An Ecolodge in Southwest Cambodia

Rainbow Lodge – Koh Kong

Off we went to Rainbow Lodge via taxi. Rainbow Lodge is an eco-lodge located along a river east of Koh Kong, near the village of Tatai in the southwest of Cambodia. We had three nights booked for 70 dollars a night – room and three meals included in the price; a great deal!

I was very glad we had decided to take a taxi as it gave us an unobstructed view of the sights on route. There were low plains of rice dotted with palm trees and farmers in bamboo hats harvesting rice straw. The houses along the road were neat tidy wooden structures built high on stilts – no doubt to prevent animals from entering, avoid flooding in rain season, and to allow air to flow through. Mats of spices were drying in the sun along the pavement or in front yards.

We could see the Cardamom Mountains in the distance and when we turned onto route 8, we watched for the long bridges crossing the rivers. Once we crossed the third one I called up Janet, the owner of Rainbow Lodge and she told us to keep going over the 4^th bridge, then walk down underneath to where the boat would be waiting.

A Rainbow Lodge employee was actually waiting for us at the road to help us with our bags. We followed him along a wide red dirt path that led us to the boat.

Ian and I sat on a bench each bracing ourselves for what we thought would be a long boat ride. The bamboo thatched roof shook gently in the breeze and I wondered if it would fall on our heads. I was relieved no water was coming in; we would arrive dry.

An occasional house peeked through the trees and we could hear children playing.  A young girl stood on a wide boat, taking a step forward and back with each pull of the long narrow oars. We waved as we went by.

The river has two branches, one heading west and the other upstream heading northeast. We headed northeast and in no time were docking. I was surprised we were so close to the highway and a wee bit disappointed, because I had hoped we wouldn’t hear any traffic. But being close had its advantages – the lodge could then easily pick up guests anytime. We disembarked and followed the dirt path up to the lodge.

That’s Ian going down the path later in bare feet. It isn’t the greatest path – several small rocks and bits of root stick out so it does hurt the feet.

Going up, the path ends at a set of wooden steps that lead to a raised cement path to a large covered area with tables, chairs, and rattan couches surrounding a small bar. Janet, a wiry blond Brit, was waiting for us and invited us to lunch, a pleasant surprise since we had not eaten and it was going on 2:30. She handed us a couple of menus and I was thrilled to find open faced sandwiches on baguettes.  As we waited for our food, we noticed some used books for $3 books with proceeds going to the local orphanage and we decided to donate a book and buy a new one.

Janet explained that she had owned the lodge for about 4 years now.  Two years previous to that, she had volunteered to count wildlife in Cambodia. I also found out much later, that Janet started out as a lawyer. Our lunch arrived as well as four more guests and as we ate, Janet went over a few things with us.

The lodge is an eco-lodge and uses solar panels for energy so there’s no hot water and no a/c (which I was well aware of). Room fans can be used but apparently it’s been cool enough at night to not require them (I was happy to hear that!). The river is safe to swim in and dinner is served at 7:30pm, breakfast 7 to 10 and lunch, anytime. Drinking water was filtered rainwater and available free of charge. Outings were to be arranged over dessert and these were described to us. In the rooms there were rechargeable torches and mosquito zappers which Janet told us to use freely on any pesky mosquitoes but to avoid killing anything else.

She then took us along the cement path to our cabin and showed us around the room. It was basic but clean: a large firm bed, mosquito netting if needed, a nice porch with hammock, screened in windows, and a western toilet, sink, and shower. This is the view from our porch and the second photo is of our cabin.

As we unpacked, we noticed hundreds (thousands?) of ants marching along the railing of our porch.  I eyed them with dismay, knowing I’d have to put up with them, and hoped they wouldn’t find their way into our room. Ian and I got our suits on and down the path we went for a swim.

We were thrilled to see large inner tubes so we threw them in and jumped in after them.

We were quite happy to be swimming. The water was murky but clean and certainly refreshing.  We returned to our room to clean up for dinner and there, marching in a line along the inside bedroom wall and up the bed post were ants. Yikes! I heard Janet showing a guest the cabin next to ours and hurried to get her; telling her we had an ‘ant’ problem. She wasn’t perturbed at all and said no doubt they are termites. To me an ant was an ant, so I said nothing.

Janet came in, took a look and said yep, those are termites. She asked if we would mind waiting until after dinner to see what happened because likely they were just taking a little detour and would be gone in a couple of hours. Apparently termites will do that – find some wood, take a nibble and then be on their way. I showed her the ones on the porch and confirmed that those were termites as well.  I felt a bit easier although I did wonder if our bed would still be standing after dinner. It now made sense to me why they had cement walkways rather than wood….

Ian and I got ready for dinner with shockingly cold showers.  Dinner was buffet style, served in three courses on a large table at the front and tonight’s meal was: onion soup and homemade croutons, rice, chicken and banana curry, fish stew, vegetarian Dahl, and sugared pineapple with mint for dessert.  The soup was delicious and I have to say it was hard not to have seconds. There was plenty of it but I didn’t want to fill up on soup.  Everything was amazing and with urging Janet confessed that she used to do all the cooking and eventually had taught the kitchen staff to take over.

During dinner, we met Gee, Janet’s boyfriend. He not only helps with the lodge but also runs a software company from home. Gee has identified over 200 different butterflies around their property and is also working on birds, dragonflies, snakes and caterpillars. He has ‘experts’ that he can send photos the photos to that help him with the identification. I asked him why there were so few birds – something I’ve noticed in Cambodia. Considering we are in the jungle, you’d expect it to be noisier. Apparently, during the Khmer Rouge, the people were so hungry, they ate everything – and a lot of birds disappeared during this time.

Ian and I discussed what we wanted to do the next day so we were ready when Janet asked. We opted for kayaking to Tatai Waterfalls (rather than being taken there by boat or hiking through the woods) and would take a picnic lunch as it was about a 2 hour journey one way. There was no way we could hike with Ian wearing his new sandals (which were giving him terrible blisters) but secretly I was relieved to not hike. The last thing I wanted to do was spend my time pulling leeches off my ankles and swiping at insects buzzing in my face.

After gazing in awe at the brilliant stars and enjoying the coolness of the night (it finally got cool), we called it a night.

Oh, and the termites inside the cabin were gone.

Tatai Waterfalls

We woke to the faint calls of the Gibbon Monkeys and got ready for breakfast. Breakfast was off the menu – soft poached eggs and a baguette for me, vegetables and noodles for Ian; hearty good food. We poked around as we do in the mornings and went to leave around 10:30 but discovered that everyone had gone. We found a wet bag to pack our stuff in but needed our picnic lunch.  After some difficulty, we were able to communicate to the Cambodian staff “baguette” and “kayak” and they prepared our lunch. Sandwiches were handed to us in a plastic container and a bag of fruit accompanied them.

I got into the kayak and Ian pushed me into the water and climbed in after me. Neither of us had ever kayaked before and we quickly discovered it was a bit different from canoeing – of which we have done before. For one thing, the seats are a lot closer together so if you don’t paddle in synch, you crash paddles. Also, there isn’t a lot of room in a kayak to pack things. After a few tests, we figured things out, but to be honest, Ian ended up doing the most paddling. He told me to join him only when I felt I needed to do something. So I sat back, relaxed and enjoyed the view.

Once we got around the bend, we headed upriver to the west. There wasn’t a soul or a sound really. We did see a couple of cell towers off in the distance but they eventually disappeared and civilization with it. There we were, kayaking in the jungle of Cambodia. Every once in awhile I picked up my paddle and joined Ian and we would skim along the river.  I think it was about 45 minutes when we hit another bend and soon heard the rushing sound of the waterfalls. In no time, they appeared before us. 

As we approached, we saw a boat docked alongside a large rock and wondered where we should put our kayak. The boat was from 4 Rivers Floating Lodge (our next stop after Rainbow Lodge) and one of the fellows on the boat pointed to where we should put our kayak.

We climbed out of the boat into knee high crystal clear water and gathered our belongings. I looked at the giant rocks and wondered how on earth I would get up there. Suddenly, the boy from the boat appeared above, motioned for us to hand over our stuff and then lent me a hand over the rocks. He led the way and we followed him up to a plateau of flat rock, small pools of water, and waterfalls. Standing in the shade was a family of four from Rainbow Lodge who had opted for the hike. We asked them how it had gone. The first comment was about the leeches but I could see the blood for myself – on their socks and shorts. I was so glad I hadn’t gone hiking!

Ian and I were starving so we decided to eat our picnics right away. We found a small pool of water, stuck our legs in and dug into our honey soy chicken baguettes. I am very fussy when it comes to sandwiches and usually when someone says “picnic lunch” I figure I’ll go hungry but these sandwiches were delicious!

After lunch, we put on our socks because Janet had warned us how slippery the rocks were and said that socks were the best defence against slipping.  We headed to one of the cascading falls, inched our way out onto the flat rock and had a seat.

It’s hard to describe the feeling of the water rushing around you threatening to push you along with it;  and if you lean back into the falls itself, it feels like you really are going to take off down and over the rocks. It was exhilarating and a bit chilly so we laid out on hot rock for some sun with this as our view:

Another Rainbow Lodge couple emerged from the trees having gone on a longer hike so I asked them how it went. The woman looked hot, sweaty, and exhausted and said it was harder than she had anticipated. I was again glad that we hadn’t done the hike. 

Ian and I decided to go down to the bottom of the falls so we carefully made our way over the large rocks to the bottom pool and into the water. The first thing we noticed was how strong the pull of the water was – the next, were the varying rocks in the water beneath us. Some were large, smooth and flat, while others would loom up suddenly so that you had to step up and onto them. You would quickly go from water over your head to water at your knees. It was so clear you could see the rocks but if the current pulled you, scraped knees were the result. It wasn’t difficult to understand how someone could be seriously injured during rainy season and fast moving water.

Two Rainbow Lodge staffers jumped into the pool and made their way over to one of the falls. We watched as they disappeared behind the water. Of course now Ian and I wanted to do the same so we moved towards the falls only to be swept away by the current. We made our way back and tried again, but kept getting pulled away by the strong water. The boys had approached the falls from the other side of the river, so we made our way over there and along the bank of rocks to one of the smaller falls. Since I’m a floater, I was quickly swept away again but Ian grabbed hold of the rock and pulled himself over to the falls. As I watched, he backed up and disappeared behind them.  I made my way over to him and he told me to back up, and duck down under the falling water.

Sounds easy but as I moved back the force of the water pounding down on my head was so intense and heavy, I felt like I couldn’t breathe.  I was afraid to just keep backing up because I didn’t know how much room was actually behind the rock and I worried I’d smash my head against the rock if I went too fast. Needless to say, after trying three or four times, I just couldn’t do it. It didn’t matter too much because just having that water falling on my head was quite a thrill.

We decided to venture to the top for a look and found an expansive smooth river above with a few more falls.  The water here was warm, shallow and clear. We poked about for a bit and then went back down to enjoy the cool water below. 

Soon the boats packed up and left leaving Ian and I and one other party on the opposite side of the river.  We decided to read for a bit so I removed my Kobo, turned it on and discovered it was broken. Not sure how that happened – guess it got knocked, but I wasn’t a happy camper. I laid down in the sun to dry but realized the sun was getting low and the shadows long so I suggested we head back.

We loaded up the canoe and returned home.  The trip was easy (especially with Ian paddling most of the way) and we were back quickly. We showered, read, and went to a dinner of vegetable tempura, rice, carrot and potato coconut curry, pork with chiles, ink squid and a dessert of banana custard with peanut butter brittle topping. I tried the squid and it was unbelievable – not rubbery at all.

Over dinner we discussed our next day and decided to get up at 6am and kayak upstream, then take the path around the property and go swimming.

At 6am our phone alarm went off with “Get up, it’s six o’clock” in a British accent and we jumped out of bed. We gave our faces a wash, packed the camera and some water and headed out. 

The river was peaceful and absolutely flat as we headed northeast and eventually north around the bend. The sun was coming over the hills and with the water as smooth as glass, we got some gorgeous views.

It was a splendid trip even though we didn’t see a lot of wildlife – some herons in a tree and a hornbill flying in the distance – we did see the trees lit as the sun came up, heard Gibbon monkeys in the distance, and we were virtually alone on a river in the jungles of Cambodia. I mean, how cool is that?

We made our way back for breakfast and it was good.  I did some research and found a book from the shelves in the lobby area and Ian napped. We then packed water and camera, layered on the bug repellent and headed onto the trail around the property.  As we went, I noticed Ian was wearing a thin pair of flip flops for hiking and told him if he got a leech on his feet, I wanted a photo. I had socks and my hikers on as well as tons of spray (Janet said leeches didn’t like mosquito repellent) so I was confident I’d be safe.  We started sweating not long into the jungle as the air became oppressive and any breeze was blocked by the dense trees.

Along our path we saw an old termite hill, clusters of bamboo, and many many termites. We came to the ‘bat cave’ and climbed over the fallen logs and rocks to get a closer look. We were disappointed that there weren’t any bats. As I followed a marching line of termites with my eyes, I came to my feet and saw with disgust a small thread-like leech on the top of my sock stretching to reach my skin. I was not impressed and yelled at Ian to ‘get it off’ but knew I couldn’t wait for him so I tried flicking it off (which Janet had said you could do) but the thing was determined and would not let go of my sock. Finally I gave it a whack and it flew to the ground. I grabbed the camera to get a close up and was astonished as it stretched and writhed trying to get on my hands – it was almost standing straight up.  Yuck.

I can’t include the photo because you’d never be able to see it without me pointing it out; it just blends in the background too well. Anyways, I moaned to Ian and we checked his bare feet but saw nothing.  We moved out of the area with me paranoid and checking my feet continually. Soon enough, I spotted another one worming its way through the mesh of my shoe – can you believe it?? How gross! I was afraid to grab it with my fingers so I grabbed a leaf and yanked it out of my shoe.  Again, we checked Ian’s bare feet and nothing. Incredible.

We were surprised to find ourselves back at the lodge in a matter of minutes, the entire walk having taken about 15 minutes. Short as it was, the sweat was pouring off of us so we headed to the river for a swim. Later, on our porch, we spotted two large Tockay (spotted geckos) which explained the gecko poo in our bathroom. Oh, and the termites along the railing were gone.

Our last day, a French film crew arrived at the lodge to do a documentary on ecolodges in Cambodia and Janet was a feature. They were filming us ordering lunch, then eating lunch, then talking to Janet but never asked our permission. Janet apologized profusely later but Ian and I thought it was kind of funny – especially considering we’re drama teachers. I’m pretty familiar with film crews and how the film is everything.

During lunch, Gee came up to me with his hand cupped around a small bird that had flown into his window and given itself a bit of knock. It was so pretty and tiny. It’s called a Scarlet Backed Flower Pecker.

Gee left it in a flower pot and when we went to look at it later, it had vanished so hopefully it flew away.  We had to make the 2pm pickup for our next lodge but the film crew needed its shots so we were 10 minutes late and the boat left without us. A 4 Rivers staff member was there to explain all of this but Janet wasn’t having any of it. She called the lodge and they sent another boat but I worried we were off to a bad start. In the meantime, the film crew was interviewing us about Cambodia and Janet’s eco-lodge. I don’t think we were very articulate (well maybe Ian was) but the director said to watch for it to be aired early January. I doubt we will be watching French TV at that time. Oh well.

The Case of the Missing Shoes

Our second day at the Manor House started slow. We had a leisurely breakfast and chatted with David the owner. He’s travelled a fair bit so he was able to give us quite a bit of advice which was fantastic.  For this leg of the journey, I’ve been determined not to think too far ahead because there have been a few times when we might have changed things up if I hadn’t already booked a flight or hotel. Trouble is, way back when I was doing research on Southeast Asia, the literature said you needed an exit ticket for visas so I went ahead and booked a few flights in advance thinking I had to. Of course, not once has anyone asked to see an exit ticket.

David has a travel agent who will arrange Vietnam visas for 5 dollars each visa so we handed over our passports and Cambodian visa to get a 3 month multi-entry visa. Staff also arranged transportation to Koh Kong for us. David is an invaluable source of information and has been a great help.

Needless to say, it was lunchtime by the time we got going. To our dismay, Ian’s excellent Keens (and only pair of shoes) were missing.  Both Sook un and David helped us look but we could not find them. They had been left on the steps of the hotel with all guests’ shoes, mine included. I can’t imagine one of the staff taking them so we think it was a tourist who saw a good pair of shoes and took them. This was a first for David. No one’s fault but now Ian is without shoes. I would be devastated if someone took my shoes with include orthotics. Needless to say, I won’t leave my shoes outside any more.

Ian’s Keens have been great shoes for him – no blisters ever and he wears them all the time. I went online to see if I could order a pair but Keens doesn’t deliver internationally. David suggested that we take photos and see about getting a pair made because getting shoes made here is very cheap. So we printed up some photos and off we went with Ian in a pair of borrowed flip flops.

A tuk tuk took us to the shoe shop and a fellow who speaks fluent English served us. After examining the photos, he said he could copy the design but would need to use different soles and laces but they likely would not be ready for Wednesday – the day we were leaving. I suggested getting a second simpler pair made that would be done by Tuesday and would do for a couple weeks – David could then pick up the others for us which we could get on our return trip back through Phnom Penh.

Until Tuesday, Ian could borrow Sook un’s flip flops to get to restaurants but he certainly couldn’t walk long in them. Any outings we had planned were cancelled.

The River

Ian took a tuk tuk to the river area and poked around the central market for as long as his feet could stand it, then went for a coffee.  I joined him later and was astounded at how busy and noisy the area was. I am so glad we didn’t get lodging in this area even if the view might be nice.

There is a splendid walkway running along the river and I noticed several Cambodians out exercising along it. Some were walking quickly swinging their arms while others used exercise equipment set up in the middle of the walkway.  Only one person was jogging and that was a Western person.

Some of the buildings had a clear French influence to them and I loved the long wooden shutters framing the windows. There were many restaurants with a mostly tourist clientele. We went up to rooftop restaurant but didn’t stay long because nothing on the menu appealed to us. Typically our meals have been about 10 dollars but in this neighbourhood, things were pricier.

The Universal Symbol

One thing we’ve noticed on our journey is that when you are finished a meal – the universal symbol for asking for the bill - writing with an invisible pen - is understood in all countries.  We’ve eaten out hundreds of times and never once had someone not understand that gesture – until today. Ian went to a coffee shop and finally met a woman who didn’t know what the heck he was doing or asking for.  Funny thing was – just yesterday he taught himself how to ask for the bill in Cambodian but never thought to say it.

Finishing up in Phnom Penh

….more swimming, lounging and eating; the food has been incredible here: make your own salads with huge variety of choices including cheese, seafood, chicken, avocado, grilled veggies, etc. for 5 bucks; baguettes with onion marmalade, brie, bayonne, lettuce, olives, and tomatoes for $6; fish amok, mango salad, mushroom stir fry; and on it goes.

Ian picked up his ‘temporary’ shoes for 19 bucks, and although they look fantastic and fit well, the leather is rubbing on his ankle because they are not broken in.  He does miss those lost Keens.

Our taxi picks us up at 10am tomorrow so we’ll be up early to pack.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

We arrived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday afternoon with our 30 day e-visas obtained online using scanned passport copies and photos. It cost about 25 dollars each, was super easy to do, and we avoided the long line ups at the airport for the visa-on-arrival.  A taxi driver was waiting for us as arranged by the hotel.

The first thing we noticed was the steering wheel of our taxi was on the left side. It felt strange considering we’d just spent the last 3 ½ months driving on the other side of the road with the driver on the right side of the car. We drove through the city to get to our hotel and it wasn’t impressive. Dirty, busy, with traffic a lot like Indonesia: no one staying in one lane, motorbikes weaving in and out of cars, lane splitting.  The streets were crowded with cars, motorbikes, and tuk tuks. Tuks tuks are the easiest way for tourists to travel in Cambodian cities.

We arrived at the gate of our abode: Manor House, a gay friendly 12 room hotel with pool. We removed our shoes and left them with the pile at the bottom of the stairs.  This isn’t the first time a hotel has required its clients to remove their shoes before entering.

Sook un, a young gentle Cambodian fellow, and the manager of the hotel, got us sorted out quickly. The hotel is owned by David, an Australian, who bought the place about 4 years ago for his ‘retirement’. Previously he was a fashion designer and teacher. Our room is very spacious and we have more drawers and cupboards then we can fill. A/c, fan, fridge, TV, WIFI, breakfast, king sized bed, ensuite bathroom... all for 32 dollars.

After we packed, David gave us a map and presented us with a few choices for dinner and off we went. On route there are many tuk tuk drivers offering their services but once you say ‘no thanks’ they don’t pester you and are quite friendly.  Our hotel is located on a quiet street and takes less than 5 minutes to walk to some restaurants and a small variety store. I was so glad things were close after having to walk 20 – 25 minutes to get to a restaurant from our home in Bangkok!

We had dinner at the Herb Café, a tiny open air restaurant filled with foreign tourists. Our meal of grilled Sea Bass with mango chutney, assorted sushi plate and drinks came to about 10 dollars US. Most of the prices seem to be in US dollars here.  We wandered down the street and found a tiny variety store and I searched in vain for Crest toothpaste. Our tubes of Crest were finished in Thailand and we were forced to buy Colgate, which we hate. We got a large bottle of water for about 80 cents and made our way back.

We returned to our room to catch Walking Dead and then had a pretty rough night’s sleep. The a/c was so cold we shut it off but then woke in the wee hours of the morning sweating because it was so hot.  Unfortunately, Ian couldn’t get the a/c back on so I got dressed and went downstairs to seek some help but by the time I found someone, Ian had figured things out again. It was not a good night.

The Killing Fields

In the morning breakfast was eggs, fruit, and yogurt. The pool looked inviting but we had to dash for our arranged outing. The day before Sook un suggested we make the 30 minute trip outside of the city to the killing fields so he arranged for a tuk tuk driver.  Our driver was waiting so we piled onto the back bench of the two bench carriage attached to his motorbike and were on our way.

I have to say it’s an interesting way to see the city up close. Tuk tuks go slower than taxis and you have an unobstructed view of people on the road and at the side of the roads. Our journey took us down busy streets and dusty roads.  Shops lined one road where a few breaks in between provided glimpses of flat fields of rice. Eventually I realized that behind each shop was a home balanced on high stilts. Some of the shops were just large enough to hold a barber’s chair or bottles of water and food; others sold tires, hardware, or a few items of clothing. There were also repair shops for engines and welding shops.

The road was busy with cement trucks, SUVs, motorbikes, Lorries, and tuk tuks and the dust flew. I looked down at my grey pants and was astonished to see them covered in a fine layer of brown dust. Our driver suddenly pulled over and stuck a brick under one of the wheels. He then limped across the road over to a small concession stand. I figured maybe he had to buy some cigarettes but instead he returned with two bottles of water and two masks to help with the dust. We put those masks on gratefully.

I loved watching the busy traffic, in particular, the motorbikes. Families of 4 and sometimes 5 can squeeze onto one seat of a motorbike. It is amazing what they will carry on those bikes: wooden trailers with thirty 10 foot metal beams, 15 foot trim, bamboo chairs piled high, tiny babies draped over their arms… Look closely  at this next photo, there are three passengers carrying what I think is a metal wardrobe rack:

We arrived at the Choeung Ek Genocide Center, the most well known of over 300 killing fields throughout Cambodia. According to the BBC news, the Khmer Rouge, under the leader Pol Pot were responsible for killing an estimated 2.5 million of its own people. The Khmer Rouge were the ruling party of Cambodia from 1975 to 79.

On entrance, we were provided with an audio unit in English to help us understand the significance of the various sites. Many of the visitors were Western and all were respectful, hardly speaking, certainly not smiling or laughing. By the end of the tour, some looked shell shocked and a few were crying. It is a pretty sad journey to make through these fields.

The Khmer Rouge wanted to transform Cambodia into an agrarian utopia and quickly went about evacuating cities, forcing people to move to the country where they would serve as slave labour in the fields. Apparently Pol Pot was influenced by the self-sufficient hill tribes where money and Buddhism were not important. Anyone who seemed to be an intellect: artists, teachers, movie stars, researchers, even those who wore glasses, were killed by the Khmer Rouge. Many were tortured.

Choeung Ek was a village turned into an execution and burial site. According to the Choeung Ek website, prisoners were told that they were being moved to a different location to keep them from trying to escape or cry. As many as 300 people a day were killed as high ranking officials supervised from the sidelines. Blindfolded prisoners would be led to a ditch, told to kneel then hit with an axe, hoe, shovel, or club because bullets were too expensive to waste (according to the audio tape).

The site itself is mostly a large field with indentations where the graves were found.

A tall white memorial contains the skulls and bones of those found in the graves. I could see the skulls from where I sat but couldn’t bring myself to go in.

Sign posts along the way indicated where buildings had once stood.

The audio tape pointed out particular areas of focus and provided background information. At one point, I was directed to look at the ground behind a roped off area where teeth and bone fragments continue to surface. Every 3 months, staff collect them from the ground. Bits of clothing and rags can be seen caught in the roots of trees or poking up from the ground.

A large tree once held mounted speakers playing loud music to drown out the cries and screams of those being killed.  Another tree was where babies were killed. Taking photos of these seemed disrespectful and even now, writing this, I find it hard to relate the horrors of what we learned.  I was glad that a small pond with a trail around it allowed for some quiet reflection and time away from the evidence of such horrific events.

The end of the tour included a small museum with information on some of those who were killed and an introduction to some of the leaders of the Khmer Rouge. Pol Pot is dead but just this week, three high ranking officials are being put on trial – 30 years later. Hard to believe.

Our tuk tuk took us back to the city for lunch across from the Russian Market. It was cheap and plentiful. Neither of us felt like hitting the market so we went on our way to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, formerly known as S.21.

Genocide Museum

S.21 was created by Pol Pot in 1975 for the detention, interrogation, torture, and killing after confession of prisoners. Originally S.21 was a primary school and high school. There are four large buildings on the site. This building is where interrogations and torture took place.

When the site was first discovered, fourteen corpses were found, one in each of the torture rooms on the lower area, left tied to metal bed frames. Of the 14, one was a woman. These were the last victims to be tortured and killed by S.21 personnel before they fled. The corpses were unidentifiable and are now buried in graves on the site. Tourists can enter each room and inside there is a bed frame, a large photo on the wall of the victim found in that room, and various other implements – perhaps a shovel, shackles, or a plastic container. It is truly horrific.

Outside the building is a large wooden post, in the shape of a goal post, where prisoners were tied up to a pulley system and lifted by the arms (which were tied behind their backs). This was done several times and they would pass out from the pain. Their heads were then dunked into large containers of filthy water until they regained consciousness; the procedure continued until they would confess. Some prisoners would make up stories like accidents they caused or mistakes made at work, others would give the guards the names of the neighbours.

The other three buildings are covered in barbed wire to prevent prisoners from committing suicide by jumping from the open corridors running along the front.

The rooms on the lower levels were reconfigured into tiny cells. The first building had cells made of cement blocks while the second building held even smaller cells, 0.8 X 2 metres, made of wood. The ceilings were open and there was a small window in each door. I could barely enter the room let alone take a photo or enter a cell. It was hard to imagine being in one of those tiny dark cells.

The upper levels were for larger cells where prisoners were crowded together, their ankles shackled with metal clamps along a long bar. Prisoners would be forced to lie on their backs, unable to move. Some of the rooms held displays, providing information about four senior officials still alive and under investigation.  Other rooms held board after board of photos.

The Khmer Rouge were meticulous record keepers and every prisoner had a photo and an I.D. number. These were the photos that we walked slowly by.  It was eerie, seeing the men, women, and children, peering at us – knowing that they soon died after that picture was taken. The average prisoner at S.21 lived 2 to 4 months.

Going through the buildings and seeing all those photos was emotionally exhausting but extremely educational and an invaluable experience.  

Finishing up in Bangkok

Shangri La Dinner Cruise

After looking at several dinner cruises, we booked the more expensive one with Shangri La Hotel because we believe: you get what you pay for. Booking by phone was easy and we were told to be there at 7:15pm for check in. 

Ian scoped out the location earlier so we’d be able to find it easily in the dark. This was a good thing as getting to the pier was a bit of a challenge. We took the skytrain and the Shangri La Hotel is right at the stop but it’s a giant complex spread out along the river. We took a tuktuk to the entrance and what a hotel; gorgeous but pricey.

We went through the hotel to the river and the pier. We were invited to sit in the bar area with a view of the river. The large white boat covered in rope lights arrived and we were shown to our secluded table on the deck outside. The table was right by the doors to the air conditioned section where the food was so we had the benefit of the view outside and the cool air from the a/c. I’m glad I booked a table outside because it would have been difficult to see through the reflections cast on the windows inside.

The boat took off on schedule and we headed upstream. The service was impeccable. Every time I returned from the buffet, someone would be there to pull out my chair. Our dishes were cleared away quickly and our water glasses kept full. The food was scrumptious and a fantastic spread: fresh bread, cheeses, sashimi, salads, smoked salmon, spinach and ricotta ravioli, chicken and cream sauce, Thai and Western food. We didn’t eat as much as we thought we would and were astonished when we watched tiny Asian women return again and again to fill their plates!

The cruise itself was a disappointment. The big draw of a dinner cruise is seeing the Grand Palace, Wat Arun and Wat Pho lit up at night but of course, the river was still too high and the boat couldn’t get under the bridge upstream from the hotel. We were highly disappointed and to be honest, had we known we would not have booked the cruise. The cruises had been cancelled because of the high river so when they were running again, we naively figured everything was back to normal. Instead of going upriver, the boat spent more time down river where there was nothing to see except hotels, condos and restaurants. If we return, we might try again.

Dusit Palace

Our admission ticket to the Grand Palace included admission to Dusit Park with its government buildings, Vimanmek Mansion and exhibition halls so we didn’t have to pay extra here. As a royal property there is a dress code in effect but Ian went for a sarong over shorts because it’s cooler than long pants. My pants just past my knees were appropriate. Every building on this property has a no shoes, no bags, no camera, no cellphone rule but lockers and racks are provided.

 Our first building was Vimanmek Mansion, the world’s largest golden teak house built in 1900 by royal command of Rama V. The building’s elaborate architectural style reflects Western influence. There are two right angled wings and a four story octagonal area where the king once resided. Rooms display furniture, photos, and handicrafts.

The next buildings held photographs that the King had taken of the Queen, their children, the people, and the flood in the early 80s. There were also photos of the King playing music with Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman. Following this, we headed to Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall and I decided to get a photo of the building. As I was walking I saw a huge monitor lizard about a metre long run into the brush. It was snake-like and too fast for me to get a photo, but here is one of the Throne Hall.

Construction of the building began in 1903 and it is served as a throne hall at that time.  Abhisek Dusit is a one storey building decorated with intricate fretwork, coloured glass, and gables. Inside were many exhibits of finely woven baskets, jewel cases, purses, etc. Some were covered in sparkly blue beetle shells; a popular method that Thai artisans use to decorate. The beetles only live for 3 months and apparently the wings can only be used when the beetles die of natural causes.

I peeked out a side window and there was the lizard’s head poking out from the brush. I called Ian over and we watched it cautiously slither across the brick path. I wished I had my camera but of course, cameras were not allowed inside the building.

Our final stop was the most spectacular, but unfortunately, my pants were not appropriate as women had to wear skirts. I had no choice but to buy (not rent) a sarong for 40 baht. It wasn’t expensive but it was ugly and heavy and I didn’t want to carry it around for the rest of the day. On exit, I tried to donate it back but they refused it.

The Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall was built in 1907, cost 15 million baht and took 8 years to complete.  The two storey white marble building was constructed in Italian Renaissance and Neo Classic style.

The building sits at the end of a wide boulevard and is often used for Royal ceremonies. Several domes on the second floor are covered with elaborate paintings of Kings and underneath the largest dome is the throne. The hall now holds a permanent exhibition many of which were gold replicas of pavilion thrones decorated in diamonds, rubies, emeralds and beetle wings.

To enter the exhibition hall one first passes through an octagonal room decorated with woven vines and coloured beetle wings. Then you enter the expansive exhibition hall and its many pieces kept safe under glass. I was glad to have the audio tour as it explained what each piece was, how long it took to create, how many artists worked on each piece and whether it was presented to the Queen or the King on occasion of their birthday.

I wish I could show you photos because they were brilliant pieces taking artisans months and sometimes years to complete. There were also large silk embroidered and carved wooden screens, a table set for a royal banquet, and cloth and silks. On the lower level were embroidery winners from an annual competition and examples of weaving. My favourite piece was a small ship made of gold with a mermaid and a monkey dangling off the front from fine gold thread. The exhibit really was stunning.

Our last day…

Ian took another cooking class with Chef Nat and was the only student. He learned how to make green mango salad, beaten steamed egg with shrimp, stir fried shrimp with asparagus, Thai fish cakes, and fried pineapple rice. Apparently one has to really throw the fish cakes down onto a block with a smack in order to get them to the right consistency. Here’s Ian and all the dishes he made (and now has to eat!):

I didn’t do anything quite so ambitious. I went for an hour oil foot massage at the Asia Herb Association. I was shown into a room and given a pair of comfy PJ bottoms to change into. The room only had one other woman in it and I sat on the most comfortable lazy boy chair ever. My massage therapist used generous portions of oil on my lower legs and feet and I have to say, the massage was incredibly relaxing.

Our journey in Bangkok ends and we head to Cambodia on flying on Air Asia. We will certainly miss all that the city offers but at the same time, we are ready to start our next adventure.

A Palace, Temples and a Show

The Grand Palace

We finally visited the renowned Grand Palace not far from Chao Phraya River and across the road from Wat Pho.

The palace and various administrative buildings were located west of the river but King Rama I considered this location unsuitable and in 1782, established the capital in Bangkok.  To house the country’s most precious Buddha image, he had Wat Phra Kaeo constructed and the Grand Palace followed in 1874. It covers 218,000 square metres and is surrounded by high walls – which as it turns out, has protected the grounds from flooding. No royal family has lived here since the early 20^th C.

The Palace and temple are open every day except for royal ceremonies. It isn’t cheap: 400 baht each and an extra 500 for a guide. We opted for a guide otherwise the buildings would have just been buildings without any importance. The admission price includes Dusit Park exhibits at another location.

Wat Phra Kaeo, regarded as Thailand’s most sacred Buddhist temple, serves as the royal family’s chapel but unlike other temples, no resident monks live here.  There are over 100 buildings in the complex, many over 200 years old and some regarded as architectural experimentation.  As you enter, you encounter fierce looking yaksha (mythical giants) that guard the gates. They are colourful decorated in pieces of ceramic and over 5 metres tall.

The temple complex is surrounded by a wall about 2 km in length and covered in 178 murals depicting the story of Ramayana. There are also various shrines, pavilions, and pagodas. On the upper terrace, the cone shaped Phra Si Ratana Chedi built in Sri Lankan style is encased in solid gold tile.

Beside it is the library Phra Mondop built in Thai style with mother of pearl doors and houses Buddhist scriptures inscribed on palm leaves.

A model of Cambodia’s Angkor Wat was crafted by the order of Rama IV when Cambodia was under Thai rule. Beside it are statues of elephants that signify independence and power. The head of the elephant is often rubbed for good luck and parents would make children circle the statues three times to ensure strength.

The final building on this terrace is the Royal Pantheon that keeps life sized statues of past sovereigns hidden away inside as the public is not permitted to enter any of these buildings. The Royal Pantheon is covered in gorgeous tile that sparkled in the sun.

The most important building is the Royal Monastery of the Emerald Buddha located in the centre of the complex. The roof is polished green and orange tiles, pillars are inlaid with mosaic, and murals depicting the life of Buddha cover the inner walls.

Inside sits the Emerald Buddha carved from a block of green jade.  Legend has it that the image originated in India 500 years after Buddha attained nirvana but disappeared when Burmese raiders sacked Ayuttaya. It reappeared in Chieng Rai in 1434 when a lightning storm hit the temple knocking the statue to the ground. The fall had chipped away some of the plaster covering the statue revealing green underneath. The monks removed the plaster discovering the image was pure jade.

The image is carved in the yogic position of meditation and sits 26 inches in height. There are three styles of dress that cover the image: winter, summer and rainy. The king himself cleans the image and is the master of ceremonies during the changing of the seasonal garments. As with any temple, we had to remove our shoes, not point our feet at the image and not take photos.

In front of the Monastery sit two stupas housing the ashes of members of the royal family.  Each stupa is protected by demons thought to have great power.

The temple complex was outstanding - and overwhelming. Everything sparkled and the detailing provided visual delight. Following this, we entered the central court where the royal residence and halls of business were located. I read that is customary for the King to spend one night here after his coronation. Once you enter this area, you cannot return to the temple grounds.

The first building we saw (through locked gates) was the ‘guest’ house where visiting Heads of State and guests of royalty stay. The building has on occasion been used as a royal residence. The next building was the Chakri Maha Prasat completed in 1882 with its central throne hall used for receptions and state banquets. The building is fronted by an expansive lawn and a corrections museum lies underneath. Guards stand at attention at both sides of the building for one hour intervals.

The last royal building was the Dusit Hall used for the annual coronation day ceremony and for the lying in state of kings, queens and honoured members of the royal family. According to our guide, the custom is to keep the body of the deceased 100 days before cremation. Currently the sister of the King (or previous King?) was being held there.

Behind the central court lies the inner court where the King’s consorts and daughters lived. The inner court was like a small city populated by women and boys under the age of puberty and even though no royalty lives there, it remains closed to the public. Our guide said it is now a school for girls.

We visited the small museum on site that had a great model of the palace grounds, the various dress for the Emerald Buddha, and many Buddha statues in all sorts of shapes, sizes and poses. We said goodbye to our guide and headed off for some lunch.

On route to our lunch spot we walked down amulet alley where many vendors sell various amulets as well as other wares. Even monks were out looking about.

There are of course several areas to buy spices, food, and dried fish – tiny dried shrimp often find their way into Thai cooking.

Wat Arun

To get to the temple we took a water taxi for 3 baht (10 cents). The ferry terminal which typically has stores and small restaurants was totally flooded but an elevated walkway enabled us to make it to the pier and taxi dry.

From here you could see some of the damage the rising river has done. The ferry was a quick and easy way to cross and we were soon at the temple.

It is believed that after fighting his way out of Ayutthaya besieged by the Burmese at the time, King Taksin arrived at Wat Arun just as dawn was breaking and thus renamed it, Temple of Dawn. The temple is located on the west bank of the river and is one of Bangkok’s most famous landmarks.

The central spire, or prang, is 266 feet high with three symbolic levels and steep narrow stairs representing the difficulties humans face when trying to attain a higher level of existence. Each level grants sweeping views of the river. The Grand Palace is visible in this photo.

Each prang is covered in broken ceramic tile that we’ve seen at other temples. The story is that Chinese ships carried broken ceramic as weight and then offloaded it on reaching the shores of the river. The pieces were then used to decorate various temples.

Four smaller prang stood at each corner of the central prang with steps leading to a small enclave. There was a wall in front of the complex keeping the river at bay and monks stacked sandbags as extra security.

The Erawan Museum

I read about this quirky place in one of our guidebooks and wanted to pay a visit. The location is in the east so we took the skytrain to the last stop and then a taxi. Unfortunately we forgot our camera….

Lek Viriyaphant was a business tycoon interested in creating a space for his Asian antiquities. However, what was supposed to be a conventional museum for the Thai people took on symbolic and spiritual traits.  His Western friend apparently suggested that he create a museum in the shape of an apple (very Western) and this inspired Lek to build an elephant shaped building based on the Hindu belief of Erawan.

Erawan is a three headed elephant that is typically the vehicle of the god Indra but Lek imagined a more cosmic elephant.  The copper and green elephant stands 29 metres high and weighs 150 tons. Just to give you an idea of the size, one of the hind legs holds an elevator and the other, a spiral staircase. To enter the pedestal that holds the elephant, we first had to remove our shoes.

Museum is really the wrong word for this place. Inside the first level is a grand staircase covered in ceramic tile with intricate designs and gorgeous creatures coming out of the staircase.  A circular stained glass window covers the ceiling and there are a couple of large pillars covered in carvings. At the top of the first set of stairs is an image of Buddha and then two staircases curve out from there leading to the lift and the spiral staircase. That’s it. The lift opens to a small observation area.  Another set of stairs takes you to a darkly lit temple with about 8 ancient images of Buddha lining the walls and one front and centre. Bangkok.com’s description is apt:  the most psychedelic décor you’ll see outside a dream.

It is strange. The temple is located in the belly of the elephant extending into the head. The ceiling was round and painted with constellations. We sat for awhile taking it in and then left shaking our heads. We wandered around the landscaped property for a bit and left. Even though it was odd, we couldn’t help but smile and were glad that we went.

Siam Niramit

It is known to be a ‘cultural extravaganza’ and a huge spectacle so Ian and I decided to give it a shot. We knew it probably wouldn’t be our cup of tea considering the performance is made specifically for tourists but being drama teachers we are always intrigued by spectacle.

Ian booked the tickets through a travel agency because weirdly, this is cheaper than buying them at the venue or online. We took bike taxis, the skytrain, and the metro to get to the Thai Cultural Centre stop where a shuttle bus gave us a free ride to the theatre. We arrived early because the tourist material promised there would be a lot to do and see before the show.

We were greeted with flower corsages and entered the complex. There are two elephants available to ride or feed (for a fee) and dancers to watch. We headed to the back to the traditional Thai village. Simple Thai huts sit beside streams in among the foliage. Thais are dressed in traditional clothing and I believe they were supposed to be doing traditional tasks but many were chatting amongst themselves or on cell phones. We went very quickly through and then put in time waiting for the show to start.

A sign celebrated the theatre as being in the Guinness World of Records for the tallest stage in the world. The theatre was huge and we had great seats but unfortunately the audience was very tiny. The performance started with a narration in Thai and English and what we thought was going to be a story of Thai history was more like a series of vignettes that idealized ancient Siam. I kept waiting for scenes of battle (Thailand has had many many wars) but there was nary a one. It was song after song with little speaking and all the music was recorded.

The cast was huge (I think over a hundred), the costumes lavish and the spectacle didn’t disappoint. They used scrims, flew in huge pieces of scenery and performers, and had a Chinese boat. One scene used a traditional village setting and a river appeared at the front of the stage; deep enough for one of the performers to jump in to over his head. Small boats drifted by and lotus offerings were set floating on the water. When a thunder and lightning storm struck rain poured down from the high grid above to hit the river below. In another scene, fountains of water shot high into the air. Although not a great show it was certainly grand (and we didn’t fall asleep).