At the center of Angkor Thom lies the Bayon, one of the most enigmatic and religious constructions in the world. It is composed of a mass of face-towers which form what appear to be mountain peaks. Most of the 37 remaining towers are carved with 4 faces. I was immersed in a world of Angkor eyes peering at me from every angle…wonderfully eerie!
Angkor Wat is the grandest and most sublime of all the Khmer temples. It was built in the 12th century, both as the capital and the State Temple dedicated to Vishnu. This is the first of many temples I explored in this monumental region of Angkor, many of which are composed of the two major features of Khmer architecture: a pyramid and concentric galleries. The visions of this Hindu universe are overwhelming!
I have arrived to Siem Reap, a city which feels much like a village, slowly making strides towards modernity. Cambodia is a country that is only now recovering from a devastating past due to the genocidal rule of the Khmer Rouge. I experienced one of the most intense days of this journey, beginning with a morning spent in a floating village in which the houses, schools and shops all float in the muddy waters of the Tonle Sap river. It was incredible to observe an entire life that is only accessible by boat. Children played in buckets or lay in the hammocks, as parents busied themselves with chores. I felt slightly obtrusive looking so closely into the intimate spaces of these local people. Yet it was immeasurably fascinating.
Following the floating village I sought refuge from the extreme heat and entered the world of the Angkor temples…
Bangkok is strewn with photos of the much revered king. His former residence is spectacular. The Grand Palace is enormous and greatly detailed, filled with temples comtaining the sacred Buddha, as is the nearby Wat Pho, the largest and oldest temple in Bangkok, dating from the 16th century. There I encountered the grand reclining Buddha, measuring 46m long and 15m high, as he has passed into final nirvana.
I arrived to a wet Bangkok. it was the start of their New Year. all through the city, locals and foreigners alike were drenching one another with buckets of water, as signifies good luck. complete chaos on the streets! I managed to stay dry by seeking refuge behind the sealed windows and locked doors of taxis, until one night after many hours of carousing, fortune struck and I joined the wet festivities. my dear friends Anika and Chuck were in town and together we indulged in several nights of meals that last for hours as in Thai tradition, followed by one drink that mysteriously turns into three…Azfar joined from Taiwan, and from high atop the roof of the Vertigo bar we looked into the deepening hues of a setting sun above a city that was far from sleep.
We are living in a treehouse on Morjim beach, in the north of Goa. I fall asleep to the sounds of a lulling sea and wake to the melodic cacophany of birds. We have found paradise, secluded from the many tourists and merchants of Calangute and Baga beaches. Several days spent in serenity, where once again I recall how beautiful and simple life can be. On the 13th the journey continues to Bangkok…
