exploring eating capturing
I thought it might be time for a little interlude from temples before temple fatigue sets in as there are plenty more to come! So today let me take you back to Laos to the Kuang Si Falls. If you are anywhere near to Lauang Prabang …
In this post I will share some of the detail of which there is a lot so bare with me! Every inch of this place just about is carved with ancient stories and patterns. I can imagine when this was built literally hundreds of people …
Angkor Wat is apparently the biggest religious structure in the world. It was first constructed in the early part of the 12th century as a Hindu temple but by the end of the 12th century it had become a Buddhist place of worship.
It is clearly an amazing feet of engineering and one could spend hours musing over how these enormous blocks of stone were moved around and constructed nine hundred years ago. Clearly they did an excellent job too as it is still standing today.
It is a large site and you need to put aside at least a day to explore. There are places to eat on site and toilets so you can enjoy your visit. I could have easily spent an extra day there just to sit and draw around the site but on this occasion time didn’t allow so a second visit will have to be scheduled at some point in the future.
There are a number of grand entrances to the main building that take you to the first level and several grand corridors that surround the edge of the building entirely covered with carvings in the stone walls. Out to one side of these are verandas with pillars and more decorative carvings.
From this area you climb up some stairs to the second level smaller in area but similar structure. And then finally the third level is up some very steep stairs and into the highest part of the temple. Only one hundred people at a time are allowed up there for safety reasons I’m guessing so you will need to queue but its well worth it, and the views are great (unless you suffer from vertigo!).
I have so very many photos of Angkor Wat it will have to be covered by at least a couple of posts or else if anyone is actually reading this you may well loose the will to live! First up sunrise. I had to get …
If you are heading to Siem Reap another place to stop off for a visit would be the Floating Villages of Kompong Phluk. You can hire a boat for half a day to explore the remoter corners of these villages. Depending on the time of …
On the road from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap there is a great restaurant called Arunras. It is full of locals who have stopped on their various journeys and one or two tourists. I had a big plate of fried Morning Glory and a big plate of mixed fried mushrooms with steamed rice and both were delicious. Service is speedy the food is cheap and as I have discovered in most of Asia now local tea is complimentary…I knew there was a reason I liked Asia so much! Well worth a visit if you are passing.
Next to the restaurant is extensive markets selling just about anything. The interesting trio of fried tarantula, silk worm and cricket were there along with a multitude of other snacks. A little warning though if you have a problem with spiders (live ones that is) you need eyes in the back of your head as many of the kids wandering around have tarantulas as pets clinging to their clothes and they will offer one to you to hold or stroke. Apparently the poisonous bit has been removed so its not dangerous but they are still big and hairy!
There was a wealth of fruit both fresh and dried. The kids will try to sell you bags of cut up pineapple and will follow you around the whole time so if you don’t want the pineapple your powers of determination need to be sharp! I bought a bag of extremely colourful candied fruit which was very sweet but very very good probably the best I’ve tasted on this trip. It consisted of red dates, pineapple, pomelo peel (which has a bitterness that counteracts the sweetness well) and mango. Deliciousness in a bag.
There was plenty of seafood on offer which looked very fresh and well iced to keep it that way.
A delicacy in Cambodia (and I think much of south east Asia) is fermented fish paste. It smells very bad and doesn’t look at all appetising! I have tried it and it tastes better than it smells and looks but is definitely a required taste! Most markets have big pots of it you can then buy a spoon full…you will smell it before you see it!
And finally the meat section. This seemed the most different from a western market. It had big raised areas that the meat was on with women sat amongst the meat ready to chop up whatever you wanted. The meat in Asia often sits out in the sun for quite a while that is why many recipes require it to be thoroughly boiled and stewed before using to kill off any bad bacterias. I have always loved a market and it is great to wander round and discover different and unusual foods. You just have to be a little brave and taste things to discover new and wonderful flavours.
