Angkor: The Holy City

Words cannot do justice to the beauty of Angkor, which literally translates to 'Holy City' or 'Capital City'. The temples of Angkor provide a journey back in time; to an ancient world of kings, empires, regal architecture and life constructed around the religion and beliefs of the day.

The town of Siem Reap serves as the gateway to the ruins of the ancient Khmer Empire, which thrived between the ninth and twelfth centuries AD. 'Khmer' refers to the "dominant ethnic group in modern and ancient Cambodia" (The Siem Reap Angkor Visitors Guide, 2011). In the area of Siem Reap, one will find temple ruins; the remnants of the ancient 'Angkorian' capitals. These ruins represent the height of Khmer architecture, art and civilisation; when the area had a population of more than a million, when the Khmer kings ordered the building of grandiose temples and advanced water systems and Angkor was dominant over Cambodia and large areas of Thailand, Vietnam and Laos in military, economy and culture (The Siem Reap Angkor Visitors Guide, 2011).

The Angkor Archaeological Park had been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and the best-known ruins of Bayon, Ta Prohm and Angkor Wat put it on par with the great wonders of the world. The area of Siem Reap has been hosting foreign visitors to the ruins for over a hundred years. And the Khmer people, descendants of those who lived in the ancient capitals, welcome visitors with open arms.

If you fly to Siem Reap, like we did, you will arrive at the most quaint of airports; a beautifully designed one-story building with terracotta roof tiles and surrounded by palm trees. One automatically feels the effects of a relaxed environment. Tuc-tucs (the popular mode of transport in Siem Reap) await to 'chug' you into town along the airport road; a parade of make-shift, red plastic chair restaurants, chickens, 5-star Angkor hotels and Coca Cola umbrellas. (Isn't it amazing that Coca Cola seems to have reached every place in the world?)

We booked our first night's accommodation at The Palm Garden Lodge, a very cheap bed and breakfast near the town centre. Our tuc-tuc driver took us along the town's main road, which was relatively tarred and wide, but we soon turned off onto dirt roads with giant potholes, street cafes boasting meals of chicken heads, hair dressers, scooters and smiling pedestrians. Palm Garden was near the end of a narrow road and we were greeted by Adan, the manager of the accommodation. We were pleasantly surprised by the hospitality and cleanliness of the place. With no time to waste, after a quick shower, we headed to town by Palm Garden tuc-tuc to explore the Night Market and find a bit of light supper. Siem Reap's Night Market is a coming together of class, colour, vibrance and excitement. In between the stalls of hand-sewn handbags, headbands, landscape paintings and beautiful dresses, one finds fish pedicures with "complimentary beers" and gorgeous gazebo bars. Island Bar's beef and lemongrass stew and fresh spring rolls did the trick. Once we'd eaten and flattened a couple Anchor beers, we were ready for a good sleep before our 4:30am departure to witness sunrise at Angkor Wat.

If you manage to make sunrise or sunset at Angkor Wat (most visits to the temples are centered around this temple), you won't be disappointed. We managed to make it in time for sunrise. We watched from the northern reflecting pool in front of the massive three-tiered pyramid. As the visitors' guide (2011) says, "the visual impact of Angkor Wat, particularly on one's first visit, is awesome...like a giant postcard photo against the sky". The sun rises behind the temple so that all one can see is a silhouette of its towers against the early morning light.

The temples of Angkor deserve weeks of exploration. They "vary in importance, interest and condition and are spread over a large area, often kilometres apart" (The Siem Reap Angkor Visitors Guide, 2011). For even the most uninterested visitor, each ruin offers something completely different. But if you only have a limited period of time, like we did, it is recommended that you make sure to see the South Gate of Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Angkorian empire; Central Angkor Thom (Bayon, Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King); Ta Prohm, a huge monastic complex; and Angkor Wat, constructed in dedication to the Hindu god, Vishnu.

We traveled to Siem Reap at the end of July, which means it's the hot/rain reason. And there is no escaping the humidity. Fortunately, refreshments, notably cold beers, are available from vendors throughout the Park, along with books, postcards and food. The temples are really too far to walk (even though the mad few do 'hike' it anyway), and so we made use of a tuc-tuc for the day, which was a wonderful way to travel through the temple complex. Our weary feet were given a rest in between temples but we could still feel the fresh air and experience the scenery properly.

On our return to Siem Reap town proper, we found a fantastic local restaurant with plastic table cloths and lime green, roughly-painted walls. We ordered delicious prawn and coconut curry with basmati rice and banana pancakes for dessert. Our bill for three came to the grand total of $10 including drinks; a steal.

Siem Reap offers a little something for every kind of person. It is a place still getting used to the influx of foreign visitors; which means the locals are polite and excited to meet you (even if only to make a quick dollar), they appreciate it if you make an effort to learn a couple Khmer words, like 'hello' and 'thank you' and they are proud of how far they have come. One can't be sure how long it will stay this way. But for now, Cambodia is certainly the destination in south-east Asia, a destination you won't regret ticking off on your bucket list. Siem Reap certainly stole the heart of my traveling group. Two days: far too short. This place needs time...I long to return one day.

*A one month tourist visa for Cambodia can be obtained on arrival at the international airports in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh for US$20.

Tata Madiba...

"Today is not a holiday but a day dedicated to service."

This is the wish of Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa.

The 18th of July, International Mandela Day, as it is known the world over, is not only a celebration of the birthday of one of the greatest men alive. It is also a day of celebration for the people of the country; a celebration of the triumph of her people.

Nelson Mandela, or Madiba (his clan name) as he is affectionately known spent 67 years of his life fighting for a better South Africa and a better world. In South Africa today, citizens were urged to give 67 minutes of their time to their community; whether it be visiting a home for the elderly, painting a school, building a house or walking a dog at the SPCA. It was to be a day dedicated to service.

South Africans abroad also tried to put their time into creating awareness about the special day, helping friends or spending time on other projects to do with South Africa.

Days like these are the days where South Africans remember what is really important.

As present leader of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, said today in a speech broadcast on SABC radio stations, "Let each one of us pledge to make South Africa a better place in every possible way".

Happy Birthday, Madiba. And thank you for being a constant reminder that nothing is impossible.

"Circus of the Sun"

"Wherever the road may take us, the same desire drives us on: to bring hope to everyone who journeys with us."
These are the words of Guy Laliberte, guide and founder of Cirque du Soleil (which translates to "Circus if the Sun" in English). And it is a goal that was certainly met the night my friends and I watched the show; an astounding production from start to finish, an escape from the real world, a magical experience.

The Cirque du Soleil franchise rose from a troupe of young street performers in Quebec, Canada in 1982. They mixed with the crowd of tourists, artists and collectors in Baie-Saint-Paul, the Mecca for Quebec painters (according to the Varekai Official Programme), walking on stilts and blowing fire. From that moment on, Guy Laliberte, then one of the fire-breathing stilt-walkers, and his contemporaries began the dream of a fantastic journey: to take the Cirque du Soleil troupe around the world.

Since 1985, the troupe began traveling and has performed 28 different themes. Varekai has been seen by over six million people in over 60 cities in over 12 countries since it's debut in 2002. It is a story about destiny and follows the theme of "Wherever the wind carries you, you'll always be home". The 56 performers come from all over the world, from Georgia to Belarus to Italy.

Through some lucky booking, we attained front row seats. Although they were on the side of the stage, we could see almost everything, from every make-up detail and character expression to the scales on a lizard creature's back. Varekai takes place in a deep, dark forest. A firefly flitters about in the sky and a warm wind blows as the sky begins to open. And then you can feel yourself being swept up into another world of music, magic and mischief, only to wake up when the circus tents lights are turned on at the end of the show.

We were all in awe from the minute the show started. Every costume, prop, movement, dance, magic trick, song, comedic stunt was almost perfect, gravity defying, dream-like. There was something for everyone; from the smallest child to the oldest Korean haloboji (grandfather) to the art critic to the general audience member. There were boys performing with water meteors, young men moving in the air grace personified, acrobats doing quadruple somersaults with no nets, hats being juggled, a young woman who moved in supernatural ways and a romantic plot to boot.

Cirque du Soleil does not use animals in any of their shows, which is entirely refreshing. And the animals are not missed. We could have all watched the show for many more hours. The band must receive special mention for without the wondrous music, the show would have missed the mood and emotion setter. Whether with vocals or only instrumental, the score was hauntingly brilliant.

One of the expressions in the show programme reads: "With a little luck, you won't find what you're looking for." Every single twist in the show was unexpected and better than the scene before.

Dominique Champagne, writer and director of Cirque du Soleil: Varekai, wrote the following in the show's programme, words that have stayed with me since those glorious few hours in May:
"Since these are crazy times and it is our duty not to surrender the world into the hands of fools. May this show be for you as it has been for me, a celebration of the coming together of brothers and sisters and of the joy of challenging limits.
Let yourself be swept away by the courage and beauty of these acrobats, dancers and actors who, every day, wherever the wind may take them, risk their lives trying to attain the sublime, to touch the sky, to defy the law of gravity and to dance in the fires of volcanoes...
So that they can tell the world that something else is possible."

Hope springs eternal, doesn't it just?

The Hands of Living Mutually

The city of Pohang is famous (okay maybe that’s pushing it), Pohang is well-known for two things mainly; Asia’s most profitable steel mill, POSCO, and for the abundance of seafood (easily seen at Jukdo Market where every species of fish, crustacean and seaweed abound). On every street and alleyway, there is a seafood restaurant (not of my culinary taste – raw, moving, alive squid and catfish are a real treat here).

But Pohang has a third, lesser known tourist treasure. Well beyond the smoke and haze of the POSCO factory, lies a small fishing village, Homigot, on the east of the city. While the beaches in this little town aren’t the most beautiful and are too rocky for swimming, there is a piece of art worth seeing; the “Hands of Living Mutually” or “Hands of Harmony” as they are better known.

These are two massive bronze and granite sculptures of hands stretching up to the sky. The oddity in the situation is that the one hand (the right hand) stretches up from the water in a small cove. And the second bronze hand (the left and of equal proportion) stretches up from dry land on the Homigot Sunrise Square. The hand in the water is the main attraction, particularly at sunrise, when the sun seems to be rising through the fingers of the hand. As Homigot is on the east coast, the sun rises here first in Korea.

Apparently, the hands were constructed in 1999 “to symbolize continuing efforts of all Korean citizens to pursue a better quality of life” (www.frikworld.com). This charming little place is a bit of an absurd tourist magnet. Photographers from all over the country come to take pictures of the sun rising through the fingers of the hand. Some use cellphones, others are professionals. Some will even venture into the water to be closer to the Hand and prove they were really there.

A couple friends and I decided to visit Homigot on a day off. We didn’t make the sunrise, of course. I am not sure what I was expecting but I was a little disappointed by the Hands of Harmony. It is obviously a fantastic artistic concept and quite a sight to behold, this hand stretching up from the ocean. But the Hand was really only a few metres from the shore and it wasn’t nearly as big as I had expected. Beyond the Hand though, stretched the ocean as far as the eye can see. We had a little childish fun scrambling over the rocks and taking silly pictures. The water was also pleasantly warm.

According to the locals and some blogs, New Year's Eve is presumably the best time to visit as there are fireworks and the Homigot National Sunrise Festival runs until 7:30am. Some people go during summer, when the weather is more pleasant. There are hotels scattered around the place and they are in walking distance but some visitors bring a sleeping bag, insect repellant and some soju to get them through to sunrise.

A good one and a half hour bus ride from the Intercity Bus Station or an expensive cab ride away, visiting the Hands of Harmony is a pleasant outing, whether one visits during the day or to watch the sunrise. There is a lighthouse and museum in the vicinity as well as some tourist stores, seafood eateries and several little food and beverage stalls. Don’t buy the roasted chestnuts though, they are expensive and not at all worth it (from experience). A slush puppy is definitely recommendable.

And it is one of the places you just have to see in Pohang city…

Tennis makes memories...

My limited experience of Korean tennis has taken place in the mountains (where I work) and at one tournament in the city. Overall, it has been most surprising, decidedly enjoyable and a little strange, to say the least.

When I arrived at my main school in a little village in the mountains, it was winter and not very pretty. The school is relatively small, with the big field in front and outbuildings at the back, where teachers can stay overnight. The caretaker of the school stays there permanently. There are also the "toilets". What I did notice was a dilapidated old gravel tennis court behind the janitor’s house. I assumed that no one used the court anymore and that it had been left to ruin.

March and most of April passed by in flurry of stress, miscommunication and traveling. I hadn’t thought of tennis at all. After all, I hadn’t really played in England and I suppose I hadn’t expected to play much in Korea either. But in mid-April as the blossoms began to show and the trees and grass got a little greener, I noticed some of the teachers heading over to the tennis court. Next thing, they were rolling the court (which is literally made of sand, similar to beach sand) over and over to compress the soil. Then, the net went up (it is far too high but there is nowhere to attach it at the centre) and the lines were painted with chalk. I couldn’t believe it.

The men obviously assumed I didn’t play tennis, for when I told them I could, they were incredibly excited! I still don’t think they thought I could actually play properly, for when I hit the court one day, all the students were allowed to come and watch me for a few minutes. This never happens in Korea. Academics come first, always, no exceptions. So this must have been a BIG deal. The next day, the teachers even started to call me “Tennis Ace” in the corridors.

When we first started to play tennis after lessons, the other teachers were very rusty. But over time and with much practice, everyone has greatly improved. The music teacher has a ‘killer’ volley and smashing skills; the Korean teacher is a master of touch and with practice, has clearly shown he is by far the best player at the school; the vice principal must have been brilliant in his heyday, he still has the forehand to show for it; the math teacher is young and keen to learn, he picked up the backhand slice after only a few attempts. He has a wonderful style.

In the last few weeks, my main co-teacher, who is just starting out, bought a new Babolat racquet. The school bought a box of tennis balls the other day. And the head teacher and sport teacher headed off into the mountains yesterday and came back with a truckload of red clay to add to our “beach court” (as I affectionately name it).

The court is obviously very uneven as we do not have professionals rolling and measuring for us. In some places, the balls bounce and in others, they do not. If it rains, the ground is saturated and actually dangerous to play on. We do, anyway. As I said, the net is about 10 inches too high and there are no proper fences so the balls get lost on a regular basis. But as the vice principal says: “Same conditions for all!” And so we get on with it.

At the end of April, my school entered six of us into the Pohang City interschool tournament. My little school had great aspirations with me on the team but unfortunately, it was a doubles tournament and I couldn’t win alone, although the Korean teacher and I came very close. (Doubles seems to be the main form of the game, probably due to the lack of tennis courts)

I was one of three women present and the only foreigner. This created much fuss and it also meant that there were many people watching our court. My mother and a few others will know that I am not very good under pressure and even worse when there are people watching. I managed to keep my cool though and I played a good game. We may have even won our second match if we had played the usual ‘best of three sets’ format.

Korean tennis etiquette is truly something to behold and is probably my favourite part of tennis in this country. When both couples are ready to commence the match, all four players walk to the net and bow and shake hands as a sign of respect for each other. On completing the set, all four players walk to the net and bow and shake hands once more.

There is no such thing as the spinning of the racquet (rough or smooth, up or down, W or M, p or d). One person from each couple with do “rock, paper, scissors” to determine the winner. The winner can then choose to serve of receive. Whichever side you warmed/knocked up on, that is the side you remain on. Before serving the first ball of every game, the server will greet the receiver when he serves to them: “Annyeong-haseyo!” (Good day!/ Hello!) I suppose this is similar to what I would say at home: “Enjoy the match!”

The scoring is my favourite. In tennis scoring, we use “fifteen, thirty, forty, deuce, advantage”. If we are to shorten the score when playing social, we use the abbreviations “five-thirty”, “thirty-forts”, “your ad” etc. Here in Korea, they say (and it makes much more sense, if you ask me) “fi-thir”, “for-thir”, “service” (server’s advantage) and “receive” (reciever’s advantage).

Thank goodness I can play tennis. It has saved my soul here in the mountains. Sometimes, I’ll only play once a week (as most of my lessons are in the late afternoon right before we go home) or sometimes, I shan’t play at all. But sport, like music, is common ground. It is a form of communication all by itself. I always say it and I shall say it again; without sport (and in particular, the game of tennis), I would have far less wonderful memories and far less friends…

Gyeongju - the "Museum without Walls"

Gyeongju is, without doubt, one of the most spectacular places I have been to. I had little trouble seeing why it had been nicknamed the "Museum without walls". One can literally walk, in open air, through all the cultural and historical wonders at leisure. If one lives closeby, like I do, it is the perfect day trip in good weather. And most of the sites-to-see are within walking distance of each other.

On this particular Sunday, I was not in the best condition health-wise and I did not get to Gyeongju early enough in the morning. But I saw as much as possible in the time I was there, guided by some friends who live in the area. It was a delightful, cultural day in the sun...

Gyeongju was the capital of the Silla Kingdom, the longest surviving kingdom in the country, for nearly a thousand years (BC 57-935) and has a vast amount of historical and cultural heritage. UNESCO has designated Gyeongju as a World Heritage site (http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/). After visiting this fascinating place, this is hardly surprising and one can see why it is one of South Korea's biggest tourist attractions, even a millenium after the demise of the Silla dynasty.

According to the Korea's official tourism site, Gyeongju is the nation's most popular fieldtrip destination. (In fact, one of my schools' fieldtrip is to Gyeongju next week.) Ponds, tombs, mountains, temples, grottos, observatories and museums abound in this amazing place. It is also home to many of the greatest Buddhist treasures in Korea.

Cheonmachong Tomb (Tumuli Park) is home to ancient tombs of kings and noblemen of the Silla Dynasty. There are 23 tombs in total, the most famous being Cheonmachong and Hwangnamdaechong. Inside the tombs, relics can be seen from a time long past; remains, crowns and other gold accessories.

Gyeongju also boasts Cheomseongdae, the oldest existing atronomical observatory in Asia (http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/). According to the visitkorea site, it was originally designed to look to the stars as a means to forecast the weather. As one of Korea's national treasures, it is quite an impressive site up close.

What Gyeongju is most famous for amongst us foreigners, is the cherry blossoms in springtime. There is a definite window period to see the blossoms, however, as they last in Gyeonju for only two weeks. My trip to Gyeongju was at the end of the two weeks. Sadly, there was only one tree still cherry-blossoming in Tumuli Park. We certainly made the most of it by taking hundreds of pictures. The cherry blossoms at this time of year are absolutely beautiful.

So are the flowers in springtime, something Gyeongju certainly does not lack.

These particular flowers did not smell pleasant, hence the hilarity of the situation...

There are several places in Gyeongju to see some of the traditional Korean buildings and temples. The woodwork and designs of these buildings is something to behold.

Gyeongju "Museum" is certainly a place I will be visiting again, for its temples, a paddle around Bomun Lake and trip back a thousand years. Truly remarkable, I tell you.

The madness continues - April 15 to 17...

Once you realise that time flies in South Korea, you also come to realise that a year is not that long, actually, and that if you don't hurry up, you won't see everything you want to see before you leave the country. On the weekends, there is no time to rest or catch up with your writing and no time to stay at home and recover from a heavy week. There is exploration to be done and fun to be had and thus, the madness continues weekly; it's a cycle of non-stop movement, travel and happy exhaustion...

On April 15th, I planned to go and visit a friend, Bells, in Gyeongsan, about an hour and half by bus from Pohang city. From Heung-hae to Pohang, it is at least a 45 minute bus. So, all in all, the trip takes a good two hours. We had arranged to meet for supper and have an early night. Well, as Murphy is my dearest friend, my co-teachers decided to leave school an hour late. For most, this would be a minor setback in the evening's plans. For me, it was a giant hurdle, for I work in the mountains. This means:
- the carpool must drive back to Heung-hae (45 to 50 minutes depending on traffic),
- I must walk to my apartment from the drop-off location (approximately 15 minutes),
- I must collect and pack my belongings (10 minutes),
- I must walk to the bus stop (which I just passed on the way home) and wait for a bus to arrive (anywhere between 10 and 30 minutes),
- I must catch the bus to Heung-hae (45 minutes),
- I must buy a ticket for Gyeongsan and wait for the next bus to leave (average time for waiting + trip = 2 hours).
Therefore, total time travelling = minimum 4 hours = mission.

If I had got the right bus, I would have been there for supper at 20:30ish. Alas, I only got the 20:20 bus and only arrived in Gyeongsan at a mild 21:40. It ended up being quite a late supper, to say the least. Bells and I headed to the student area called Yeungnam, where the University is situated. Our "quiet supper" started very well; we went to a little bar/restaurant and ordered rice and pork and a pitcher of beer. As we were thinking of leaving, we started a conversation with a couple of young students to our left. They offered us a shot of a drink called Chong-ha, which is similar to Japanese saki (wine). Bells looked at me from across the table and said: "You know that if you accept that drink, we will never leave this place." And I said: "Oh no, rubbish. It's just one little drink." Well, the night did not end. We made friends with everyone in the establishment, I spoke every Korean word I have learnt since my February arrival. Our last stop was at a noraebang - a karaoke/singing room - with some of our new-found friends. It was a fantastic Korean experience, truly fantastic!

Saturday was difficult, to say the least. But we managed to wake rather early and head to Daegu. Gyeongsan is a relatively small place in Korean terms but it is also a semi-suburb of Daegu, a very large and happening city. Daegu is all lights and shopping, restaurants and tall buildings. I managed to purchase a desperately-needed sports cap and a handbag and we caught a bit of an outside concert for charity. The highlight was the finding of a little second-hand shop on the way to the subway. It was a lovely day, indeed.

In the late afternoon on Saturday, Bells and I took the bus to Pohang. It was the perfect time of day for a scenic trip through the rural areas; the light was soft and made the mountains and farming fields look movie-worthy. We listened to depressing love-loss, heart-break music and enjoyed the break in the madness.

After one hell of a good party, we woke up on Sunday for our trip to Gyeonju. Gyeonju is 30 to 40 minutes by bus from Pohang. This little place is full of absolute wonder. It isn't called the 'Outside Museum' for nothing. We had a glorious day, despite the aching headaches, in the sun and in the tombs and under the cherry blossoms and amongst the Spring flowers. A truly cultural experience for once...