Cambodia- Part 1

Siem Reap: Gateway to the ruins of Angkor

Located in the northwest part of Cambodia, Siem Reap, which literally means the ‘Defeat of Siam’, is the gateway to the ruins of Angkor, the seat of the Khmer kingdom from the 9th to 15th centuries. Today, the proximity of Angkor Wat and the temples at Angkor Thom, together with the city’s splendour and culture, have turned Siem Reap into a booming tourist town.   

With a vibrant nightlife pandering to people of all ages, posh hotels and resorts targeting the well-heeled, world-class dining across a range of cuisines enticing the epicureans, and a refreshing cultural scene inviting the connoisseurs yearning to be swept away by the ethereal Apsara dance, Siem Reap is the epicentre of chic Cambodia. The city of half a million people also offers budget motels, KFC and Burger King, as well as pan fried scorpions, tarantulas, crickets and dried snake salad for those who want to kick up their culinary taste to new heights.
Although Siem Reap takes one on a journey filled with stirring stories about its people and tantalising tales of its ancient kings, the creative vibe of the city is defined by Pub Street that comes to life around dusk and remains abuzz with tourists until the wee hours. Covered in neon painted graffiti and catering to just about any preference and budget, the international and Khmer restaurants, trendy nightclubs, bars and karaoke joints playing raucous dance tunes lend the street a slightly grimy, but definitely a charming ambience. 
Located on the banks of the Siem Reap River and closely resembling Dhaka’s Hawkers Market, the Night Market is Seam Reap’s most renowned outdoor shopping venue selling a wide range of clothing, including hand-woven Khmer silk, and traditional Khmer handicrafts at bargain prices. Just as in Bangladesh, haggling and bargaining can bring down the already reasonable prices by as much as a factor of three.
A trip to Siem Reap would be incomplete without watching an Apsara dance show. Known for its elegant movements, elongated headpieces and ornate costumes, Apsara, a Sanskrit word meaning celestial nymph, is at the heart of classical Khmer dance. It dates back to the 7th century with roots in Hindu mythology, according to which Apsaras descended from heaven to entertain gods and kings with their dance. Their power over men was beyond comparison as both mortals and divinities could not resist the charms of the Apsaras. Indeed, they entertain and bewitch tourists today in the manner they did in mythological times.  
If you want to experience something far removed from the Pub Street or the Apsara dance, then take a boat ride on the Tonlé Sap Lake, located 15 km south of Siem Reap. It is the largest seasonally inundated chocolate-coloured fresh water lake in South East Asia, providing more than half of the fish consumed in Cambodia. The ecosystem of the lake consists of a bird sanctuary that is home to several threatened and endangered species, over 200 types of fish, as well as crocodiles, turtles, otters, macaques and the richest reservoir of snakes in the world _ all existing in harmony with floating villages consisting of wooden houses that are anchored to the bottom of the lake by wooden beams.
The symbol of brutality perpetrated by Khmer Rouge during their reign of terror from 1975 to 1979 can be seen at Wat Thmei. Built on one of the ‘killing fields’ in Siem Reap, it is a monastery with a small memorial stupa containing skulls and bones of some of the victims of Khmer Rouge. Visiting Wat Thmei in the month of March was a painful reminder of a dark chapter in Bangladesh’s history that will forever remain etched in the minds of those, including this writer, who had to endure it.
The currency of choice in Cambodia is US dollar. Motorbikes, tuk-tuk  a two-wheeled carriage hitched to a motorcycle, and occasionally buses are the preferred modes of transportation in Siem Reap. The streets have their fair share of cars, but they are mostly taxis. Hence, you will rarely see anything resembling the traffic woes that are so familiar in Dhaka.
Finally, Cambodians are courteous, friendly, forgiving and hospitable. Their religion is Theravada Buddhism, staple is rice, favourite food is dry fish and the most famous dish is Amok  white fish steamed in a banana leaf and topped with coconut cream. And like so many things in this beautiful country with a tortuous past, the people weather the storms and move on with a smile on their face. 

The writer is Professor of Physics at Fordham University, New York.
Photos: Writer.

Cambodia- Part 1

Siem Reap: Gateway to the ruins of Angkor

Located in the northwest part of Cambodia, Siem Reap, which literally means the Defeat of Siam, is the gateway to the ruins of Angkor, the seat of the Khmer kingdom from the 9th to 15th centuries. Today, the proximity of Angkor Wat and the temples at Angkor Thom, together with the citys splendour and culture, have turned Siem Reap into a booming tourist town. With a vibrant nightlife pandering to people of all ages, posh hotels and resorts targeting the well-heeled, world-class dining across a range of cuisines enticing the epicureans, and a refreshing cultural scene inviting the connoisseurs yearning to be swept away by the ethereal Apsara dance, Siem Reap is the epicentre of chic Cambodia. The city of half a million people also offers budget motels, KFC and Burger King, as well as pan fried scorpions, tarantulas, crickets and dried snake salad for those who want to kick up their culinary taste to new heights. Although Siem Reap takes one on a journey filled with stirring stories about its people and tantalising tales of its ancient kings, the creative vibe of the city is defined by Pub Street that comes to life around dusk and remains abuzz with tourists until the wee hours. Covered in neon painted graffiti and catering to just about any preference and budget, the international and Khmer restaurants, trendy nightclubs, bars and karaoke joints playing raucous dance tunes lend the street a slightly grimy, but definitely a charming ambience. Located on the banks of the Siem Reap River and closely resembling Dhakas Hawkers Market, the Night Market is Seam Reaps most renowned outdoor shopping venue selling a wide range of clothing, including hand-woven Khmer silk, and traditional Khmer handicrafts at bargain prices. Just as in Bangladesh, haggling and bargaining can bring down the already reasonable prices by as much as a factor of three. A trip to Siem Reap would be incomplete without watching an Apsara dance show. Known for its elegant movements, elongated headpieces and ornate costumes, Apsara, a Sanskrit word meaning celestial nymph, is at the heart of classical Khmer dance. It dates back to the 7th century with roots in Hindu mythology, according to which Apsaras descended from heaven to entertain gods and kings with their dance. Their power over men was beyond comparison as both mortals and divinities could not resist the charms of the Apsaras. Indeed, they entertain and bewitch tourists today in the manner they did in mythological times. If you want to experience something far removed from the Pub Street or the Apsara dance, then take a boat ride on the Tonl Sap Lake, located 15 km south of Siem Reap. It is the largest seasonally inundated chocolate-coloured fresh water lake in South East Asia, providing more than half of the fish consumed in Cambodia. The ecosystem of the lake consists of a bird sanctuary that is home to several threatened and endangered species, over 200 types of fish, as well as crocodiles, turtles, otters, macaques and the richest reservoir of snakes in the world _ all existing in harmony with floating villages consisting of wooden houses that are anchored to the bottom of the lake by wooden beams. The symbol of brutality perpetrated by Khmer Rouge during their reign of terror from 1975 to 1979 can be seen at Wat Thmei. Built on one of the killing fields in Siem Reap, it is a monastery with a small memorial stupa containing skulls and bones of some of the victims of Khmer Rouge. Visiting Wat Thmei in the month of March was a painful reminder of a dark chapter in Bangladeshs history that will forever remain etched in the minds of those, including this writer, who had to endure it. The currency of choice in Cambodia is US dollar. Motorbikes, tuk-tuk a two-wheeled carriage hitched to a motorcycle, and occasionally buses are the preferred modes of transportation in Siem Reap. The streets have their fair share of cars, but they are mostly taxis. Hence, you will rarely see anything resembling the traffic woes that are so familiar in Dhaka. Finally, Cambodians are courteous, friendly, forgiving and hospitable. Their religion is Theravada Buddhism, staple is rice, favourite food is dry fish and the most famous dish is Amok white fish steamed in a banana leaf and topped with coconut cream. And like so many things in this beautiful country with a tortuous past, the people weather the storms and move on with a smile on their face. The writer is Professor of Physics atFordham University, New York. Photos: Writer.