via CAAI News Media
Published April 20, 2010
by: Sullivao
Angkor Wat is one of the most audacious man made structures in the world today. Foreign visitors flock to this ancient temple as if it were a revered mecca. Angkor Wat is the pride of Cambodia and people see it as a beacon of light and hope, even thought the living standards are very low in a country ravaged by poverty and corruption.
I previously had visited Angkor Wat where i went with a tuk tuk and guide, however i felt that had missed out on something. This was the reason why i wanted to go there a second time almost a year and a half later. I wanted to do it in a different manner, this time deciding to rent a bicycle and cycle there for the sunrise. The cost of the one day visa is 20 United States Dollars. I checked the weather forecast the day before predicting good visibility and bright clear skies, so i was in an optimistic and upbeat mood. When i first arrived i noticed the green scaffolding on Angkor Wat which was to prove an ominous omen of things to come.
I had imagined that it would have been quieter and less crowded due to the early hour but to my dismay there were bus loads of people on route. There were a a handful of people sitting on the very outer wall of Angkor Wat however inside the main courtyard there were bodies strewn out on the ground akin to a rock concert, anticipating the main act which was the sunrise. I had seen many pictures and i was naturally excited over the anticipation. I went back to the outer wall as the majority of people were in the main court yard. The sun rose but not in the anticipated majestic glow but instead hidden behind the dark, gloomy and foreboding clouds. The sense of disappointment was palpable as there was a mass exodus of people from the main courtyard heading towards the restaurant. Then to cap the perfect sunset off it started to rain and that threat lingered for the rest of the day with infrequent outbursts. The best laid plans seemed an apt description for what had transpired.
It remained dark and gloomy all day and made photography extremely precarious, but i decided that i would not let it get me down. I then decided to cycle around and see the other temples. Next i was asked "would i like some breakfast" by a young lady and when i replied no thank you, she proceeded to insult me in her language. I had 10 dollars set aside to but things from the kids but for the few that you can buy something from, you have to say no to many many more. You will be continuously surrounded, inundated with chorus of "you buy from me" and when you say no they often become offensive. In a couple of hours i was requested to show my pass 10-15 times. You can sense the sinister motivations as loss of the pass results in a 30 Dollar on the spot fine.
Next My bicycle Tye blew out with a shotgun ring leaving me stranded. I paid 2000 Riel to have it repaired, lasting 10 minutes before the tire was flat again. I was now far away from any repair shop as Angkor Wat is a vast temple complex making a form of transport vital. I had to push the bike back to the Angkor Wat complex, however the police would not allow me to continue with the bike through the complex in order to reach the exit, insisting that i had to walk around the complex which, was surrounded by a lake. With the bike a tuk tuk driver quoted 10 dollars to Siem Riep which took 25 minutes by bicycle, in a country where the average monthly wage is approximately 30 dollars. The motorcycle taxi charged 5 dollars for just me. My pride would not allow me to pay their extortionate prices so i left the bike and headed towards the entrance and exit. I was never so happy when i was leaving Angkor Wat.
All the Cambodians people saw it as an opportunity to make profit from my misfortune. I explained to the police that all i wanted was to push the bike to the exit but they adamantly refused. I wasn't asking them to give me money out of their pocket just a little help. It showed me a side of Cambodian people that is undeniable, people who think only about how they can profit from you. Some people make the excuse that they are poor but it doesn't give them the right. On this gloomy day plagued by ominous black clouds i saw Angkor Wat in a different light. It reminded me of a pile of rubble with the scaffolding scaring the postcard picture of Angkor Wat. Many of the other temples too resembled construction sites with scaffolding and building machinery coupled with the negative feelings that many Cambodian people expressed towards me left a bad impression on me.
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