March 1 Siem Reap

Today I got up a little less early, went out to a temple 35 km from the rest of the complex, Banteysrei (also known as the "women's temple" because it was reputedly built by women.) It is of a much harder sandstone, much less weathered, so the sculptures show to much better effect. They are also of a very different style - even a non-specialist like myself can see that.

The temple was roofed in wood - you can clearly see cuts for the beams - and of course in the jungle wood does not last. My guide, Khen Yon, nickname Sokhorn-Sokhorn, tells me that in many cases the tilting or broken up walls are from trees falling on them. But there are also obvious signs of soil subsidence. Merits of getting out early: when we arrived, only a dozen or so other people were there, and the hordes didn't start showing up until we were about ready to leave. We could hear the cicadas, parrots screeching at each other, amputee musicians fluting and drumming in the background - a real sense of the spirituality of the place. I tried to hold my photo-taking down to a minimum. It was a nice contrast to the other temples, and provided an interesting comparison when we went back to Angkor Wat to climb to the 3d level. I'm very glad we did - there is a truly excellent seated Buddha on one side and a reclining Buddha with a standing Buddha behind, well worth the climb in the hot sun. I managed to see only one parrot, at the very top of a tree - and I didn't carry my binoculars. Khen Yon tells me the reason parrots are so shy is that the Cambodians eat them. I'd be shy, too.

Khen is in business with his brother San Park; both are registered and well-trained guides (tested both for language and for knowledge of all relevant subjects. E-mail info@angkor-temple-guides.com:sanpark.angkor@googlemail.com, if you're headed that way any time soon.)

I took lots of pictures on the way there and back; a few of them usuable. I got a few of multiple riders on motorbikes, one of a huge pig in a trailer pulled by a motorbike, several of the houses etc., and one of a monkey who approached the Tuk-Tuk then turned has back in disgust when no food was forthcoming.

The houses are mostly built on stilts, including the newer, prosperous-looking ones. Families shelter their buffalos there; they also hang hammocks and put out tables in the hot season, like our patios. And, the stilts put them above occasional floods. The traditional houses have both walls and roofs of either palm leaf or a very tough local grass. The palm leaves have to be replaced annually; the grass thatch lasts two years. Lining the road in front are outdoor stoves, made of the tops of termite mounds (which are plenty abundant). There, they boil down palm sap to make palm sugar. I told Khen about our peanut brittle, and he said they also make a similar confection with the thickened palm syrup. I got a picture of a very friendly woman stirring te thickening syrup to keep it from burning. It is clear that all the local people are very industrious - they do whatever they can to make a living and improve their lives, keep their kids in school as long as they can afford to. Almost everyone goes 6 years, over half complete high school, fewer make it to college. My sense is that, Cambodia is poised for economic growth if stable government can be maintained. .

It is the dry season here, so the rice paddies are fallow - the rice straw is good forage; what isn't gathered for hay against the monsoon season is eaten by foraging cattle.

We also stopped at a butterfly farm, run by a very enthusiastic scientist who is trying to educate the local farmers about the importance of butterflies for pollination, etc. They pay farmers to collect eggs, and conduct classes on organic farming methods; I did not mind the entry fee of $4 (rather steep by Cambodian standards) at all if it will help support their work. The butterflies are beautiful, which kind of goes without saying.

I knew I would enjoy the visit, but I enjoyed it much more than I anticipated. The B&B, Golden Banana, is very professionally run. A little spartan (no chair in the room, but a comfortable open air lounge) but very clean - no insects of any kind - good firm bed, hot water shower, efficient A/C, and a friendly staff, mostly high school students eager to practice their English lessons with guests. At $25 per night I considered it a tremendous bargain. My only regret is that I was so tired the first night I was here that I didn't go out in the evening, and totally missed a puppet parade - heard about it the next day.

It gets warm in the afternoon, and I sweated so much I think I have run up a salt deficiency, but it is not terribly uncomfortable, and the mornings can be quite nice. Khen tells me the monsoon season is actually nicer - humid, but he says less hot, and everything is green. Rarely rains more than a few hours, usually in the afternoon - you do sight seeing in the morning, hole up during the rain, go out again when the rain stops.