Holiday in Siem Reap

MY WONDERFUL HOLIDAY IN SIEM REAP

At Mt. Kulen waterfall

Hi, it is me again, Tisha Ashwina. Let me tell you about my next destination in Cambodia -  SIEM REAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In Siem Reap, I stayed in  New Angkorland hotel, a 3 ½ star hotel. The hotel is very beautiful and comfortable. I stayed there for five days. Siem Reap is a beautiful town and it is cleaner than Phnom Penh.

ANGKOR WAT

On the bridge to Angkor Wat

I visited Angkor Wat - the largest ancient temple in the whole world.  Angkor means ‘Capital City’ or ‘Holy City’. Angkor Wat was built by Suyarvaman II, Shield of the sun. It is so majestic and  magnificent. I saw the beautiful sunset and the sunrise but the sunrise is more beautiful then the sunset. 

 

       SUNSET VIEW FROM BAKHENG HILL

I walked up to the hill slope heading towards the Bakheng Hill Temple to see the magnificent sunset. The red orange sun was a perfect round and the sky was splashed  in shades of bright crimson red, orange and golden yellow hues. WHAT A SIGHT TO BEHOLD!!!!!!

 

 SUNRISE AT ANGKOR WAT

The next morning, my parents and I woke up at 5 in the morning, got into our van with Kim San, our driver and Sean Mardy, our tourist guide, and headed to the west gate of Angkor Wat to see the sunrise. We walked into the temple grounds and WHAT A SURPRISE !!!!!!!!! There were SO MANY PEOPLES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD waiting with great patience to witness the first ray of sunrise. 

Then the awaited moment came – the majestic sun rose. Everyone was full of ahs and wows when the sun appeared between the towers of Angkor Wat and it became more and more beautiful. This is one experience which I will always remember in my heart.

ANGKOR THOM

My parents and I at the South Gate

Next I visited The city of Angkor Thom, founded by Jayarvaman VII in the 12^thth century, was one of the largest of all Khmer cities and remained the capital until the 17 century. I entered the city through the south gate, which has a tower with 4 faces. 

To get to the south gate, I have to walk on the bridge across the moat. The bridge is lined by a row of statutes. On the left are the gods, and the right are the demons. They carry the body of a giant serpent- a seven- headed naga, like in a tug- of –war. This is like the scene in the Churning Of The Sea Of Milk where the Gods and Demons are fighting to get the elixir of mortality. This is an interesting story as told by my guide, Sean. 

THE BAYON TEMPLE

My next destination was the Bayon temple which was built by Jayarvaman VII in the late 12^th century or early 13^th century, is one of the most fascinating religious contructions in the world. 

The Bayon is made of “faces tower” which are carved on the stones of the temple. Out of 49 “faces towers”, only 37 are still standing today. 

I took the elephant ride around the Bayon and I really enjoyed it.

HOLIDAY IN CAMBODIA

MY TRIP TO CAMBODIA

Hi everyone, it is me, Tisha. Sorry  that I did not write the blog for a long time because I went to CAMBODIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I went to Phnom Penh first and after that I went  to Siem Reap.  

In Phnom Penh, there were so many people selling fishes, chicken, and even a pig in the market and I also saw a pig’s head! Yikes! That was frightening.

  

THE ROYAL PALACE – JEWEL OF   

                            CAMBODIA KINGDOM

My family and I in front of the Royal Palace

First, let me tell you about the Royal Palace. In the Royal Palace, the King’s Throne is  made of gold, and on the right you will see the statue of King Monivong and the left is the statue of King Sisowat. In the palace grounds, there is a very big hall called The Chanchaya Hall. I think royal functions are held there. There are so many things to see in the Royal Palace. In the Royal temple, I saw the jade Buddha, the gold Buddha, and the emerald Buddha. And outside the Royal temple, you will see a statue on a horse, that statue is King Norodom.

THE KILLING FIELDS – HELL ON EARTH

 Next, we visited The Killing Fields of hell or also known as Choeung Ek. It is a very, very sad place because thousands and thousands of Cambodians were killed there during the Khmer Rouge Regime led by Pol Pot. I was given an audio set  and as we walked around the field we pressed the number that was shown on each check point and I listened to the sad and horrifying  story that took place  there.Altogether there are 19 check points  and the saddest check points are:

PT.15            The Killing Tree

The Killing Tree was where the  bloody Khmer Rouge soldiers snatched the babies from their mothers and smashed their heads on the trunk of the Killing Tree and then thrown into the pit to be buried.

PT.17            The Magic Tree

            The Magic Tree is a very huge bodhi tree where many loudspeakers are hung  by the Khmer Rouge soldiers. Then, loud music was played over the loudspeakers at night to drown the cries of the victims that were being killed by the soldiers.

THE GREAT STUPA- THE FINAL RESTING PLACE FOR THE VICTIMS

At the last check point, stands a huge stupa which is the final resting place for all the victims in this Killing Fields. Obviously, 129 mass graves and about 8,000 human skulls at the site bear testimony to this unspeakable crime.

I felt very sad and I asked myself  why did the Khmer soldiers carry out this atrocious and cruel act of torturing and killing their very own  people? Why did the Khmer  soldiers make them naked and then they kill them? I pray that the victims in this Killing Fields will go to Baha’u’llah’s home and ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s home too and may their souls rest in peace. I also pray that this will never happen again.

TUOL  SLENG – TORTURING PRISON OF HELL 

VICTIMS TORTURED HERE THEN SENT TO THE KILLING FIELDS TO BE KILLED!!!

The next depressing place is called Tuol Sleng, a security office 21 aka S-21 which was created on orders of Pol Pot. It was  formerly a school, but it was turn into a torturing prison of hell. S-21 was designed for detention, interrogation, inhuman torture, and killing after confession from the detainees were received and documented. 

When I walked into Tuol Sleng, 14 white graves greeted me and the visitors solemnly. They were the last 14 victims found in the torture rooms by the United Front for the National Salvation of Kampuchea, on January 7, 1979.

THE TORTURE ROOMS OF HELL

There was quietness as the visitors walked around the compound and they walked into the buildings quietly and into the torture rooms that were was upon a time classrooms. I too walked silently as I went into the rooms of hell and I saw photos of victims  that were  tortured by  the cruel and senseless Khmer Rouge interrogators. It was so inhumane and cold-blooded of the Khmer Rouge soldiers and they torture their own people.

 I felt very sad and  my heart was torn into pieces upon seeing the faces of the victims. My eyes bled for them as I saw their eyes staring into my eyes as I looked at their expressionless photos that were exhibited in the Tuol Sleng Museum.  

Why did the Khmer Rouge soldiers kill their people like this? If they are still living today, I wonder if  they regretted their past actions?

 I hope this will not happen to anyone in the whole world. To the victims, I pray that they find peace in heaven.