Reflections on Cambodia

Our time spent in Cambodia was limited so it is difficult to comment on a country as rich in history and culture as Cambodia. We were as captivated by the temples of Angkor as we were the people of Cambodia. The country has a remarkable history, highlighted by some of the greatest examples of ancient architecture in the world but also marred by some of the most brutal forms of human suffering ever witnessed. The Khmer people are a resilient people. We were surprised by their lighthearted, mischievous humor that seems to carry them through daily life in what is still a country with great challenges.

Angkor What??

Our Lonely Planet book on Cambodia calls the Angkor temples of Cambodia the most spectacular temples in all of Asia . After having seen Borobudur and Prambanan in Indonesia , we felt it would be difficult to convince us that any temple could be more awesome. While it is not important which temple receive "top billing" for us, we came away from three days of touring the glorious Angkor to conclude that this complex of temples were much more than just an artifact of great significance. There is something quite mystical about the Angkor temples…something too difficult to describe in words. It’s an experience one should take in with all senses.

The " Lost City " dates back from the 9^th to the 15^th centuries when the Khmer Empire ruled. The construction of these temples lasted more than 300 years through the religious movements of both Hinduism and Buddhism. Its most famous temple in the complex is Angkor Wat, which so many of us know from historical references, watching National Geographic, and perusing a coffee table book or two. The city of Angkor was abandoned in 1432 except for Angkor Wat which was preserved by Buddhist monks and the remaining temples were not rediscovered until the French colonial regime assumed power and began unraveling the mysteries of the past and preserving this great example of Khmer architecture.

On the first of three days of touring, we hopped in our driver’s tuk-tuk and began the discovery. As you approach the temples, you take a journey through long, tree-lined roads and dark forests that set the stage for what is to come. We first visited Bayon, a temple that is arguably one of the best preserved temples in all of Angkor . With 54 towers, Bayon bears more than 200 huge, serene stone faces of the one who commissioned its construction, King Jayavarman VII. No other temple in Angkor is as well preserved as Bayon and as you climb to the top of this great temple, the faces of its great king peer out from all directions.

From there, we ventured on to see the famous Angkor Wat. As we crossed its moat over the main bridge, we had to remind ourselves what we were about to see. We canvassed the stone reliefs that wrap around the temple’s main area and were in awe of the stories each wall of carvings told. We climbed the steep and crumbling steps to reach the top of Angkor and got a closer look at the stone reliefs at the top of this great masterpiece. There, we met a Buddhist monk who talked about his life in Cambodia and how his family suffered from the Khmer Rouge. He was young, around 23 years old but had the face of a much wiser and older man. He asked for our help to make his way back to his village to visit his father and then he walked back to his local temple for prayer. We climbed down the crumbling stairs and sat by the temple’s main gate to watch the sunset cast over this truly remarkable work of Khmer architecture. We thought to ourselves, these temples are truly an unparalleled example of artistry, spiritual dedication, and human genius tucked away in the forests of a mystical world we will never fully understand.

As the second day began to unfold, we did not expect to see temples that would achieve such perfection. We visited many temples that day and the following day but no other was as impressive to us as Ta Prohm. Many of you know of this temple from the film Tomb Raider and would recognize it for it is teeming with Banyan trees that curl their resilient roots into every crevice of the temple grounds. Crumbling walls are piled everywhere as you duck through tiny doorways into a maze of temple quarters throughout the grounds. Like a symphony, the eerie sound from a million locusts fills the forest as you make your way through a mystical world.

If you can, you must go to Angkor . Soon. We suspect that as time passes, this remarkable example of artistry will soon be cordoned off to preserve its delicate form from modern tomb raiders that the government cannot prevent from looting and destroying Cambodia's pride. Countries around the world are working to preserve and protect this ancient site and its art. As more people visit Angkor , its fragile condition will rightfully be guarded with more care and few will have the opportunity to see it in its present state, and feel the stones with hands and feet.

Coincidentally, weeks later we happened to catch a National Geographic show on the Angkor temples. The city was the size of Manhatten with over one million people. The theory is that because of deforestation and environmental abuse, the area became dry and prone to fires and floods. It is quite possible that the great civilization of the Khmers destroyed themselves.

Tortured Souls

We cannot leave Cambodia without mentioning the Khmer Rouge and the destruction its legacy left behind for the Cambodian people. One of its most hideous reminders is the four to six million landmines planted throughout the countryside today … one of the worst anywhere in the world. About 40,000 Cambodians have lost limbs from landmines and today, 40 people fall victim to a landmine every month in Cambodia . Countless others have lost their lives from landmines planted by all sides. They have created a lasting impression that has tortured the Cambodian people far longer than the Khmer Rouge ruled the country. As you walk the streets of Cambodia , you are approached by countless victims of landmines for spare change. It is a gruesome sight to see so many people disabled by such a terrible weapon. When we witnessed these victims, we thought of the many unfortunate people we’ve seen in all the countries we have visited. We were reminded that the kinds of suffering you see in other countries is unlike anything you will see in our home country.

Memories of the Khmer Rouge and its leader Pol Pot still haunt the Cambodian people today. The Khmer Rouge marched into Cambodia ’s capital, Phnom Penh, in 1975 and few knew then the degree to which the Khmer Rouge would change the face of the nation. This period in Cambodia ’s history is one of the most brutal and radical revolutions in history, killing an estimated 3 million people (or more - there are no clear statistics) and enslaving hundreds of thousands to work camps under extreme conditions.

Today, Cambodia struggles to correct its past. Even today, many former Khmer Rouge militants still hold positions of power in the Cambodian government. This is hard to understand. Perhaps it is because the regime was so feared so few people feel empowered to revolt against them. We don’t know. We do know that the suffering we saw and the memories that cannot be erased have left a lasting impression on these people. For a country so rich in history and a people with who carry such warm and gentle hearts, we hope the best for this country and we thank them for sharing with us some of the most remarkable examples of artistry and culture in the world.