Laos and Cambodia
Laos has been on my bucket list since friends visiting the country told me that it was spectacular and pristine at the same time, something that no longer exists in neighboring Vietnam and Thailand. An unexpected change in work schedule allowed us to book this trip at the last moment. We backpacked our way through the trip making up our itinerary as we went along. Livia did 90% of the planning and thanks to her, we had an unforgettable trip.
Laos is known to most Americans as a sideshow struggle to the Vietnam War. Because North Vietnam used Laos for staging operations against the U.S. and its South Vietnamese allies, the U.S. dropped more bombs on Laos that it did on Japan or Germany during WWII. Laos continues to be governed by the same communist government that took over in the wake of the Vietnam War. It remains a relatively oppressive society and when we tried to engage locals about politics, they were very reluctant to discuss anything political. Economically, it remains very poor with 75% of the people earning less than $2/day, generally through subsistence agriculture. Despite the globilization of its neighbor's economies (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and China), change seems to have come slowly to Laos, but change appears to be on the horizon. China, interested in its natural resources, has funded highway, railway, and dam construction in Laos.
Laos is known to most Americans as a sideshow struggle to the Vietnam War. Because North Vietnam used Laos for staging operations against the U.S. and its South Vietnamese allies, the U.S. dropped more bombs on Laos that it did on Japan or Germany during WWII. Laos continues to be governed by the same communist government that took over in the wake of the Vietnam War. It remains a relatively oppressive society and when we tried to engage locals about politics, they were very reluctant to discuss anything political. Economically, it remains very poor with 75% of the people earning less than $2/day, generally through subsistence agriculture. Despite the globilization of its neighbor's economies (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and China), change seems to have come slowly to Laos, but change appears to be on the horizon. China, interested in its natural resources, has funded highway, railway, and dam construction in Laos.
Cambodia
We spent 3 days in Cambodia, principally to see Angkor Wat. Signs that Cambodia's economy is on the up and up are the prevalence of motor scooters. Here you can see that the scooter is essentially the family car with up to six people riding on a single scooter. In the U.S. such a practice would be considered unacceptable, but in Cambodia where cars are unaffordable, scooters and motorcycles give families the mobility that up until a few years ago was unthinkable. It comes down to cost/benefit analysis - the rewards of the benefit outweigh the risks that come with it. The safety measures that are in place in the U.S. would be considered excessive and an inhibition to progress in Cambodia. However, in the U.S., we subscribe to these measures because we can afford them.
Angkor Wat is one of the most impressive archaeological sites you will ever see. Part of what awes visitors is not only the detail in its various ruins, but also its scale. The temples, gates, walls, and moats cover an area larger than Manhattan Island. Angkor Wat is the legacy of the Khmer King Suryavarman II who wanted to build a replica of the mythical Mount Meru, home of the Gods in Hindu mythology, as a tomb for himself.
Angkor Wat was built in the 12th Century in record time for a monument of such complexity and size so that it would be complete in time for the King's death and entombment inside the temple. The engineering that went into Angkor Wat is equally impressive. Stone used to build the temple was hauled from 40 km away, and the temple was built on soft sediment. Had engineers not anticipated the complexities of constructing heavy stone monuments on such foundations, the temple would have sank and collapsed under its own weight. However, Suryavarman's engineers prepared a solid foundation and created a moat system that kept the water table under the temple shallow all year thus allowing Angkor Wat to survive to this day.
Angkor Wat was built in the 12th Century in record time for a monument of such complexity and size so that it would be complete in time for the King's death and entombment inside the temple. The engineering that went into Angkor Wat is equally impressive. Stone used to build the temple was hauled from 40 km away, and the temple was built on soft sediment. Had engineers not anticipated the complexities of constructing heavy stone monuments on such foundations, the temple would have sank and collapsed under its own weight. However, Suryavarman's engineers prepared a solid foundation and created a moat system that kept the water table under the temple shallow all year thus allowing Angkor Wat to survive to this day.
Despite the immense scale of Angkor Wat, every one of its facades, columns, and towers are carved in exquisite detail. Part of what makes archaeological sites so interesting to visit is to imagine the resources and labor that were required for such monumental projects. Even by today's standards with the benefit of earth-moving equipment and modern engineering, a duplication of Angkor Wat would be a massive undertaking. In the 12th Century, its construction must have consumed the entire empire. How did the king garner the labor and finances necessary to build Angkor Wat?
It was known that Southeast Asia was primarily agrarian during the days of the Khmer Empire and that its people were busy during the wet season growing rice and other crops and then idle during the dry season. Archaeologists speculate that the king drafted those people during the dry season to build his temple complex. How were these people persuaded to work? Were they paid for their efforts, or were they motivated by promises of a magnificent afterlife for their contributions to such a noble project? This is what makes visiting archaeological sites so cool - it allows our imaginations to run wild.
It was known that Southeast Asia was primarily agrarian during the days of the Khmer Empire and that its people were busy during the wet season growing rice and other crops and then idle during the dry season. Archaeologists speculate that the king drafted those people during the dry season to build his temple complex. How were these people persuaded to work? Were they paid for their efforts, or were they motivated by promises of a magnificent afterlife for their contributions to such a noble project? This is what makes visiting archaeological sites so cool - it allows our imaginations to run wild.
Ta Prohm is one of the more popular areas of Angkor Wat because it contains ruins that are slowly being reclaimed by the jungle. Scenes from Tomb Raider have been filmed here. Seeing scenes like this evokes the poem of Ozymandias: "And on the pedestal, these words appear: 'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look upon my works ye Mighty and despair!' Nothing beside remains. Round the decay of that collosal wreck, boundles and bare. The lone and level sands stretch far away."
Contrary to popular belief, Angkor Wat was never abandoned and has been used continuously for religious ceremonies. A claim by a French explorer to have 'discovered' Angkor Wat draws lots of ridicule from the Cambodians. Many of the temples are in severe decline, yet owing to the sheer scale of the ruins, there are not enough resources to restore all of the temples. The Japanese and Chinese have funded most of the present restoration projects.
Contrary to popular belief, Angkor Wat was never abandoned and has been used continuously for religious ceremonies. A claim by a French explorer to have 'discovered' Angkor Wat draws lots of ridicule from the Cambodians. Many of the temples are in severe decline, yet owing to the sheer scale of the ruins, there are not enough resources to restore all of the temples. The Japanese and Chinese have funded most of the present restoration projects.