Hidden gem in Siem Reap

The reason anyone ever goes to Siem Reap is to visit Angkor Wat. The largest and well-preserved ancient Hindu temple complex in the world is reason enough to visit Cambodia, but there is one hidden gem near Angkor Wat: Bayon!

Nothing on earth could have prepared me for what I saw when I visited the temple, which went through periods of being Buddhist and Hindu, depending on the king of the day. The temple is full of human faces carved into stone. Some of them smile, others have plain expressions and I could even see a frown or two.

The entire temple consists of these faces and this looks like something right out of a fantasy fiction novel or film. Here is one such image from this temple

Musings on Angkor Wat

I have seen some spectacular temples and ruins in many Southeast Asian countries, from Bagan in Myanmar to Borobudur and Prambhanam in Java. Angkor was really the last of the great sites that I hadn't been to. It turned out to be the piece de resistance, not so much for the magnificent architecture per se, but for what was inside.

The intricate wall carvings of the story of the asuras and devas churning out nectar, as well as scenes from Ramayana and Mahabharata, set this temple out from anything else in Southeast Asia. It's amazing how much soft power and reach ancient India had far and beyond what are its boundaries in 2014.

Visiting this great temple, has awakened an interest in me to know more about Hindu stories. They really are a treasure.

The Angkor Wat carvings are the reflection of artistic genius and prowess that remains unparalleled to this day. It makes you realise one thing. The modern nation-state is a 19th century European construct that was imposed on Asia. We never had borders, passports and national id cards. When Buddhist monks wanted to come to India 150 years ago to follow the footsteps of the Buddha, no one stopped them to check for identity papers.

Culturally and spiritually, India and Southeast Asia are one. 

Impact of tourism on Cambodia's floating villages

The Tonle Sap is Cambodia's most important river and lake system, and being close to Siem Reap, is a major magnet for tourists.  The primary reason people visit the lake is to see the so-called floating villages with stilt-houses.

These were basically simple structures in the past, but tourism has helped the people in these villages become quite wealthy.  Many of the houses are large and some of them have even been converted into hotels.

I saw some houses that had gardens with bougainvillea plants! So how do these posh houses get electricity? By using car batteries of course!

The richest people in the villages, buy canisters of drinking and potable water, while those still down the wealth chain clean the water from the lake! Given that these villages are not very crowded, the water isn't terribly polluted and does not stink. Here is an image of a 'middle class house.'

Cambodia's dual pricing system

Many countries have a dual pricing systems for foreigners and locals at tourist attractions. India charges an exorbitant amount to tourists visiting the Taj Mahal, something I clearly oppose.

Cambodia takes this dual pricing to another level. Foreigners are expected to pay for everything in U.S. dollars. Right from "tuk tuk" rides to restaurants and hotels to entry at heritage sites and museums.

The logic behind this is that poor Cambodians need money from rich foreigners. I perfectly understand that the country is still recovering from the terror of the Khmer Rouge and Vietnamese occupation, but it's about time that it ensured that the U.S. dollar is not legal tender. Only when it starts making visitors use the local currency, will the country ever rise to the level of neighbouring Thailand.

Don't follow an official rip-off policy, my dear Khmer friends!

E-visa for Cambodia

While doing some research on whether taking an e-visa or going for a visa on arrival, I saw a lot of people claiming the latter was a better option.  Many travellers were told that the e-visa was not valid when they landed in Siem Reap or Phnom Penh.  The e-visa site was reportedly hacked a few times.

I decided to apply for an e-visa through the official website and I can vouch for the fact that this is a simple and easy process.

Once our flight landed, we zipped through immigration in 30 seconds. They scan the barcode from the visa and then stamp the passport. Fortunately the immigration officer did not ask me for a tip. Many travellers have complained about this.

The U.S. dollar is used as a legal tender for foreigners in the country, so don't bother exchanging currency in the country. 

Taking a flight from KLIA2

I was so used to the casual and laid back feel of the erstwhile LCCT in Kuala Lumpur that I almost missed a flight from the new KLIA2.

I made it to check-in just minutes before they were going to stop, and the Air Asia employee told me to not waste a minute and head straight for the gate.

He just wasn't kidding. There are 2 security checks, 1 just after immigration and 1 just before entering the gate. We walked close to 20 minutes just to get to our gate and we were there 2 minutes before they commenced boarding.

So here's some advice: If you haven't done a web check-in, get there 2 hours before your flight. The self check-in kiosks no longer work.

Gentrification of KL's Chinatown?

I love the city's vibrant Chinatown. It's an area with a lot of character and history.

Most people just walk in and out of Petaling Street and haggle with the peddlers for cheap goods. Others grab a nice Peranakan or Malaysian Chinese meal in the stalls or the small restaurants. 

I like to walk around the entire neighbourhood and observe day to day life. I still see the cobblers, traders, locksmiths and other small businessmen, but many of the older buildings are being restored and renovated and it looks like the new occupants of office space there are going to be trendy modern companies. 

The colourful neighbourhood is a nice place to enhance creativity, but I'd hate to see it go all corporate and plush. This is after all a prime location. Let's hope the area doesn't lose its character.