Friday 1st May 2015: When is a Blog Not a Blog? When It Takes Over A Year To Write!!

I know many of you have waited patiently for me to complete this Blog and I hope that despite the truncated nature of this process that it will remind those who experienced this journey with me of the truly wonderful time that we had.  I want end by thanking the entire happy band shown in this final picture (Courtesy of Lesley) for welcoming me and making my time in Vietnam and Cambodia so memorable.

Just don’t mention the Phở, Ecoli or the cricket!!

Wednesday 23rd April 2014: Cambodia: Siem Reap: A Regal Ride Aboard An Elephant Around The Bayon Temple

The last day in this eventful but most enjoyable – well apart from the chilli affair and the tummy upset – seems to have come round far too quickly but there was one last, and very rewarding, adventure to be had this morning and that was to ride an elephant around the Bayon Temple in the Angkor Wat complex.

So not quite such an early start this morning but once ready we were quickly loaded into motorcycle rickshaws for the final visit to Angkor Wat. It was rather nice to be in the open sided rickshaw rather than an air-conditioned bus in the cool air of the early morning.  By the time we arrived there was already a long queue for the elephant rides but with 6 or so elephants and with two passengers to each elephant the wait didn’t seem so long.  You could always for a small charge buy some food to feed to the elephants when they took a well-earned rest. (See photo)

Although mounting the elephant from the steps was neither very easy nor elegant the ensuing ride was regal and exhilarating. The slow pace gave me ample opportunity to take more photos of the Bayon.  More surprising were the ‘coconut service stations’ en route for the elephants; the elephants deftly picking up the opened fruits in their trunks and draining the milk with great precision into their mouths.

The ride lasted 20 minutes or so but for me this was a defining memory of this adventure through Vietnam & Cambodia.

Tuesday 22nd April 2014: Cambodia: Siem Reap - Final Dinner

With all 240 plus guests in attendance this proved to be a rather testing affair.  Although the buffet was enormous much of the food proved to be tepid and the design of the restaurant did not lend itself to an unrestricted view of the Aspara Dance Show.  From what little of this show I was able to view, it was a collection of Folkloric dances that the children had performed aboard the RV AmaLotus and the ODA children had already presented earlier this afternoon.

As the photo shows it was a chance for Lesley, Bob and I to wear our newly acquired traditional garments!

Tuesday 22nd April 2014 Cambodia: Siem Reap ­ A Unique Orphanage Finding A Future Through Art For Underprivileged Children

Our last visit on this busy day was to the ODA Orphanage (Opportunities & Development Thru Art) for which APT is a major sponsor. Despite high humidity and an impending storm this proved to be an inspirational visit and an opportunity to leave all kinds of gifts from toothpaste, soap, shampoo to pencils and crayons!

30 children ranging in age from 6 – 20 years live as a traditional Khmer family with Leng (The founder of the orphanage) & Sy On as ‘Parents’. ODA is a charity that has no government subsidy but makes some contribution to its running costs through the sale of the childrens’ art.

ODA runs 6 English Schools in this part of Cambodia since an English education is vital to gaining work.

So a bit about Leng the founder; at the age of 9 Leng witnessed the death of this Father at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. His Uncle and Aunt provided a loving home for him but because of this upbringing Leng was drawn to help other underprivileged children.  “ODA is a caring ‘Family Home’”(ODA pamphlet) “with the children healing from their past and receiving a full education to ensure they have the skills for their future in the harsh environment that is Cambodia today.  This is achieved through artistic creativity that encourages the children to develop a relationship with the environment in which they live, their community and their cultural background”.

I was shown around by a charming and bubbly 8-year old whose name unfortunately escapes me but who spoke enough English to tell us about life at the orphanage and who gave me the two small pieces of his art (See photos).

To conclude the afternoon the children performed, with great passion and enthusiasm, a local Folk dance telling of the love between a young rice farmer and a beautiful girl.

Luckily although there were rumblings of thunder in the distance the rained stayed off.

Tuesday 22nd April 2014 Cambodia: Siem Reap: - A Temple In the Jungle - Ta Prohm

This visit not only brought home to me just how huge the Angkor Wat complex is but also just how ancient this site is and how it was lost to the forest for so many years. The photos show how the forest has reclaimed this particular temple and how much work has had to be done to clear other areas of Angkor Wat.  The tree roots (Mainly cotton trees and strangler figs) are so entwined in this temple that the trees cannot be moved or the buildings will collapse.

Ta Prohm is built in the Bayon style largely in the late 12th and early 13th centuries and is located approximately one kilometre east of Angkor Thom. Ta Prohm has been left in much the same condition in which it was found. According to Wikipedia “the photogenic and atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings have made it one of Angkor's most popular temples with visitors”. Ta Prohm was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992.

As of 2013, Archaeological Survey of India has restored most parts of the temple complex some of which have been constructed from scratch. Wooden walkways, platforms and roped railings have been put in place around the site to protect the monument from further damage from tourists.