Angkor What?

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5.55am train from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet on the Thai-Cambodian border. 6 hours past paddy-fields and water-buffalo. On arrival in Aranyaprathet we got in a tuk-tuk to the border which stopped us at the Cambodian Consulate on the way. Dubious we went in, following many other travellers doing the same thing. Why couldn't we just buy visas at the border, we wondered? Inside we were told that we must have a visa before arriving at the border (something which was later proved to be untrue). Still, this was a genuine Consulate so we went ahead. We were told the charge for a visa was 30$ if we wanted it immediately or 20$ if we didn't mind spending a couple of days in this dead-end border town..we did mind. Corruption at work..the price should be 20$ regardless. Still these guys were the ones who could let us in to the country. An Australian couple near us refused this and proceeded to get very stressed out..this got them nowhere. Cambodian civil servants are often volunteers or very lowly-paid, the state having scant resources. This is not an excuse for their corruption but perhaps an explanation. Since being here we have found out that this happens to everyone at this border and several other Cambodian borders... we hope it gets sorted out.

Becks propping up the doorway.
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Finally in Cambodia. The difference was at once apparent. Where there were paved roads and new cars in Thailand there are dirt tracks and ox and cart in Cambodia. We end up negotiating a shared taxi with an Irish couple to take us to Siem Reap. The road to Siem Reap is mainly graded dirt and it's easy to believe the stories of highways being washed away in the rainy season.

Siem Reap is very different to the Cambodia that we passed through to get there. Big hotels line the main roads and more are being built. Having heard that a couple of years ago there were no ATMs in Cambodia we are surprised to find lots in Siem Reap. The town has a laid-back vibe and lots of great places to eat and drink.

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We decide to do the temples of Angkor some justice and plumop for a 3 day pass which allows you to visit the more than 30 temples in the area. We saw 7. Angkor Wat was our first and blew us away, its majesty rising out of the surrounding jungle. All the more powerful as a reminder that this was at one stage the centre of the Khmer empire that stretched from Vietnam to Malaysia. A contrast to the more low-key status of today's Cambodia. Too many temples to list here, but we were particularly impressed by Ta Phrom where the jungle has been allowed to encroach upon the temple. Trees grow through the temple walls and around carved stone.

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Just as impressive in Siem Reap were the people. A great sense of humour (they are always laughing...even if you're not sure what at), very friendly and smiley. This despite the obvious hardship that many endure. The average yearly income here is 450$ and lots of people live in palm huts dotted around the countryside. In addition there is a large number of landmine victims visible on the streets who scrape a living busking or selling photocopied books. As if we could forget the presence of so many unexploded landmines dotted around the country, we heard one explode while visiting a temple 30km from Siem Reap.

Funny wat seeing so many temples does to you.
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All of this makes for a fascinating place to visit. Off to Phnom Penh next.