Tourist First: Cambodia: Angkor Thom

Friday, January 25, 2013

Cambodia: Angkor Thom

Angkor Thom was the capital city of Jayavaman VII, founded in the 12th century, and one of the world's premier historical sites. The empire of Jayavaman (a wonderful statue of him is in the National Museum in Phnom Penh) was larger than today's Cambodia. It traded extensively with India and with China, both of which influenced Khmer culture, religion and architecture. Angkor Thom was a square, about three kilometers on each side, with an outer wall, elaborate terraces, and a huge temple known as Bayon in its center. The king's residence and most other structures were made of wood and of course have not survived. Fortunately, during its heyday it was visited by Chou Ta-Kuan, a Chinese envoy, whose diaries detail life in the Khmer capital. Most of what's known about life during the Angkor period is due to Chou Ta-Kuan's very detailed writings.

Click HERE for more information on Angkor Thom.

Below, the wall below the Terrace of Elephants. From a structure on the terrace above this wall, the king and his guests watched elephants fight each other -- training them for battle against the empire's enemies, mainly the Cham people of what is now Vietnam.

Below, heavily decorated walls below what is called the Terrace of the Leper King, supposedly because the effects of erosion on a royal statue resemble leprosy. The figures are the heavenly dancers known as Apsara.

Below, the causeway to the south gate at Angkor Thom. Notice the face in the tower above the gate's arched opening. The figures on the causeway (they're also on the other side of the causeway) represent good and evil, demons and gods, engaged in a tug of war that's at the heart of the Hindu creation myth. Using a five-headed naga serpent as the rope, they pull and pull for 1,000 years, during which their battle churns the primordial Sea of Milk, creating among other things the Apsara.

You'll see the Churning of the Sea of Milk depicted all over southeast Asia. There's even what appears to be a fiberglass version, quite large and brightly painted, in the Bangkok airport's international terminal.

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Argentine Patagonia

They are called what they look like: Mexican hats. They occur naturally in the highlands above the town of El Calafate. The water in the distance is glacier-fed Lago Argentino. An hour's drive east of El Calafate, near the headwaters of the lake, visitors can hike on the Perito Moreno glacier and take a boat ride among icebergs that have fallen off the several glaciers in the Parque Nacional des Glaciares. El Calafate is basically a summer (Nov. to Feb.) tourist town, and there are a number of hotels at all price points. We stayed at Esplendor El Calafate, a very stylish hotel with a full restaurant and bar. The South American picker-upper drink mate is available at breakfast. The hotel is an uphill walk from the commercial area, but that's not much of a drawback. Click on the photo to visit the Esplendor online.

Dominica

Probably the greenest island in the Caribbean, in terms of color and ecological awareness, is Dominica, just north of Martinique. It was named by Columbus, who sailed past it on a Sunday. The island nation is one of the poorest in the Western Hemisphere, but it is rich in friendly people and natural attractions, including a boiling lake, hot and cold waterfalls, a parrot jungle and hill after hill of dense green jungle. There is also a cable-car ride through the jungle canopy (http://www.natureisland.com/AerialTram.html). I wrote about Dominica years ago, and much of that article is still relevant: http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/26/travel/winter-in-the-sun-an-island-where-less-is-more.html?scp=2&sq= Unfortunately, one of the hotels I mentioned, Petit Coulibri, has since closed. Fortunately, there's still a wonderful eco-resort called Papillote Wilderness Retreat http://www.papillote.dm/), four acres of lush gardens, hot-spring-heated soaking pools and modest cottage rooms.

Palm Springs

Palm Springs, Calif., is a great destination for nature lovers -- Mount San Jacinto State Park is a wonderful gondola ride (shown above -- click on it to visit its website) away, and Joshua Tree National Park is a short drive away. It's also a great destination for naturists; there are several major clothing optional resorts in the area -- and for fans of Mid-Century Modern architecture. For a dose of mid-century style, stay at the Orbit In (http://www.orbitin.com/), which does ask that you keep your clothes on.

Pompeii

If you're driving from Naples to the Amalfi Coast, and it's hard to imagine anyone who wouldn't want to visit the Amalfi Coast, you should plan to spend a night in the modern city of Pompei, adjacent to the ancient city of Pompeii. Above are the murals depicting an unknown ritual in what's called the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii. If you can, devote most of a full day to exploring the site. Afterward, you'll want a good hotel. Click on the image for info about Hotel Amleto, a small and friendly hotel in the heart of the new town and an easy walk from the ruins.

St. Vincent

This is one of the "rooms" at Petit Byahaut, an isolated (access by boat only) eco-resort on St. Vincent, the largest island in the country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Bequia, mentioned above in this column, is one of the Grenadines. The photo above is of the living deck and doesn't show a relatively enclosed area that had a real bed. Did you notice I said "had"? That's because the place has closed. To read about the property in its heyday, click on the image for a New York Times article I wrote. The article has a link to a slide show with more images of the resort.