The site of the market that was destroyed by the Thais in April - Cambodia are demanding 1.3 million dollars in restitution.
A bored soldier in front of the barbed wire that is to keep out the Thais.
Ethnic chauvinism, pity about the non Khmer Cambodians.... I wanted to ask someone if it was about equivilent to a govt. campaign in Aus - 'proud to be a white Australian....' quite unsavoury... but then again so is the name Thai land really - land of the Tai - never mind the other 51 ethnic groups.... Anyway, off the soap box...
A promotion poster for P. V. at the airport - it is high on their tourist promotion agenda.
The temple itself, relatively speaking somewhat unremarkable.
I didn't take many photos here because the shutter stopped working on the camera.
I didn't get my early night, but was set on getting my early morning.
The gaggle from Battambang co-operated splendily.
After going to bed around 10.30 I jest not that there were people up from 2.30 onwards.... The guest house was wooden - that in itself no problem - except that there were big gaps in the walls to the room next door as well as to the hall way. Some had been stuffed with black plastic bags to no effect other than privacy.
ggrrr
Common sense difference : good sleep is an essential requirement of good humour - at least it is for me... sigh...
We took a motor bike up the mountain while it was still dark. The motor bikes are modified to cope with the steep climb and heavy loads. 4 people on a motor bike, 5 no problem why not throw on a pig some chooks and a basket of fruit at the same time... Actually as an aside the other day I saw a man with a small toddler - perhaps 18 months at most an age at a which the were unable to hang on themselves - on each knee driving along, and another case of a man driving along toddler on front, small child in the middle and a woman on back carrying a big TV... much better balance than me...
Preah Vihear is contested territory. The world court awarded it to Cambodia and Thailand feels sorely aggrieved, especially since it is much more easily accessible from Thailand, and Cambodia's effort to make it world heritage has rubbed salt in teh proverbial wounds.
There was a skirmish relatively recently and Cambodia has shut the border. When we got there, there was noone there except some bored soldiers and their families who lamented the isolation, the low pay and the end of the easy trading with Thailand.
Low pay and corruption in the army seems to be a big problem. The military have a bad reputation for land grabs - relocating farmers and taking their land as well as deforestation and illegal timber trade. There was a lot of clearing of land on the way up there - according to the guide it is being used for military housing.
It's quite clear the Cambodians are determined to make it an easy place to get to. With good roads it will be perhaps less than 3 hours from siem reap. No question it is rivalry with Thailand as other temples have not been given the same priority. It was also interesting that it was a Chinese company that is providing the technology for the road building there - it's not an aid project like almost all other roads seem to be. There was a sign in English and Khmer on the way up that says I am proud to be Khmer.... an obvious dig at the Thais and quite a pity for the non Khmer Cambodians... there are minority Chams, hill tribes, Vietnamese etc .... hmmmm.. While I was up there the Cambodian govt. was having some big wig pow wow there. The nature of which I didnt really understand but on the way back we passed a convoy of about 20 4WD vehicles - mostly very new toyotas of various description, Hi-lux, land cruiser, highlander and lexus. (Toyota seems to be reponsible for about 75% of the cars on the roads here).
Any way I was up on the hill for the sunrise and it is very pretty. It's about 800m high and overlooks Cambodia and Thailand. The view is more spectacular than the temple, which rates well behind many of the temples at Angkor. It is a lovely spot and it's good to say I have been there. It was also interesting to see the effect of the recent skirmishes - the market has been totally obliterated by gunfire all that remains of the market and the guest house where I'd hoped to stay is a slab of concrete.
I was back down in the market by 8 or so and it was easy enough to get a share taxi (which really means get a lift with someone who is going there and paying them $10.) I asked the driver when we'd get to Siem Reap and he said 1. I mentioned I hoped to get the 12.30 bus to PP. Fortunately for me he was from Mum's school of driving (at least pre speed camera school of driving) safe but fast... very fast... perhaps 95k - which is fast when dodging bikes and cows and bicycles and children. I was there at 11.45 and had no trouble getting to PP.
The gaggle from Battambang co-operated splendily.
After going to bed around 10.30 I jest not that there were people up from 2.30 onwards.... The guest house was wooden - that in itself no problem - except that there were big gaps in the walls to the room next door as well as to the hall way. Some had been stuffed with black plastic bags to no effect other than privacy.
ggrrr
Common sense difference : good sleep is an essential requirement of good humour - at least it is for me... sigh...
We took a motor bike up the mountain while it was still dark. The motor bikes are modified to cope with the steep climb and heavy loads. 4 people on a motor bike, 5 no problem why not throw on a pig some chooks and a basket of fruit at the same time... Actually as an aside the other day I saw a man with a small toddler - perhaps 18 months at most an age at a which the were unable to hang on themselves - on each knee driving along, and another case of a man driving along toddler on front, small child in the middle and a woman on back carrying a big TV... much better balance than me...
Preah Vihear is contested territory. The world court awarded it to Cambodia and Thailand feels sorely aggrieved, especially since it is much more easily accessible from Thailand, and Cambodia's effort to make it world heritage has rubbed salt in teh proverbial wounds.
There was a skirmish relatively recently and Cambodia has shut the border. When we got there, there was noone there except some bored soldiers and their families who lamented the isolation, the low pay and the end of the easy trading with Thailand.
Low pay and corruption in the army seems to be a big problem. The military have a bad reputation for land grabs - relocating farmers and taking their land as well as deforestation and illegal timber trade. There was a lot of clearing of land on the way up there - according to the guide it is being used for military housing.
It's quite clear the Cambodians are determined to make it an easy place to get to. With good roads it will be perhaps less than 3 hours from siem reap. No question it is rivalry with Thailand as other temples have not been given the same priority. It was also interesting that it was a Chinese company that is providing the technology for the road building there - it's not an aid project like almost all other roads seem to be. There was a sign in English and Khmer on the way up that says I am proud to be Khmer.... an obvious dig at the Thais and quite a pity for the non Khmer Cambodians... there are minority Chams, hill tribes, Vietnamese etc .... hmmmm.. While I was up there the Cambodian govt. was having some big wig pow wow there. The nature of which I didnt really understand but on the way back we passed a convoy of about 20 4WD vehicles - mostly very new toyotas of various description, Hi-lux, land cruiser, highlander and lexus. (Toyota seems to be reponsible for about 75% of the cars on the roads here).
Any way I was up on the hill for the sunrise and it is very pretty. It's about 800m high and overlooks Cambodia and Thailand. The view is more spectacular than the temple, which rates well behind many of the temples at Angkor. It is a lovely spot and it's good to say I have been there. It was also interesting to see the effect of the recent skirmishes - the market has been totally obliterated by gunfire all that remains of the market and the guest house where I'd hoped to stay is a slab of concrete.
I was back down in the market by 8 or so and it was easy enough to get a share taxi (which really means get a lift with someone who is going there and paying them $10.) I asked the driver when we'd get to Siem Reap and he said 1. I mentioned I hoped to get the 12.30 bus to PP. Fortunately for me he was from Mum's school of driving (at least pre speed camera school of driving) safe but fast... very fast... perhaps 95k - which is fast when dodging bikes and cows and bicycles and children. I was there at 11.45 and had no trouble getting to PP.
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