Today’s guest blog is written by Ava Apollo - a lover of travel and a social media blogger at Super Blogettes, with a video contribution from the talented and well-traveled Dorian Cados:

Angkor Wat, Near Siem Reap, Cambodia, is considered by many to be a wonder of the world.  This temple was built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II, first as a Hindu temple, which has since  been converted to Buddhist.

For most visitors to Cambodia, this is the main draw due to the beautiful architecture and effective preservation of one of the largest temples in the world.

See for yourself why so many are mesmerized by the ancient wonder of Angkor Wat, Cambodia, as seen through the eyes of travel videographer, Dorian Cados:

Find Ava on Twitter.

If you like what you see and want to read more, visit my home blog or facebook page.



Christmas is a season for giving and you can make a difference today! Travel bloggers around the world are hosting giveaways in support of an amazing charity fundraising event hosted by Passports with Purpose. I’m thrilled to tell you that My Several Worlds will also be participating by helping to spread the word about this event. We even managed to procure a terrific prize courtesy of Phottix Professional Photo Accessories, which will be added to a fabulous list of items to be raffled off on January 5, 2010. Read on to find out how you can help to build a school in rural Cambodia!

The charity:

American Assistance for Cambodia (AAfC), an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving opportunities for the youth and rural poor in Cambodia.

Our goal:

We want to raise money – $13,000 to be exact – to help AAfC build a school in rural Cambodia this year through their rural schools project!

How you can help:

1. Donate money by purchasing a $10 raffle ticket.
2. Help spread the word and tell your friends. Promote Passports with Purpose or any of the travel bloggers who are participating in the event by sharing our links through social media. You can become a fan of Passports with Purpose on Facebook here.
3. Become a sponsor.
4. Host a Badge or Banner Ad: Whether you offer a prize or not, you can support Passports with Purpose by using their banner on your blog.

Why build a school?

Despite their difficult recent past, when the Khmer Rouge destroyed their economy and killed millions of people in the late 70′s, Cambodians maintain a strong spirit of hope and desire to rebuild both at a personal level and a national level. English language and computer schools seem to be down every alleyway in Phnom Penh. Parents scrimp to sign young children up for lessons in English and computers and to learn the cultural arts that were all but lost during the Khmer Rouge Regime.

In rural areas, the sense of hope and the desire to rebuild might be just as strong, but the options are more limited. This year PwP will establish a school in a rural area whose children have been deprived from any educational facilities. It’s our hope that such a school will provide a much needed alternative to poverty or sex trafficking to the young people of Cambodia. - Passports with Purpose

To learn more about the American Assistance for Cambodia project visit: Cambodia Schools.com

A personal story from a New York Times columnist who helped build a school in Cambodia last year.

How does it work?

Head over to Passports with Purpose to find out which travel bloggers are participating and for a full list of prizes.

Tickets are just $10. All prizes, ranging from travel and photography gear to gift bags, books, and trips, are worth at least $75. You can donate $10 for the prize of your choice, or you can donate in multiples of $10 to increase your chance of winning your favorite prize or for a chance to win several different prizes.

You can buy your raffle tickets starting December 1st. Once you’ve found the prize or prizes that you are interested in, find the donation link in the sidebar and make your donation. For each $10 donation that you make, you’ll be entered into the raffle for the prize you’ve selected. Don’t forget to leave your email and prize code in the comments field! All proceeds go directly to AAfC.

The contest is from December 1st through the 21, 2009. (11:59 pm PST). The founders will pull winners and notify them via email on January 5^th, 2010.

Questions? Email info@passportswithpurpose.com

My Several Worlds Prize:

Courtesy of Phottix Professional Photo Accessories

A PHOTTIX® CLEON II hybrid (wired and wireless) shutter release and a 3-in-1 Cleaning Kit, courtesy of Phottix Professional Photo Acccessories. If you win this prize from Phottix, it will be shipped directly to your home (worldwide shipping)

PHOTTIX® CLEON II Wireless Remote Shutter Release

PHOTTIX® CLEON II Wireless Remote Shutter Release

Includes:

• small remote control (transmitter), receiver and either one of the optional cables depending on the model of camera to be controlled.
• When used wireless, the transmitter and receiver can be pared by any one of 16,000,000 channels (Smart Code) within the working distance of 100 meters (320ft).
• The PHOTTIX® CLEON II supports the following functions: single shot mode, 2 seconds delay, continuous, as well as bulb mode for long exposures.
• The PHOTTIX® CLEON II can be used with a wide variety of cameras – just plug in a suitable cable to the receiver.
• The transmitter has a single button to activate the camera’s shutter, a mode switch and a retractable antenna.
• The receiver can be attached to the hot shoe of the camera (facing forwards or backwards), or simply be placed alongside.
• Like the transmitter, the receiver has a shutter release button. The remote’s shutter release button functions similarly to that of the camera’s: a half press initiates autofocus on the camera and a complete press of the button takes a snap.
• The function selector allows selecting between three different modes:
• S/B – single exposures or bulb mode
• 2S – single exposures with a 2 second delay
• - multiple exposures Continious

PHOTTIX 3-IN-1 CLEANING KIT

3-1 Cleaning Kit

Lens Pen

• Environmentally friendly and non-toxic
• Removes dust, erases smudges and does not leave residue.
• 100% safe to all lenses.
• Unique cleaning compound will not spill or dry out.
• Perfect for cleaning digital SLR, SLR, digital camera lens, binocular lens, and telescope lens.

Microfibre Cloth

• Microfibre Cloth is super-fine and safe to use on optical surfaces.
• It can be used dry and wet on camera lenses with no streaks, for AV devices, cell phone screens, discs, glasses, computer screens, jewelry, etc.

Photo by Dragonseye on Flickr

These last few weeks have been a lesson in patience for me. It seems I’ve run into a real run of bad luck with my health lately. Two weeks ago, I experienced sharp shooting pain in my left shin. It felt tender and sore to touch. I didn’t think much of it until Saturday morning when I woke up with two grotesquely swollen knees.

Like an idiot, I figured I’d work it out with a morning walk to and from class. That evening, I went out for dinner and a few drinks with some friends. We were home before midnight. By then, my legs felt like they were going to snap off. I felt like I was walking on toothpicks. As I followed John onto the elevator, my legs suddenly gave out. John carried me inside. I elevated my legs and applied ice packs.

By Sunday morning, I was in agony. I could barely walk and I knew something was really wrong. We drove to Taiwan Adventist Hospital, where I was put in a wheelchair and wheeled up to emergency. The emergency room doctor took one look at my knees and decide to call in an orthopaedic specialist. Within an hour, I was being poked and prodded by the specialist. He told us that my knees needed to be drained immediately. I’m not going to go into any specifics, but it was a horrible experience and one I care not to repeat EVER again. After he finished the procedure, he told me that I needed to be tested for rheumatoid arthritis and gout. I was allowed to go home and he told me I could continue to work, but under no circumstances should I be walking for more than 15 minutes a day. He gave me some anti-inflammatories and painkillers and told me to come back on Thursday.

I went to work on Monday and suffered through the day. I barely had enough energy to get home and had a good long cry when I lurched through our front door. By 8:30pm, I was shaking from cold, pain, and shock. The next three days were harsh. I’d make it through the day and go to bed early to try and give my body a chance to heal. All that time, I prayed that it wasn’t serious, and started preparing for the worst.

On Thursday morning, John and I went back to the hospital. Our fears were alleviated when he told me I had neither gout nor rheumatoid. However,  I do have an unspecified type of arthritis. Basically, he had no idea what might have triggered the flare-up and he didn’t know how long it would be before I have another. He told me to take it easy and listen to my body over the next few weeks.

By the time Saturday and Sunday rolled around, I was starting to feel somewhat normal again. Although tender and sore, I could at least walk without hobbling too badly. Monday morning rolled around and I was desperate for some exercise, so I chose to spend fifteen minutes walking to work. My knee and hip were throbbing when I arrived. Then to top it off, I walked back to the MRT station that night.

When I arrived home, my leg had put up a fierce howl. I was in so much pain I had to go to bed early. I hoped that I hadn’t done too much damage with my thoughtlessness. On Tuesday I was sore, but thankfully I was able to walk. I’m a deep study on patience and humility this week. Time after time, my family and friends tell me to slow down and stop being in such a rush. They’re absolutely right, and their concern has prompted me to start taking notice of all the things I do to cut time throughout my day.

The first thing I noticed was how impatient I get when I have to wait in line on the escalators at the MRT station or when I have to walk behind slow people. Even picking up the pace to catch the bus was impossible for me to do. Going up and down stairs was excruciatingly slow work. Suddenly, I am aware that I am the person holding people up. I’m the one who has to ask for help. My pride is taking a beating this week.

Where did this terrible desire to rush through my day and cram everything I can into every minute of the day come from? I know I’m not the only one who does this. However, what saddens me about this is thinking about all the people who rush through every little thing and never stop to express wonder or appreciate the things in life that matter. Your body matters. Your health matters. Your family and friends matter. This week I realized how messed up my priorities are. To be sure, I try to take care of myself and those who are important to me, but I’m definitely guilty of being a whirlwind 24/7. What’s the point of doing it all if I can’t walk in the near future? My body is telling me something. It’s time to slow down. It’s time to start appreciating what I can and can’t do. It’s time to recognize my limits and learn to work within them. This is my body, and it may be the only one I’ve got, but damn it, I plan on living a long, full life in it – whatever comes my way.

I’ve learned a valuable lesson with all of this. I just wish it didn’t come with the price tag included. From now on, I vow to listen to my doctors and listen to my body. I’m going to be more aware of the difficulties that other people face and I’m going to appreciate the good moments while I have them. I also learned that I can deal with whatever comes my way. My mother pointed out to me last week that I have always been good at accepting what can’t be changed. She’s right. However, now I realize that I also need to be good at accepting things that will change and most of all, I need to learn to have a little patience with myself.

NOTE: Travelers planning on traveling via the Chau Doc border crossing in Cambodia/Vietnam should visit Tales of Asia for a comprehensive list of travel reports.

April mornings in Cambodia get hot really fast. We were standing on a dusty road in Cambodia waiting for our hired car to arrive and take us from Sihanoukville to the Chau Doc border crossing at Kaam Samnor, Cambodia/Ving Xuong, Vietnam on the Mekong River. Our driver was late as to be expected. Everything works on its own time in South East Asia.

We were thankful to have booked early with this exact thought in mind. When our driver finally arrived, we were already an hour behind schedule. We piled into the car and settled in for the seven hour journey to the border. Unfortunately, we were only on the road for a short time when our driver pulled over in Kampot and explained his ‘buddy’ would be taking us the rest of the way. We looked bleakly at the tiny, dirty car as the drivers transferred our bags. We found out once we were back on the road there was no air-conditioning and the windows opened just enough to stick your nose out. It looked like it was going to be a shitty day of traveling.

Our new driver didn’t speak any English at all, and we were somewhat alarmed when we got off the main roads and started bumping down dusty dirt roads that seemed to lead nowhere. We passed dried up rice paddies. Water buffalo sprawled on the roadside while small children chased our car and lobbed bags of water at us as we passed.

When the engine started to overheat, we knew we were in trouble. The driver made a pit stop at a small shack in the middle of nowhere. After a frantic conversation with an old man lying in a hammock, he was able to procure some water. John helped pour water into the radiator and we grew more miserable by the minute as the noon day sun loomed high over our heads. At one point, it occurred to me that we were completely at their mercy. We had no idea where we were. No one knew where we were. It was a scary thought that was quickly pushed away when a young girl approached us with cold bottles of water and a reassuring smile.

About an hour later, we were back on the road and traveling at a manic pace to make up for lost time. Just before we reached the border, our driver stopped, hauled our things out of the trunk and waited for us to get out, pointing at the barely visible border crossing in the distance. Apparently, we would be leaving the same way we entered Cambodia. On foot. It was two o’clock in the afternoon as we trudged up to the first check point two kilometers away.

I had plenty of time to notice that the land border between Vietnam and Cambodia is easily distinguishable by eye. Cambodia’s dry yellow terrain suddenly gives way to lush, green paddies and mountains in the distance. The two countries are worlds apart, with one exception. The guards on both sides still bore scowls.

It took us about an hour to get our passports processed and stamped. We walked from one small hut to another to visit each official and we ended up paying for a bogus health form. There was no way were were going to get around it. It was hard to believe, but our journey up to this point was actually the easiest part of the day, considering what we had in store on the other side of the border in Vietnam. Never the less, travel is adventure and Cambodia gave us plenty of adventures and tales to tell. Good-bye Cambodia and Hello Vietnam!

John and Moira.

The National Palace Museum is a short walk from The Grand Palace just off Sithowath Quay in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The terracotta roofed museum is fashioned in a traditional Cambodian design and was built between 1917 and 1920. I particularly enjoyed spending time between exhibits in the garden courtyard of the complex.

I was a bit surprised by the lack of security in the museum. Most of the displays were set out in the open. There weren’t any visible alarm systems and a few guards wandered around aimlessly. A select few of the numerous sandstone statues and carvings dating from Angkorian and pre-Angkorian eras were encased in secure cases, but most were set out on tables for viewing.

Despite the lack of security precautions in place, the museum houses some spectacular pieces, many of which echo the carvings and statues seen at the temples in and around Angkor Wat.

How To Get There

At Street 178 & Street 13 next to the Royal Palace

Admission $2.00

Hours of Operation: Monday-Sunday 8:00-11:30 and 2:00-5:00

A monument situated on the palace grounds.

Just a short walk from the lively river-side promenade of Sisowath Quay in the heart of Phnom Penh stands the lovely Royal Palace, or Preah Barom Reachea Vaeng Chaktomuk as the Khmers know it.

The palace was built in 1866 and has been occupied by the kings of Cambodia ever since. The Palace was not occupied during the period of time when the Khmer Rouge reigned terror over the country.

As a palace should be, its grandeur and splendor spring from well-maintained lawns, gardens and the building complexes. It contrasts sharply with the rest of the city, which is still recovering from the brutal reign of the Khmer Rouge in the 1970′s.
The grounds are divided into three buildings.

The Throne Hall (the Sacred Seat of Justice) is still used today for religious and royal ceremonies such as weddings and coronations.

The Silver Pagoda holds a number a jeweled and highly prized national treasures and artifacts. The pagoda has been inlaid with over 5000 silver tiles, while parts of the outside of the building have been remodeled in Italian marble. The complex houses a magnificent Emerald Buddha made of baccarat crystal. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to bring our cameras in, despite having to pay to bring them onto the complex. However, the Silver Pagoda is truly a unique experience. It really is a beautiful building.

The Palace of the Khmer King, also known as the Khemarin Palace is also on this compound. The king of Cambodia, Norodom Sihamoni, currently resides in the Khemarin Palace, however visitors aren’t allowed access to it.

Chan Chhaya Pavilion, also known as the Moonlight Pavilion, is an open-air pavilion used as a stage for traditional Khmer-style dancing. It is easily seen from outside the palace walls and serves as a landmark in the area.

How To Get There

Just off Sithowath Quay at Sothearos Blvd. between Street 240 & 184

Admission is $3.00 US/person

You must pay an extra $2.00 US to bring your camera in. Video cameras will cost you an extra $5.00 US.

Open everyday, 7:30-11:00 / 2:30-5:00

Stupa of King Norodom Suramarit

After three days of scrambling over the ruins of Angkor’s ancient temples we set off on the next leg of our journey through Cambodia.

We decided to continue our journey through Cambodia by land, despite having a rather rough entry into the country at the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border crossing. Land borders always make the best travel stories. Too often, people take the easy route by flying and in the process, they miss so much of the countries they are traveling through. When Moira suggested we rent a car for the next leg of our journey I leaped at the chance. We felt we would get a real sense of Cambodia by traveling this way and we couldn’t have asked for a better way to see this amazing country.

We departed for Phnom Penh on a sweltering April afternoon by car, arranged for us by our friends at the Peace of Angkor in Siem Reap. As luck would have it, everyone seemed to be traveling that day. We saw the strangest sights as we traversed across the country.

Just as we were leaving Siem Reap we noticed an inordinate amount of motorcycles on the road with livestock tied to the back end. We were leaving just as the farmers were bringing their wares to the local market. In addition to drunken pigs strapped upside-down on the back of motorcycles, we also saw bikes going by covered in strung chickens.

There were loads of traveling caravans full to the brim with journeyers, some of them sitting in the back of pick-up trucks and on the roof of their car or van. I can’t imagine what it must be like to travel like this. Consistent daily temperatures in the 30s must make this a hellish ride along with all the cloying dust from the roads.

As we headed further out into the countryside, we noticed living conditions becoming more and more rustic.

Naked children played on the red, dusty, dirt roads. They seemed oblivious to the danger of speeding cars passing close by. I saw kids leading cattle along the side of the road with a simple halter and lead. Others were pedaling around on ancient bicycles which were too big for them by several years.

Many of the homes didn’t have any electric power. Some boasted a haystack or two out front. Others were little more than a lean-to. A few boasted colorful paint jobs. Livestock roams freely on the roads and around the yards.

We reached Phnom Penh late in the afternoon. Our journey had taken us a bit more than five hours. Our driver drove us to the newly paved riverside promenade of Sisowath Quay, where we have opted to stay for a few days.

The promenade boasts a lovely view of the Mekong. Phnom Penh just begs to be explored. We stayed at the Riverstar Hotel at 18 Sisowath Quay under a recommendation from Lonely Planet and a travel acquaintance. We felt $20 a night for a room was a little expensive, but the rooms were clean although the building itself was shabby and old. However, we have nothing to compare it to and we’ve definitely stayed in worse places. I would give it a rating of 2.5 out of 5. In terms of location, we couldn’t have asked for a better place. We enjoyed strolling along the promenade in the evenings before heading to bed.

Early the next morning, we stepped out onto a promenade full of every type of transportation available. And of course, the strangest gas station I’ve ever seen was open for business in the wee hours of the morning. We were ready to begin a new adventure in the city of Phnom Penh, but I’ll save that tale for another day.

Craig Ferguson’s Photoessay on Angkor Wat deserves a post all to itself. I just dropped by and was treated to the best photos I’ve ever seen of Angkor Wat.

Honestly, his photography will take your breath away. Go check it out!

Perhaps it’s the time of day that lend the ruins hidden deep in this jungle a sense of transcendence. It might be the stillness of the jungle or the distant humming of insects. It’s so quiet, I can practically hear the vegetation growing around me. I lay my hands on a towering gentle giant. These sentient beings are everywhere, breaking over stone and crushing a lost world in their roots. My heart is seeking a different rhythm as it gallops, races and finally slows to find pace with the ancient heartbeat of this lush living forest of banyans. These trees are speaking to me in whispers. I can hear their sighs in the wind through their leaves. A chill grips me just as sunlight breaks through the high jungle canopy to kiss the stone ruins. What is this place?

As the jungle stirs itself awake, the buzzing of the insect world erupts. The cicadas are calling loudly to each other. Armies of ants swarm as branches begin to sway and creep in the early dawn light. I feel the jungle pulling me into its past and I quietly break away from my travel companions. The desire to be alone is overwhelming. I wander aimlessly peering into dark doorways and running my fingers over ancient exotic carvings.

I stop to watch a dog that appears in a windowsill. He sits for awhile and then disappears as quickly as he arrives. I’m bitten by a sudden urge to follow it and scramble madly over a set of crumbling steps into the black recesses of cold stone. I take no heed of the wooden barricades warning visitors to keep out. I fumble for my flashlight and switch it on with relief. Its narrow beam of light illuminates a small patch of stone up ahead and I walk towards it, emerging through an overgrown doorway into an sun-dappled courtyard. Giant trees encircle the walls of the courtyard. Thick roots dangle over gaping open eyes that were once doorways. I am suddenly reminded of the Ents, the tree people of Tolkien lore. Part of me believes these trees will stand up and slowly shed their binding roots and start talking at any moment.

I throw my pack down in the shade of an old banyan tree and whip my journal out. I begin sketching the prop and aerial roots. My eyes trace the trunk flowing upwards to a great height. Branches become roots which become more branches. At the base of the tree prop roots run and furrow out creating fissures in the stone. I scan the length of these roots as they run ragged over a temple, all but obliterating the ornate carvings on the walls. That’s when I see him.

He is standing in the shadow of a doorway, his young face partially hidden behind a giant hanging tree root. When he knows he’s been seen he steps into the daylight, like a ghost visiting from the past. He smiles and raises his hand peacefully. He knows he has frightened me.

He takes another step forward, arm extended, palm outstretched, fingers beckoning. With the other, he places a hand briefly over his mouth. He points to his ears and shakes his head. I realize he is deaf-mute and wonder if he lives here in the jungle. He is young, maybe thirteen. His clothes are well-worn, but he is clean and neatly dressed. I like his smile.

I decide to follow the young man and step in place behind him. He walks quietly. I pay close attention when he lifts a finger to point out interesting carvings and hidden faces. I breathe excitedly, knowing full well I might have glided by these treasures in my ignorance. I can’t help but laugh as he ducks through a doorway and pulls me through to look at a tree that looks like two legs and a skinny behind.

We continue on our way moving easily down an ancient path and then just as suddenly we’re off it, picking delicately through broken stone to squat carefully in front of a tree limb. The roots are maniacal in their growth, growing haphazardly up, down, over, around and through stone. I lean in for a closer look and there she is. Her face slowly emerges from a stone edifice half-hidden behind some roots. They part like a lover’s embrace, releasing her into my line of vision. She is beautiful. Serene. An all-knowing smile. Ah the mystery. Every other face and figure has been removed, raided or eroded with time. The only thing preserving this ancient carving are the roots protecting her. How long has she been here?

I am suddenly acutely aware of the time. I don’t know how long I’ve been wandering through this lost city, but it’s time to go. I gesture to the boy to go back. We’ve been gone for over an hour. He moves with the assurance of one born to this place and within minutes, we are back at the main entrance. I slip my hand in my pocket and pull out a wad of cash. I take his hand without looking at it and press the bills deep into his palm. He smiles in delight as I nod in thanks. He takes a step back and disappears around a banyan tree, fading back into this place of spirit and matter and I’m left alone again to enjoy the quiet stillness of this magical place, this world between worlds.

There are several ways to see Angkor Wat. Some people start small and work their way up to the colossal grand-daddy of them all, the megalithic structures of enigmatic Angkor Wat.

Others start big and work their way down through the smaller and no less beautiful and mysterious smaller temples in the giant park. We opted to visit the ancient sandstone structures of Angkor Wat early on the morning of our first day. We hit a major temple site at daybreak and sunset and tried to cover the smaller temples and grounds throughout the rest of the day. Here’s how we did it.

ON THE FIRST DAY

1. Angkor Wat

An interesting perspective. The many doorways of Angkor Wat. These long corridors house bas-relief galleries running the length of the main building.

2. Phnom Bakheng

3. Ta Prohm Kel is an ancient hospital chapel on the South Side of Phnom Bakheng. It’s a beautiful crumbling tower of bricks.

ON THE SECOND DAY

1. 5am sunrise at Angkor Wat.

2. Ta Prohm

3. Ta Keo

4. Thommanon

5. Banteay Kdei

6. Srah Srang Lake

7. Pre Rup

8. Prasat Preah Khan

9. Ta Som

10. The East Mebon

ON THE THIRD DAY

1. The South Gate.

2. Bayon

3. Baphuon

4. Terrace of Elephants

5. Terrace of Leper Kings

6. Prasat Suor Prat

6. The Khleangs

7. Angkor Thom

8. Preah Khan