Beyond Angkor Wat

Everything Shines in Brand-New Splendour

This summer my travels take me to Cambodia. Specifically, to Siem Reap, the city that is the gateway to legendary Angkor Wat.

The scene that presents itself to us as we leave the small short-haul plane is rather unusual. Siem Reap airport and all the buildings around it look as if they were just completed yesterday. Everything shines in brand-new splendour. The buildings are a mixture of functional Western and playful Asian architecture. Long, overhanging, roofs with pointed gables adorn the buildings.

At the airport terminal, we pay 30 US dollars, the unofficial main currency of Cambodia, for a 30-day tourist visa on arrival. All airport employees are dressed in military uniforms and they muster each of our steps with a stern gaze. A common facet of a military-backed parliamentary constitutional monarchy, which is a widespread form of government in these parts of the world.

“Xiang” accompanies me on this adventure. I met her a few months ago on a trip through Thailand. We met at a small street food restaurant in Chiang Mai called the “Coconut Shell”. It was one of those rare encounters where you feel a deep connection with the other person right away. Within a short time, this connection developed into a playful love and a joyful friendship.

Siem Reap International Airport, 07/2023

I Was Not Looking For Anything and Found Love

Love is something very exceptional, unpredictable and sometimes even magical. I came to Chiang Mai at that time to enjoy the culture & cuisine and to further my education in the arts of “Karsai Nei Tsang” and “Taoist Sexual Philosophy”. From an emotional point of view, I was not looking for anything and I found love. Ironically, it is often when we are not in search of something that it comes easily into our lives.

We leave the airport with our hotel’s shuttle service. On the way from the airport to the city – our hotel is in the centre of Siem Reap – we notice that not only the airport is in an immaculate condition. Much of the city looks as if it has been recently rebuilt, or at least heavily renovated.

Xiang tells me that the infrastructure we see in Siem Reap is identical to that of many Chinese cities. She should know, as she is from China and has travelled the country extensively for her work. She knows most of the cities and provinces and speaks several of the country’s languages and dialects. The streets, pavements, streetlights, ATMs, sewer covers and even the rubbish bins are all new and designed in Chinese style.

A Dirty Economic Stimulus Program

This is no coincidence. The Cambodian government is known for its close ties to the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese underworld. What the country is currently experiencing could be described as a dirty economic stimulus program. The Cambodian authorities turn a blind eye to practices such as human trafficking, forced labour, prostitution and illegal gambling in return for a big slice of the cake.

Like Myanmar, much of Cambodia is an unregulated playground for organised crime. For this reason, we were strongly advised to avoid travelling there, but I have never really cared for such advice. When I feel resonance with a place or a scenario, I always jump right into it. Life is too precious to let it be limited by fear.

When we arrive at the hotel, we meet Zoé, my ex-girlfriend with whom I have spent the last three years. She is in Siem Reap at the same time as us, more or less by coincidence. The hotel is magnificent and stands in stark contrast to the very functional design of the city. Playful, richly decorated French architecture, a finely manicured garden full of colourful flowers and exotic plants surrounding both the restaurant and pool area. A true oasis of tranquillity amidst the hustle and bustle of the city.

Siem Reap Pub Street, 07/2023

Smells of Marijuana, Street Food & Massage Oils Waft Through the Air

As it is already late afternoon and we feel exhausted from the journey, we decide to spend a quiet evening. On foot, we explore the surrounding city centre, which offers a surprising variety of bars, restaurants, street food stalls and nightclubs. In every corner of the city centre, there is evidence of the recent surge in prosperity. All the venues are new and decorated and furnished with great attention to detail. Every second bar is playing live music and the streets are a hive of life and activity. The smells of marijuana, street food and pungent massage oils waft through the air.

At no time do we feel unsafe or in any way coerced. The locals are very kind and respectful. Despite the scars of a turbulent history, their unwavering zest for life shines through them like a beacon. Warm smiles and sincere hospitality greet us at every turn, reinforcing our belief in the value and beauty of human interaction.

The collective energy suggests a certain euphoria and gratitude among the population. One of the locals we chat to over dinner tells us that most of the modernisation of the infrastructure, hotels, restaurants and bars took place during the pandemic. There was no tourism in Siem Reap at the time, and only in recent months has it started to pick up again. As it’s the main source of income for the region, everyone is dedicated to making the most of the opportunity.

Revealing stone carvings, Angkor Wat, 07/2023

Our Journey Begins With a Pre-dawn Pilgrimage to Angkor Wat

In the early hours of the morning, our cultural journey begins with a pre-dawn tuk-tuk pilgrimage to Angkor Wat, a colossal monument to Cambodia’s historical grandeur. As the sun peaks over the horizon, we stand in awe of the site’s majestic silhouette. It feels like we have stumbled onto the set of an Indiana Jones movie, with adventure lurking around every corner.

Still half asleep, we wound our way through the massive corridors, spacious courtyards and intricate stone carvings of Angkor Wat, our hands intertwined, which is eyed with judgement by many of the orthodox Buddhists who also visit Angkor Wat on this day.

In many Buddhist temples and shrines, any physical contact is frowned upon. Even wearing revealing clothing is often strictly forbidden. Here at Angkor Wat, these rules are particularly ironic and a parochial reminder of how religion can turn a sanctuary into the opposite of what it was originally envisioned to be. Built some 900 years ago as the cradle of Vaishnavism and Shaivism, in which sexuality is seen as a sacred facet on the path to enlightenment, Buddhist prudishness has now taken over.

Conscious and Holistically Lived Sexuality Is a High Spiritual Tool

On the walls of Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples, countless stone reliefs that clearly and unashamedly depict the primal freedom of human bodily union can be found. Half-naked priestesses holding the great serpent in their hands and even depictions of orgies and physical ecstasy can be spotted by the sharp-eyed amateur archaeologist. But all this seems to be completely ignored in the present day.

As with all the world’s major religions, one of the main purposes of organised Buddhism is control and subjugation. Over the centuries, people have been deliberately and systematically deprived of their tools for self-realised spiritual enlightenment in order to make them dependent on religious texts, rites, rules and preaching. A conscious and holistically lived sexuality is undoubtedly one of these high spiritual tools. Unfortunately, it’s seen by many people today as nothing more than a quick fix to experience pleasure, comparable to drinking a can of beer. This is a problem not only here in the eastern hemisphere, but all over the world.

I Find Myself Attacked by a Swarm of Bats, Disturbed by My Careless Footsteps

The day continues with visits to other temples in the Angkor Archaeological Park. Each with its own unique characteristics, charms and challenges. From the enigmatic faces of the Bayon temple, the unforgiving, dense jungle that surrounds the ruins of Ta Prohm, to the vast, maze-like corridors of Preah Khan, where I deliberately ignore a “no trespassing” sign and find myself attacked by a swarm of bats disturbed in their midday sleep by my careless footsteps, to the monumental, life-size elephant statues of Eastern Mebon.

It is a breathtaking journey through the rich Kymeran history and a physically demanding one. The heat and humidity in this region are quite extreme at this time of year. Not to mention all the mosquitoes and creepy crawlies that have decided to see us as a welcome snack as we trespass through their territory. Fortunately, our tuk-tuk carries plenty of water, fresh fruit and insect repellent.

Eastern Mebon Temple, 07/2023

We Feel Like Pirates on Our Wild Rides Through the Crowded Streets

After a more than welcome dip in the hotel’s luxurious pool, we spend the evening back in the centre of Siem Reap. For dinner, we venture into uncharted culinary territory, sampling a variety of the exotic dishes for which Cambodia is famous. Highlights include an extra-spicy chicken curry garnished with tingly fire ants and a dessert made from a combination of honeycomb containing live bee larvae and vanilla ice cream – an unexpectedly delicious treat.

Our tuk-tuk is our trusty steed for exploring the city at night. We feel like modern-day pirates on our wild rides through the crowded streets, accompanied by the flickering neon lights of the street lamps. The warm wind ruffles our hair, laughter echoes through the air and the buzzing life of the city becomes our anthem. Fortunately, our vehicle’s slow acceleration and top speed prevent serious injury to pedestrians.

Around midnight we meet up with Zoé to share drinks. For me, this is a very special encounter. Previously in the hotel, we had just seen each other briefly, but now the three of us sit at the same table, sipping on cool beverages.

I Realise How Fast-Paced, Free and Unpredictable My Life Is

It’s one of those high-intensity, surrealistic moments where you watch yourself from the outside as if it is a scene from a movie. At this very moment, I strongly realise how fast-paced, free and unpredictable my life is. Roughly 10 months ago, I spent a romantic vacation with Zoé on the Côte d’Azur, in which we shared many precious and loving moments with each other.

The current reality could not be more different. A new love, on the other side of the globe. None of this I saw coming or even remotely planned. It all emerged out of the moment, simply by following my resonances.

We have a good and happy exchange. These two souls, who are so precious to me, seem to get along well. We talk about the breathtaking beauty of the Angkor Archaeological Park, the political situation in Cambodia, the music scene in China, contemporary art and the many facets of free love. We laugh a lot together. Especially when I try to shake a giant ant off my drinking straw. Despite my best efforts, the ant refuses to let go. Due to an involuntary panic reaction, both the straw and the ant end up in a nearby hedge. I think it’s fair to say that a real friendship was forged that night.

The outer walls of Angkor Archaeological Park, 07/2023

Not All the Encounters We Have With Nature Are Serene Ones

The next morning, we sleep late and start the day with a yoga session in the tranquil countryside outside of Siem Reap. A very welcome respite from our temple excursions. Surrounded by the lush jungle, chirping birds, the gentle caress of the sun and hundreds of butterflies, which Xiang explains are the souls of the ancestors, we deepen the connection with each other and the world around us.

But not all the encounters we have with nature in this region are serene ones. On the last day of our journey, Xiang makes an unfortunate acquaintance with two cheeky monkeys.

This day we return to the Bayon temple for a more detailed exploration. We leave the temple through the west gate when I see two macaque monkeys out of the corner of my eye. We are both fascinated by how elegantly and seemingly effortlessly they climb over the many walls, pillars and gables of the temple complex.

Just at this moment, I remember a documentary about monkeys that I saw a few years ago. It demonstrated how to call such monkeys with a certain sound. Interestingly, I had memorised this call and of course, had to try it out immediately.

Within Moments, the Situation Escalates

To my amazement, the two monkeys instantly respond to my call, which reminds me a little of the cackling of a goose. Within seconds, the monkeys are standing next to us. I briefly consider petting one of them but decide against it as I see something very cold in its eyes. Within moments, the situation escalates. The monkeys decide to attack Xiang.

One jumps on her back while the other tries to steal her handbag. But none of the monkeys expected that a woman from Shanghai would not give up so easily. She defends herself very bravely and not at all squeamishly by smashing her handbag around the ears of the two monkeys. As a result, they flee in panic, while making noises as if they were being chased by a large predator.

Unfortunately, one of them did bite her leg during the brief fight. It is not a large or serious wound, but the bite has penetrated the skin in one place. Immediately, the temple security guards, who had been watching the scene from a distance, hurry towards us. That day I learn that monkey bites are the most common animal bites in the region and that it is not a minor incident. We are advised to go to the hospital immediately to get rabies and tetanus vaccinations as a preventive measure.

The two monkeys who attacked us, Bayon, 07/2023

Cambodia Is Considered to Be One of the LDCs

After a wild tuktuk ride in which our driver defies all rules of the road and common sense, we arrive at Siem Reap Provincial Hospital. After registering at the gate, it becomes drastically clear to me why Cambodia is considered to be one of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Apparently, the money that is currently flowing into the city’s infrastructure is being withheld from the hospitals.

The scenario we are confronted with is very difficult to grasp from a Western perspective. All I can say is that I was deeply touched by what I experienced in the moments that followed.

We find ourselves in the inner courtyard of the hospital, which is about the size of a basketball field. Narrowly surrounded by the dilapidated hospital buildings, the floor is solid concrete, covered in the ubiquitous yellow dust of Siem Reap. This courtyard serves as a sort of reception centre for all the patients who come to seek medical help on this day, but also as a place to keep patients who cannot be accommodated in the buildings due to lack of space.

It’s a Cascade of Frantic Conversations, Screams of Despair, Crying, Moaning and Vomiting

More than a hundred people crowd around a handful of doctors, nurses and volunteers. It’s a cascade of aggressive gestures, frantic conversations, screams of despair, crying, moaning and vomiting. Some of the patients are covered in blood, others have serious injuries such as deep cuts, open fractures and burns. Others are unconscious, left on the dirty concrete floor by their friends or relatives. I’m also deeply shocked by the condition of the patients being “treated” in the hospital.

People who have just had an operation or are being prepared for one lie naked on wooden stretchers. Some of them are trembling with pain, others are unconscious, others are screaming like wild animals in absolute agony. There is no privacy, no hygiene, no rest, not even a pillow or a sheet.

It is clear to us that we do not belong here and that Xiang‘s minor injury should not be an additional burden on the already scarce resources. After a quick Google search, we find a private doctor who is a specialist in wildlife bites. Xiang receives treatment and the vaccinations there.

A Journey Forever Etched in Our Souls

As we leave Siem Reap later in the day, our hearts are heavy with the overwhelming experiences and impressions of the past days. Cambodia has welcomed us warmly and revealed to us its rich and diverse history and the indomitable spirit of its people. Our journey has been an unforgettable experience full of love, adventure, lessons and deep insights. It is a time forever etched in our souls, just like the timeless wall carvings of Ankor Wat.

© Philipp, 24 September 2023