat in the setting sun's light, and to watch the sunset. I raced up here to catch the glow of Angkor Wat, but it wasn't too impressive as it was still quite a ways away.
Tastes like persimmon
Tastes like persimmon
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
I tried this fruit (about 25 cents). It tasted just like an orange hard persimmon! What a surprise. There are green and purple varieties of this fruit for sale all over Siem Reap. I'm not sure what it is, but it's tasty.
Shadow fascade
Shadow fascade
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
I revisited Preah Khan in the evening via tuk-tuk. On the prior day, I got there right at closing time, so this time I made sure I was early.
Terrace of Elephants
Terrace of Elephants
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
On the third day, I biked to the Terrace of Elephant and the Leper King, better visualized in the morning light (and more bearable too!). This Terrace allowed the Devaraja to review processions before him on the large parade ground.
Preah Khan gate -- god
Preah Khan gate -- god
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Here is a close-up of a god, which, as with most cultures, has facial similarities with their own people.
Preah Khan gate -- demon
Preah Khan gate -- demon
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Preah Khan was another city, just north of Angkor Thom. It also had the gods and demons lining the bridge crossing the moat. Here is a close-up look at one of the demons.
Ta Som gate
Ta Som gate
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
This was labelled as a "one-star" attraction in the Angkor Guide, indicating, little archeological or artistic interest, so I was quite surprised to find it as enjoyable as Ta Prohm, without the crowds. Like Ta Prohm, they've filled some movies here too.
Pre Rup
Gasoline in bottles of scotch
Gasoline in bottles of scotch
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
All over SE Asia, people sell gasoline out of bottles. Interestingly, even in Cambodia they do this at the gas station. Those are empty bottles of Johnnie Walker Red Label filled with petrol.
Gardens in Siem Reap
Gardens in Siem Reap
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Here is a perfect example of how lush Siem Reap can be.
Downtown dirt streets
Downtown dirt streets
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
This is looking a lot like the rest of Cambodia, but I'm not sure why. Siem Reap from gross appearance looks like it has the best roads and facilities in all of Cambodia from the hordes of tourists that visit. The roads are great and the gardens lush. For some reason, the "downtown" area looks like the rest of Cambodia, but the streets have expensive boutiques, art galleries, and bars. Wierd.
Psar Chaa goods
Psar Chaa goods
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
The old market in Siem Reap marks "downtown". The dark aisles are cramped and stuffy, smelling of fish paste. The floor is wet with the run off from the fish and meats department. Yum!
Ta Prohm tree
Ta Prohm tree
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
It looks like there's no one around, but there must have been about 25 tourists beside be waiting to take this photograph.
Ta Prohm and me
Ta Prohm and me
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
This is the most famous of temples that was mostly unrestored and left to be devoured by the jungle. There has been reinforcement to keep present arches from crumbling, but it gives a great idea on what Angkor must have looked like back in 1860.
Baphuon
Baphuon
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
This massive pyramid suffered greatly from poor engineering. For years, French archeologists were in the process of anastylosis, that is, the rebuilding of this structure using the methods the original builders had used. Thousands of stone blocks were numbered and placed in organized stacks and rows in the surrounding jungle. In 1975, these archeologists fled Pol Pot's bloody tyrrany, and when they returned, they discovered that all their records had been lost. So now they have a bunch of numbered blocks in separate areas of the forest without a clue as to where they go. Awwwwwesome, I'd say.
On the western side, there is an incomplete massive reclining Buddha. It just looks like a slightly organized pile of blocks.
Angkor Thom south gate
Angkor Thom south gate
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
The gate entering the Royal City. Everything is under the watchful eye of the omnipresent king.
Demons pulling the serpent
Demons pulling the serpent
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Angkor Thom, is the Royal City just north of Angkor Wat. It is surrounded by a large wall and moat (now filled in). The bridges crossing the moat show demons on one side and gods on the other side, pulling on a serpent's tail.
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