Chicago Business

Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: Perspectives

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I landed in Siem Reap after sunset and the darkness of the jungle struck me immediately. There were no lights outside the airport area and I could tell that I was at someplace very remote. In contrast, the airport blinded me with the lights of modernity, people flowing through the immigration lines with "e-visas" they had acquired over the Internet. I emerged from the airport to a flood of faces and immediately found my chauffer, Hav, who would be my dedicated tuk tuk driver during my 3-day stay. He greeted me with a cold beer and a smile-the perfect introduction to Cambodia and a prelude to my first tour of Ancient Angkor the next day.

Angkor: the site of a millennium of civilization, religion, power, and influence. A city where at one time over 1 million people lived, while the population of London was only 20,000. What remains of Angkor is a vast network of temples, palaces, moats, and reservoirs, built mostly between the 9th and 13th centuries AD, stretching over scores of kilometers. They strike you with their grandeur and many are perfectly preserved… while others lay in partly collapsed states, beguiling with their thick overgrowth of trees.

My guide, Lan, met me at my hotel, the Villa Siem Reap, and together with Hav, we made our way to Angkor Wat. On the way, Lan gave me an introduction to Angkor, to Cambodia, and told me stories about his "motherland," the region he had come from beyond Phnom Penh. We talked about his family, his memories, and more tragic times growing up under the Khmer Rouge. Our suddenly deep conversation was interrupted as we pulled up to Angkor National Park and it was time to acquire my "Temple Pass," which would give me 3 full days of access to all the temples. Within 30 seconds, my photograph was burned onto a laminated card and I was on my way. Now that's technology!

We rounded the corner and Angkor Wat appeared before me, its grand towers rising above the moat and jungle surrounding it. It appeared to go on forever. Angkor Wat is actually the central temple of ancient Angkor and has misguidedly lent its name to the entire complex. 'Angkor Wat' means 'City which became a Pagoda,' a name that is completely justified, as Angkor Wat was not only the grandest of all Khmer (Cambodian) temples, but also a city in its own right. It is the world's largest religious monument and the apogee of classical Khmer construction. As Hinduism formed the backbone of first millennium Angkor, Angkor Wat is a completely realized microcosm of the Hindu universe, culminating in the five peaks of Mount Meru. It contains some 600 meters of narrative bas reliefs and 2000 images of apsaras (Khmer dancers which inspired modern Khmer and Thai traditional dance.)

Over the course of three days, I visited sites representing almost 400 years of Khmer civilization. I marveled at Angkor Thom, one of the largest Khmer cities ever built at over 9 square kilometers. Angkor Thom is home to some of ancient Angkor's most fantastic sites, including the Bayon, the state temple of the 13th century emperor JayavarmanVII and one of the most enigmatic and powerful religious structures in the world, as well as the Elephant and Leper King Terraces, where royal ceremonies were held. I took an afternoon respite at Preah Khan ~ a former royal palace built on the site of a great battle that recaptured Angkor from the Chams of modern day Vietnam-which later became a Buddhist university housing over 1000 teachers. I arose before sunrise to view mystical Ta Prohm, made famous by the movie "Tomb Raider," where strangler figs and silk-cotton trees have entwined themselves amongst the partially collapsed ruins.

Finally, I walked through ancient Banteay Srei, the 'Citadel of Women,' built two centuries earlier than many other sites of ancient Angkor, its pink sandstone a stark contrast to the hazy gray of its successors.



On my second day, the Villa packed up a cooler of delectable cheeses, olives, crackers, and wine for me to enjoy on the banks of the East Baray (reservoir) ~ the royal swimming pool of ancient Angkor-while watching the sunset over the ruins. Hav joined me and we swapped stories of life in our countries. We laughed as he told me how he had surprised his family by arranging his own marriage. He told me about his four little sons, his former career as a teacher, and how he had raised over $10,000 selling postcards to start a private school in Siem Reap, which has become famous in Cambodia. But with 6 mouths to feed, Hav left teaching for the tourist industry in order to make ends meet. We whiled away the afternoon and before we knew it, it was dark and many Cambodians had joined us along the banks of the East Baray for evening picnics. Hav and I wrapped up our cheese and chatter and made our way back to the Villa.



I spent the rest of my time in Cambodia milling about Siem Reap town, perusing the markets, talking with locals, and sampling Cambodia's culinary specialties. This included Amok, Khmer-style coconut curry with European seasonings. Cambodian food is a fantastic fusion of French and SE Asian influences and I eagerly anticipated every meal. Between the sites, the people, the food, the conversations, and the experiences, this 3-day jaunt to Cambodia was one of the best excursions of my life. I returned to Bangkok with a fierce respect for Cambodia, its glorious past, tragic contemporary and obvious drive to better itself. Everybody I encountered spoke beautiful English and not once did I notice a sign offering me wiping cream (or the equivalent) for $10 extra. Financially and technologically, the Cambodians are on the up and up: the U.S. dollar is the primary currency and if the e-visas and temple passes are any indication, Cambodia's technological savvy positions it well amongst other SE Asian countries. The Cambodians struck me as incredibly enterprising, a pleasure to be with during my stay. Hav took me to the airport and we said goodbye-I felt like I was bidding adieu to an old friend. With nostalgia I left Cambodia, hoping dearly to return someday very soon.

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