Immersing in the Culture of Cambodia

Day 8 (30 May 2014) – Immersing in the Culture of Cambodia

We had a wonderful time today experiencing the culture and rich history of Cambodia. The day started early as we left our homestay at 5am in order to catch the beautiful sunrise at Angkor Wat.

Once there, we were surprised by the large amounts of people travelling towards the same destination as us. Mr Khorn shared that this was not even the peak period for tourist visits and to expect an even larger crowd when it came to the months of November and December. Visiting the various temples required a payment of USD20 for a one-day pass.  The pass is personalised with our photograph and we have to display it as we travelled from temple to temple.  We visited a total of three temples – Angkor Wat, Bayon and Ta Prohm.

 Angkor Wat was first built as a Hindu temple.  It subsequently became a Buddhist temple and is the pride of Cambodia.  It is also the largest religious monument in the world.  It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.  The intricate carvings that covered entire lengths of corridors were really incredible and involved a lot of detailed work.

The long stone bridge across the moat towards Angkor Wat

The skies starting to light up with the morning sun

The intricate carvings on the wall of the temple

Bayon and Ta Prohm each had their own charm and beauty.  Bayon is characterised by the many serene and massive stone faces on the towers which jut out from the upper terrace and cluster around its central peak.

The entrance to the mysterious looking Bayon Temple

Just one of the many huge trees which grow right over the temple ruins.

Mr Khorn shared with the students that Ta Prohm was used as a filming site for Angelina Jolie’s Tomb Raider.  It was the most untouched out of all the three temples as it has been left in pretty much the same condition in which it was found.  We stood in awe to see huge trees growing out of the ruins which made it cooler than the previous two temples we visited.

After an exciting and awe-inspiring morning, we proceeded to have a good lunch before visiting the Old Market.  The students were all ready to interact with the shop owners and to try out their bargaining skills as Mr Khorn had previously prepared them on the bus on how to bargain.  It was really a good and fun way to end the day as the excited students came back to their homestay with their shopping.

Reflections:

 “The craftsmen who built the temple have a lot of patience as the carvings on the walls had a lot of details and were very elaborate. When I think back to how we tried to build the classroom, I felt it was very difficult. Yet it really is nothing in comparison to what they built. It is amazing they could build something with so much details and so large in scale. I really admire them for their patience. Remembering about Angkor Wat will help me learn to be more patient and more organised. Why more organised because I think it was amazing how they positioned the peaks of the temple such that the Sun would rise right over the middle peak!” – Jasmine, 3A5

“Here in Angkor Wat, I felt very peaceful. The hustle and bustle of Singapore makes us forget to quieten down and listen intently to our surroundings. Here I could hear nature and this is really the first time that I am so aware of it. I am awed by the peacefulness of nature.” – Zaccaeus Chua, 3A4