Thursday, December 07, 2006
A MegaWat Birthday
Monday, December 4
Another day of templing begins with puffy eyed breakfasters coming down in shifts. Larry & Jim got the jump on everyone and have tuk tuked (yes, it’s a verb here) to the temples hours ahead of us to take advantage of the cool morning air before it returns to it’s usual inescapable blanket of heat and damp. An auspicious beginning: today is Thu Nga’s birthday (no numbers please, but it ends with a ‘0’, which means BIG), so the whole group waited at the elevator, and when she stepped into the lobby, a rousing version of “Happy Birthday” led by yours truly on my brand new Cambodian tro (a string instrument), lit her up like a Christmas tree. And yes, dear readers, unlike any such greeting that you have endured, it was in tune – in glorious four part harmony. Then off to Ta Prohm and Preah Khan.
MegaWat...
So how was Angkor Wat? Two words: SIZE MATTERS. This most famous of Khmer temples is stupendously impressive. It’s hard to stem the flow of superlatives when describing this marvel: the surrounding moat separates the first surrounding fortification from the impending jungle with a football field’s worth of water, so wide that it seems to have it’s own ecosystem. The lone bridge which spans it is wide enough for a parade, which it certainly gets on a daily basis as hundreds of tourists per minute traverse its worn stones. The first magnificent gate impresses with tall arches, hiding incense breathing Buddhist shrines and vanishing views to left and right through the long, shadowy arcades. It takes twenty paces to arrive at the other side of the wall, but that 21st step reveals an immense enclosure, breathtaking in scope, with the renowned 5 towers at its center – very, very far away.
It takes about 5 minutes of walking to arrive at the temple itself, past the two gorgeous libraries on either side of the path, resembling little Angkor Pantheons, and a large outdoor stage being constructed for more Expo concerts later in the month. Up the steps, and the main event begins. With walls within walls, gate after intricately ornamented gate, and level upon level, the complexity of the central temple structure has been studied for generations, each pass revealing more & more about the astronomical, cardinal, mathematical and spiritual parameters of the millennium old nexus of Khmer culture. Where to start? The exterior galleries which surround the entire temple complex are famously carved with Ramayana monkey battles, The Hindu “Churning of the Sea of Milk” creation myth, Heaven & Hell and so much more that a small library has been written on the subject.
To enter the inner sanctuary, one slowly ascends through the Hall of a Thousand Buddhas (only a few now, but probably once…), past vast symmetrical pools which must have been stunning when filled. Penetrating the next ring of surrounding galleries reveals the heart of the structure – the central temple with its five famous towers, one on each corner surrounding a central ‘spire’. One can climb to the summit, but must negotiate 30 feet of Aztec like steps that are only 4” deep but 12” high, making the irresistible ascent incredibly dangerous (one unfortunate climber was seen leaving the premises nursing a badly torn & bloody knee on borrowed crutches). One such stairway does actually have a slender handrail, a lifeline for the scores of view seekers that reach the pinnacle probably not knowing that there was only one ‘safe’ exit (yes, the line to descend was very long, very slow, and very hot), but joys to behold from above were worth every effort. Then again, if you wanted a really transcendent view, as did Larry & Jim, go up in the hot air balloon tethered just outside the moat.
Angkor Wat is worth at least a week of visits, but we have only three hours. Luckily they were the last three hours of the day, and we were able to experience the legendary sunset that bathed the compound in the magical golden light that has launched a thousand postcards. Experiencing the profound calm of this, one of the world’s most famous ‘power spots’, can last a lifetime, or at least as long as it takes to get back across the moat and be swallowed up by the swirls of noise, diesel exhaust and unrelenting street urchins hawking anything from guide books to silk scarves & miniature Buddhas.
For those tired of the throngs at Tonle Mekong, a delightful French/Cambodian restaurant called Madame Butterfly finished the evening with exquisite local fare which included curried fish, mango & chili salads, various soups & vegetables, and wonderful desserts.
Another day of templing begins with puffy eyed breakfasters coming down in shifts. Larry & Jim got the jump on everyone and have tuk tuked (yes, it’s a verb here) to the temples hours ahead of us to take advantage of the cool morning air before it returns to it’s usual inescapable blanket of heat and damp. An auspicious beginning: today is Thu Nga’s birthday (no numbers please, but it ends with a ‘0’, which means BIG), so the whole group waited at the elevator, and when she stepped into the lobby, a rousing version of “Happy Birthday” led by yours truly on my brand new Cambodian tro (a string instrument), lit her up like a Christmas tree. And yes, dear readers, unlike any such greeting that you have endured, it was in tune – in glorious four part harmony. Then off to Ta Prohm and Preah Khan.MegaWat...
So how was Angkor Wat? Two words: SIZE MATTERS. This most famous of Khmer temples is stupendously impressive. It’s hard to stem the flow of superlatives when describing this marvel: the surrounding moat separates the first surrounding fortification from the impending jungle with a football field’s worth of water, so wide that it seems to have it’s own ecosystem. The lone bridge which spans it is wide enough for a parade, which it certainly gets on a daily basis as hundreds of tourists per minute traverse its worn stones. The first magnificent gate impresses with tall arches, hiding incense breathing Buddhist shrines and vanishing views to left and right through the long, shadowy arcades. It takes twenty paces to arrive at the other side of the wall, but that 21st step reveals an immense enclosure, breathtaking in scope, with the renowned 5 towers at its center – very, very far away. It takes about 5 minutes of walking to arrive at the temple itself, past the two gorgeous libraries on either side of the path, resembling little Angkor Pantheons, and a large outdoor stage being constructed for more Expo concerts later in the month. Up the steps, and the main event begins. With walls within walls, gate after intricately ornamented gate, and level upon level, the complexity of the central temple structure has been studied for generations, each pass revealing more & more about the astronomical, cardinal, mathematical and spiritual parameters of the millennium old nexus of Khmer culture. Where to start? The exterior galleries which surround the entire temple complex are famously carved with Ramayana monkey battles, The Hindu “Churning of the Sea of Milk” creation myth, Heaven & Hell and so much more that a small library has been written on the subject.
To enter the inner sanctuary, one slowly ascends through the Hall of a Thousand Buddhas (only a few now, but probably once…), past vast symmetrical pools which must have been stunning when filled. Penetrating the next ring of surrounding galleries reveals the heart of the structure – the central temple with its five famous towers, one on each corner surrounding a central ‘spire’. One can climb to the summit, but must negotiate 30 feet of Aztec like steps that are only 4” deep but 12” high, making the irresistible ascent incredibly dangerous (one unfortunate climber was seen leaving the premises nursing a badly torn & bloody knee on borrowed crutches). One such stairway does actually have a slender handrail, a lifeline for the scores of view seekers that reach the pinnacle probably not knowing that there was only one ‘safe’ exit (yes, the line to descend was very long, very slow, and very hot), but joys to behold from above were worth every effort. Then again, if you wanted a really transcendent view, as did Larry & Jim, go up in the hot air balloon tethered just outside the moat.Angkor Wat is worth at least a week of visits, but we have only three hours. Luckily they were the last three hours of the day, and we were able to experience the legendary sunset that bathed the compound in the magical golden light that has launched a thousand postcards. Experiencing the profound calm of this, one of the world’s most famous ‘power spots’, can last a lifetime, or at least as long as it takes to get back across the moat and be swallowed up by the swirls of noise, diesel exhaust and unrelenting street urchins hawking anything from guide books to silk scarves & miniature Buddhas.
For those tired of the throngs at Tonle Mekong, a delightful French/Cambodian restaurant called Madame Butterfly finished the evening with exquisite local fare which included curried fish, mango & chili salads, various soups & vegetables, and wonderful desserts.
# posted by Southwest Chamber Music @ 6:47 AM 
