Angkor

Hi everyone!

We're off to the airport to head to Bali shortly, so this will have to be a rather quick post. Hopefully we'll get a chance to expand on Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples sometime in the near-ish future. If not, then this will hopefully be a sufficient overview of what we saw to satiate your curiosity.

First quick fact about Angkor: it's far more than just Angkor Wat. It is actually a massive complex with many temples in what used to be, and is still partially, a jungle setting. Much of the jungle has been removed to allow people easier access, but the jungle is still very much present in some parts.

Temple monkeys! Proof that the jungle remains

I'll start off with Angkor Wat, which was the first temple that we went to see. It is absolutely incredible to see from a distance. The scale of it truly is amazing.

Angkor Wat

Close up of the towers

Also impressive were the galleries that lined the halls surrounding the inner temple. Each hallway is lined with giant floor to ceiling bas-relief murals that stretch the length of the hall, illustrating various mythological and historical scenes.

Part of one of the murals

Close-up of a mural. The shiny black parts are from where people have touched them repeatedly

On our first day we also went to see Bayon, which is the most photographed temple at Angkor. Built by Jayavarman VII, there were originally 49 towers etched with over 200 faces of Lokesvara. Now only 37 towers remain, but they still some of the most stunning architecture I have ever seen.

View of Bayon from the front

On the raised central terrace looking out towards two of the towers

After visiting Bayon we went over to the nearby Elephant Terrace, which is one of only two remaining structures that are not religious.  The terrace was attached to the palace, serving as the base to the king's audience hall, and was also used by King Jayavarman VII to view his returning armies.

A monk waking near the base of the terrace

We never did figure this sign out...

Kaelin near some elephant carvings

On our second day we went to see some of the less well known temples and then visited Ta Phrom. Ta Phrom is best known for being the setting for part of the "Tomb Raider" movie and for the massive trees that grow on the walls. Second quick fact about Angkor: the trees that grow on the temple are not actually unique to Ta Phrom. Unlike the other temples, Ta Phrom was left in the condition in which it was found. The other temples were cleaned up and the trees removed to better preserve them.

Entrance to Ta Phrom

Kaelin showing off one of the giant trees

Close-up of a giant root

On our last day there we opted to wake up at 4:30 in the morning to see the sun rise over Angkor Wat. Despite the unholy hour of the morning, the view we were treated to was well worth it.

Angkor Wat at dawn, reflected in the pond

Pink light behind the towers

Close-up of a tower with the orange sky behind it

I'm not sure when we'll have a chance to update the blog next as we'll be spending the next two weeks in Bali and then will be heading straight to the east coast of Australia to see the Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree Rainforest, the beaches, and visit with some friends in Brisbane. Should be an excellent time!

Luang Prabang

A common site in Luang Prabang

To change gears a bit, Kaelin and I spent a few days in the relaxed city of Luang Prabang in Laos, where monks and tourists were present in almost equal measure. The interesting thing was that we saw more monks texting than tourists. Talk about shattering pre-conceived notions!

Luang Prabang is a UNESCO world heritage site thanks to its combination of traditional Indochinese and French colonial architecture. The remarkably preserved architecture is also accompanied by some stunning Buddhist temples.

Trees that are said to house the guardian spirits of Luang Prabang

Beautiful detail on a temple

A temple kitty

Kaelin, admiring the architecture

Sunset over a temple

Situated on the banks of the Mekong and Kahn rivers, Luang Prabang has an interesting vibe that is a distinct mix of Asian and French cultures. There are French cafes and restaurants that line the riverside, while two blocks away there is a vibrant night market where you can haggle for local goods and eat traditional Lao cuisine for a dollar a plate.

Fresh fruits for sale at the day market

Lanterns for sale at the night market

Silks at almost every stall

Paper umbrellas are also a traditional Lao craft

Paintings and lanterns for sale

More lanterns. What can I say? They make for pretty pictures.

Massive quantities of food at an unreasonably low price.

Laos is known for its textiles and silver, both of which were in ample evidence at the market. I restrained myself and only bought a silver bangle, but was awfully tempted by the magnificent silk scarves on display.

Gorgeous bangles, of which Kaelin and I both now own one!

We were fortunate enough to stay at a guest house that overlooked the Nam Khan, providing us with picturesque views to accompany our breakfast.

Our breakfast table

River view

We made friends at our guest house

A lao-Lao drink with coconut milk and blue Curaçao

On our last night there we decided to head out to the local hot spot: the bowling alley. For some reason, and no one seems to know why, the bowling alley is a popular after hours club that is the only place in town allowed to stay open past the curfew of 11:30pm. The bowling alley is located outside of the main part of town, and being the budget travelers that we are, we opted to walk to it, as opposed to paying $6 for a tuk-tuk. This was, unfortunately, an unwise decision. We found ourselves walking down an unlit highway, with no shoulder, in the dark, with a large ditch on the other side of us, without a map. Needless to say, our expedition did not end well. Not only were we covered in highway dirt, but we also failed to find the bowling alley. Thankfully it was early enough that the other clubs and pubs had not closed down yet, so we made our way to a place with the slogan "Drink like a fish for the price of water". Drinks made with the local rice whiskey, lao-Lao, were $2.50 a piece, but were also two for one. At that price we opted for two drinks each without realising that lao-Lao is 50% alcohol and that each drink was made with a very generous shot. Our guest house was nearby to the bar, which was fortunate since we were stumbling just a bit as we walked back.

The second lao-Lao drink that was likely one too many

If nothing else it was certainly a memorable way to end our time in Laos! After Laos we made our way to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat, which will be the subject of our next post.

Thailand Part II: Elephants

On to part two of our Thailand adventure!

Tom, our guide

On our second day in Chiang Mai Kaelin and I went to an elephant sanctuary where we took part in an elephant mahout training course. Baan Chang Elephant Park is a private sanctuary that primarily rescues begging elephants and elephants from logging camps and tries to provide them with a better life. They work with the recognition that while they provide the elephants with the best care possible, it is still not an ideal environment for the elephants. The owner's dream would be to release the elephants back into the wild, but there is currently nowhere for the elephants to go that is protected. As such, he continues to put the money that he makes back into the park, buying more land for the elephants and building structures to protect them from the heat and the rain. It was nice to go to a place where it was obvious that everyone there really loved and cared for the animals and wanted nothing but the best for them.

Om nom nom

Anyhow, we started our day by getting a longer version of the above information and then moved on to feeding the elephants. As a group, we were provided with four giant baskets full of sugar cane and fed them by the handful to the elephants. 

"Can I have some more please?"

After we ran out of sugar cane we were given a lesson on how to get on and off the elephants and then what commands to give them to get them to turn, go and stop. We sort of got the impression that what we were saying had no real impact on the elephants, since they seemed to know the drill and looked like they were just paying attention to their mahouts anyhow. It was still fun to pretend like the elephants were listening to us though.

After our lesson we had lunch, which was in a pavilion that overlooked where the elephants were getting their second bath of the day. I doubt I will ever have a lunch like that again.

"And here is your shoe."

After lunch we went on our bareback elephant ride:

Elephants are big and far away from the ground

We were seriously worried that the mahout was going to get stepped on while taking these pictures

Once we got back we got to help give our elephants a bath. The water was absolutely filthy, but it was so much fun to be washing an elephant that I didn't really care. They also had shower facilities for us to use afterwards, which helped a lot.

So that was our day with the elephants. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience and something that I will never forget.