Sunrise over Angkor Wat
Back in California after a Road Scholar trip to Cambodia and Vietnam in March 2019. The weather was hot and humid, the pace exhausting, and the variety of experiences to absorb wide: two days in Angkor Archaeological Park; visits to monasteries, pagodas, and temples; conversations with traditional artisans working under stilt houses in the countryside; moving memorials of twentieth century war; a few palaces and museums; some excellent and interesting meals; fish-farms on the Mekong River, a boat ride out onto Halong Bay; discussions of history and culture and religions as well as pondering the differences between Cambodia and Vietnam. We even made an off-itinerary home visit with our Hanoi tour guide's family on the 12th floor of a giant, new, self-contained, middle class high rise community in Hanoi (which spoke to the urban planner in me). We made new friends, laughed a lot, and danced on the upper deck of a dinner cruise as we navigated past downtown Saigon to the tune of “New York, New York." And, we thoroughly appreciated the enthusiasm and knowledge of our overall Cambodian program leader and tour guide: Davuth Pheach ("Bros"). He was assisted in South Vietnam by "Hong," while "Long" guided us through North Vietnam. (As in many countries, guides need to demonstrate their local knowledge in order to be licensed.)
We traveled mostly in the countryside along the Tonle Sap and the channels of the Mekong delta, although we did stop in Phnom Penh and spent a few nights in both Ho Chi Minh City, and Hanoi. In the cities you must see to believe the traffic—Saigon is home to about eight and a half million people, Hanoi to almost eight million, but it was the mopeds and the scooters that twist and turn and park everywhere that dominate the roads, and the sidewalks! Traffic rules are treated more like suggestions than actual laws. I saw few traffic lights. Neither city is what we call pedestrian-friendly. Indeed, to cross a street literally filled with mopeds and scooters one must learn to step slowly out into the stream and bravely keep moving steadily towards the other side as motor scooters, cars, and trucks all whiz around you—it’s a heart stopping experience, and way worse than what we encountered in China as I remember it.
I took many pictures as usual, and have posted a selection in four geographically themed slideshows. To view one or more slideshows, please keep on scrolling down.
I. Our journey begins in the World Heritage Site known as Angkor Archaeological Park, with excursions to the Artisans Workshop in Siem Reap and the Landmine Museum to orient you to contemporary reality. "Angkor", by the way, means “capital city” or “holy city”: "Wat" means "temple."
A little background for this first group: We visited four temple complexes over two days; each was built during the Khmer Empire, which dominated much of the lower Indochina between the 9-15th centuries. These complexes reveal a diversity of dominant religions as well as the religious syncretism found throughout Southeast Asia, which combines elements of both Indian and Chinese cultures. The slideshow represents more or less the chronology of our visiting, not the chronology of their construction. For an interesting contemporary take on synchretism which is still alive and well in SE Asia, see the Cao Gai Temple in My Tho, Vietnam, in the third slideshow I have titled "Delta and City."
This section concludes with some photos of The Artisan’s Workshop in Siem Reap, a project of the current Cambodian government aimed at rebuilding local skills in traditional Khmer arts and crafts after the many decades of war in the Twentieth Century. Students learn wood and stone carving, pottery, weaving, painting, silver work and more and help carry out various restoration projects, including some in Angkor's archaeological park.
A final note: the earliest archaeological finds in Cambodia have been dated to the 5th millennium BC, although historians believe SE Asia has been inhabited by humans for at least 40,000 years. Heat, humidity, earthquake, and volcano have taken their tolls on cultural remains. SE Asia generally was a crossroads where Chinese and Indian influences met and mingled. Religion in both Cambodia and Vietnam is especially interesting, being a mix of Confucianism, Taoism, Ancestor Worship, Animism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam.
We traveled mostly in the countryside along the Tonle Sap and the channels of the Mekong delta, although we did stop in Phnom Penh and spent a few nights in both Ho Chi Minh City, and Hanoi. In the cities you must see to believe the traffic—Saigon is home to about eight and a half million people, Hanoi to almost eight million, but it was the mopeds and the scooters that twist and turn and park everywhere that dominate the roads, and the sidewalks! Traffic rules are treated more like suggestions than actual laws. I saw few traffic lights. Neither city is what we call pedestrian-friendly. Indeed, to cross a street literally filled with mopeds and scooters one must learn to step slowly out into the stream and bravely keep moving steadily towards the other side as motor scooters, cars, and trucks all whiz around you—it’s a heart stopping experience, and way worse than what we encountered in China as I remember it.
I took many pictures as usual, and have posted a selection in four geographically themed slideshows. To view one or more slideshows, please keep on scrolling down.
- Angkor and Siem Reap
- Cruising the Tonle Sap River
- The Mekong Delta and Ho-Chi-Minh City
- North Vietnam: Hanoi and Ha Long Bay
I. Our journey begins in the World Heritage Site known as Angkor Archaeological Park, with excursions to the Artisans Workshop in Siem Reap and the Landmine Museum to orient you to contemporary reality. "Angkor", by the way, means “capital city” or “holy city”: "Wat" means "temple."
A little background for this first group: We visited four temple complexes over two days; each was built during the Khmer Empire, which dominated much of the lower Indochina between the 9-15th centuries. These complexes reveal a diversity of dominant religions as well as the religious syncretism found throughout Southeast Asia, which combines elements of both Indian and Chinese cultures. The slideshow represents more or less the chronology of our visiting, not the chronology of their construction. For an interesting contemporary take on synchretism which is still alive and well in SE Asia, see the Cao Gai Temple in My Tho, Vietnam, in the third slideshow I have titled "Delta and City."
- Ta Prohm: a twelvth century Buddhist monastery and university founded by Khmer King Jayavaran VII. Active into the late 15th century, when the Khmer empire fell. The complex housed about 12,500 primary residents (priests, dancers, monks, et alia) and was serviced by another 80,000 people who lived on the temple grounds. The complex remains largely as it was when re-discovered by Europeans in mid-nineteenth century, although some restoration for safety and some gathering of fallen materials into piles has been done.
- The Bayon: the primary state temple at the center of Jayavarman VII’s great walled city, Angkor Thom. Built at the end of the 12th century and dedicated to the Buddha, it is notable for its 54 lotus-bud shaped sandstone towers, each carved with four faces of the god-king (Bodisattva/Jayavarman) marking the four cardinal directions, and keeping compassionate watch on the populace.
- Banteay Srey (“The Citadel of Women”): aka “The Pink Temple” or “The Lady temple,” was commissioned in 967 AD by a brahmin tutor to the Khmer king. Noted for its use of pink sandstone (instead of more typical grey) and delicate filigreed decorations. Dedicated to Shiva, it was first used as a library and school. Extensive carvings illustrate both the Hindu pantheon and stories from the Ramayana.
- Angkor Wat: the largest, oldest, and best known of the park’s Khmer temples was begun in 802 AD by Jayavarman II, founder of the Khmer Empire. Dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu and used as a monastery and temple as well as an administrative and educational center. In the 12th century, the temple morphed into a Buddhist temple/monastery complex and as such has been continuously in use until today, although its resident population has significantly decreased. The galleries surrounding the temple compound contain many long bas relief murals documenting battles between the Khmer and Chinese, Cham, and Thai adversaries as well as scenes from everyday life.
This section concludes with some photos of The Artisan’s Workshop in Siem Reap, a project of the current Cambodian government aimed at rebuilding local skills in traditional Khmer arts and crafts after the many decades of war in the Twentieth Century. Students learn wood and stone carving, pottery, weaving, painting, silver work and more and help carry out various restoration projects, including some in Angkor's archaeological park.
A final note: the earliest archaeological finds in Cambodia have been dated to the 5th millennium BC, although historians believe SE Asia has been inhabited by humans for at least 40,000 years. Heat, humidity, earthquake, and volcano have taken their tolls on cultural remains. SE Asia generally was a crossroads where Chinese and Indian influences met and mingled. Religion in both Cambodia and Vietnam is especially interesting, being a mix of Confucianism, Taoism, Ancestor Worship, Animism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam.
II. Focus: Life along the Tonle Sap River. Cambodia lies within the large, fertile, and economically essential Mekong River system, which descends out of the northern highlands, Laos, and China towards the fertile Mekong Delta and from there into the South China Sea. The Upper Mekong meets the Lower Mekong, and its unique tributary, the Tonle ("tonle" means "large) Sap ("sap" means "freshwater") River at Phnom Penh. The Tonle Sap river is unique because annually it reverses direction. During monsoon season, the Mekong carries huge volumes of water, which divert up the Tonle Sap, filling the depression known as Tonle Sap Lake; during the dry season, lake water flows out of the lake and down the river into the Mekong. The Lake itself varies in size from 965 square miles in the wet season, down to 160 square miles when it's dry. The variation gives the lake extraordinary fertility, although today there are worries that lake resources are being harvested in an unsustainable manner. The ecology of the whole basin is very interesting and Southeast Asian governments are beginning to take more notice of sustainability, Vietnam doing a bit better than Cambodia because of its greater economic power.
As we were traveling at the end of the dry season (March), the Tonle Sap was at a seasonal low point, and thus, although Siem Reap is in fact nearby, we had to journey down the lake shore by bus to find our river boat. As travelers, we were happy for the chance to observe something of rural life. Then we came upon our river boat, and gradually cruised our way past Phnom Penh, into the Lower Mekong River, then zig-zagged around the network of waterways and canals that lace through the Mekong Delta and thence to Ho-Chi-Minh City (Saigon) which is now a huge and very busy seaport. This part of the trip was a step back in time. Enjoy!
As we were traveling at the end of the dry season (March), the Tonle Sap was at a seasonal low point, and thus, although Siem Reap is in fact nearby, we had to journey down the lake shore by bus to find our river boat. As travelers, we were happy for the chance to observe something of rural life. Then we came upon our river boat, and gradually cruised our way past Phnom Penh, into the Lower Mekong River, then zig-zagged around the network of waterways and canals that lace through the Mekong Delta and thence to Ho-Chi-Minh City (Saigon) which is now a huge and very busy seaport. This part of the trip was a step back in time. Enjoy!
III. Delta and City. As we passed across the border from Cambodia into Vietnam and the network of canals, streams, and river tributaries that feed the Mekong Delta, we all wondered together: would Vietnam look and feel differently from Cambodia? We all really enjoyed traveling in Cambodia--The country and its culture seemed very laid back; the people, charming, the culture, so different from America. But what about Vietnam? and what about that legacy of war that haunted our elderly minds. One of our number had been a nurse during the war, stationed on the sea coast south of Saigon; she helped keep us very aware of what had been, how different things were now, more aware than any of our guides none of whom had been alive during the fifties or sixities, or even the seventies.
First impressions: Vietnam was much busier than Cambodia--way more people, way more attention to commercial enterprise (despite being a communist country), and way more construction going on. The simple facts support those impressions. Cambodia embracing a bit more than 68,000 square miles is half the size of Vietnam (128,000 square miles), but Cambodia's population in 2019 of 16.5 million people is less than a fifth that of Vietnam (pop. 96 million). Moreover our guide told us that in terms of economic development, Cambodia is hardly started thanks to the many years of debilitating war and just plain killing. It lags, he claimed, forty years behind Vietnam on all sorts of measures, from existence of health care facilities and public schools to paved roads, modern plumbing, the extension of electricity, and traffic volumes. There are of course many similarities for the traveler to discover, but always these seem to be similarities with a difference. Stilt houses along the rivers are found all over Vietnam--if you squint they look like Cambodia's stilt house, BUT. . . there's more in the way of consumer goods around them, and often there's a brand new second story built atop the typical shack-like first story. Frequently too, we were told, these are now second, working homes along the rivers for boatmen and fishermen; they also have a new home in town. Other differences are cultural: Vietnam seemed to me more beholden to its Chinese heritage, Cambodia to the Indian. Both practice syncretic religions--although Cambodia displayed more Hindu/Buddhist heritage, while Vietnam more Confucianism and Christianity. The Vietnamese have even organized (in 1926) a new Vietnamese religion known as Cao Dai which includes it all--Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism, Confucianism, and Islam. I tried to gather some of these impressions into the images comprising the third slideshow about Southeast Asia. What do you see? Enjoy.
First impressions: Vietnam was much busier than Cambodia--way more people, way more attention to commercial enterprise (despite being a communist country), and way more construction going on. The simple facts support those impressions. Cambodia embracing a bit more than 68,000 square miles is half the size of Vietnam (128,000 square miles), but Cambodia's population in 2019 of 16.5 million people is less than a fifth that of Vietnam (pop. 96 million). Moreover our guide told us that in terms of economic development, Cambodia is hardly started thanks to the many years of debilitating war and just plain killing. It lags, he claimed, forty years behind Vietnam on all sorts of measures, from existence of health care facilities and public schools to paved roads, modern plumbing, the extension of electricity, and traffic volumes. There are of course many similarities for the traveler to discover, but always these seem to be similarities with a difference. Stilt houses along the rivers are found all over Vietnam--if you squint they look like Cambodia's stilt house, BUT. . . there's more in the way of consumer goods around them, and often there's a brand new second story built atop the typical shack-like first story. Frequently too, we were told, these are now second, working homes along the rivers for boatmen and fishermen; they also have a new home in town. Other differences are cultural: Vietnam seemed to me more beholden to its Chinese heritage, Cambodia to the Indian. Both practice syncretic religions--although Cambodia displayed more Hindu/Buddhist heritage, while Vietnam more Confucianism and Christianity. The Vietnamese have even organized (in 1926) a new Vietnamese religion known as Cao Dai which includes it all--Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism, Confucianism, and Islam. I tried to gather some of these impressions into the images comprising the third slideshow about Southeast Asia. What do you see? Enjoy.
IV. Hanoi and Ha Long. The main Road Scholar program ended in Ho-Chi-Minh City, but six of us opted to take a quick flight to North Vietnam for a few jam-packed rainy days in Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, as well as an overnight among the peaceful limestone pinnacles on Ha Long Bay, now a World Heritage Site. The colors shifted with the weather in North Vietnam, but with its rapidly growing population of nearly eight million, Hanoi felt as crowded and frenetic as Ho-Chi-Minh City. It too was filled with construction and change. Same level of traffic in the streets too; and same level of pollution. Many tourists around in the Old City, most of them from China we were told. We were happy to hear however that in the capital city there is growing movement towards beautification as well as for cleaning up the worst of the air pollution. Murals are going up on some walls, and recycling of plastic water bottles is increasing. We learned too that Vietnam now has a plan to replace all the millions of gasoline burning motorbikes with clean energy versions by 2030 (with power being generated from hydro and solar sources). Business thrives as more and more people move to cities for jobs, reaching out towards the middle class. Our guide in North Vietnam was young, enthusiastic, and already achieving some of his middle class dreams. He was happy to accommodate our sight-seeing requests during an afternoon of unscheduled time in Hanoi. We wanted to see the new high-rise community where he and his family lived that he talked so much about, and we wanted to make a stop at the "Hanoi Hilton", the prison where John McCain had been held. Enjoy my photos!