-- From Siem Reap to Phnom Penh
The road tracklog
From Siem Reap to Phnom Penh
from 21/01 to 26/01/2008
Before leaving Siem Reap I went to Royal Angkor International Hospital for the last
injection of a vaccine against the rage following the bite of a dog in
Thailand. The good news, it is a ultra modern hospital, the bad news I paid 45
US$ including 20 for the puncture and 25 for the consultation of a doctor whom
I did not seen. Of course I had provided the syringe and the vaccine bought in
Thailand.
On the move towards the northern Cambodia I visited temples of Roluos group
which date from the 10th to the 12th century. Architecture is of
temple-mountain type with a high central brick tower surrounded by four others
less height, arrangement of a great number of temples in Angkor. On road NH65
in Beng Mealea I walked into the upsetting ruins of the eponym temple which
was used as set in a movie by JJ Annaud, “Two Brothers”. Finally after a
dirt track I discovered the temple of Banteay Srei within fine sculptures
which held the attention of Andre Malraux that he cannibalized in 1923 what
was worth to him disentangled with Kampuchean justice. The knowledge of arts
of which he made proof allowed him to become the Minister of culture under
General de Gaulle (!). I continued the road which
became a surfaced dirt track up to Kbal Spean where I arrived after the
closing of the site. I established my bivouac close to the police booth.
Narrow vault of corridor
Beng Mealea
the 21/01/2008
Sculpture
Banteay Srei
the 21/01/2008
The followed day was announced under happy auspices. In Kbal Spean the access path to the sculptures in the riverbed curves in the forest among boulders and trees with the essence named by panels in Khmer, English and Latin. It is maintained by roadmen who swept sheets at the time of my passage. I walked down the bank of the river from the upper up to the water fall by detailing the sculptures which are of Hindu's inspiration and more particularly Vishnu’s. The site is called in English “River of Thousand Lingas” due to the great number of lingams carved in its bed. Then I moved towards Anlong Veng where I arrived around 12:00 to lunch after the visit of the market. The site of Prasat Preah Vihear is at 109 kilometres from the roundabout of Anlong Veng. The overland route is surfaced except from kilometre 60 to kilometre 81. I took 1:30 to make these twenties and one kilometres. At the village of Prasat Preah Vihear I rented a motor bike with driver to go to the site of the temple located at the altitude of approximately 550 meters. The track is narrow and partially concreted with a gradient of 35%. The up and down took each one about thirty minutes. I visited the site at sunset with a low angle light giving pink colours on the stone of the buildings. The monastic complex on the border with Thailand creating of relational problems between the two countries is very vast and in good condition of conservation with beautiful sculptures in particular a “Churning of the Ocean of Milk to extract the Elixir of Immortality”. I establish my bivouac in the village close to army booth.
Vishnou, Nadi et Umar
Kbal Spean
The 22/01/2008
Churning of the Ocean of Milk
Prasat Preah Vihear
The 22/01/2008
The day of January 23 was disappointing. From the village of Sa Em to a T-junction to Kulen there is approximately 70 kilometres of non surfaced road. I arrived in Prasat Koh Ker around 13:00. The site is one of the vastest of the period of Angkor. It dates from the 10th century. Built out of sandstone, laterite and brick, it was during a score of year the capital of the Kingdom. The monuments were not restored however the site is maintained by roadmen. But there is neither plan nor explanatory panel. I wandered from building to building to discover a very high pyramid, approximately 40 meters high. In the afternoon I installed the bivouac close to the police booth.
Pyramid
Koh Ker
the 23/01/2008
Roadwomen picking up sheets on the Baray
Koh Ker
the 23/01/2008
I left the Police booth at 6:30 am to go to visit Prasat Preah Khan which I did not
reach. The road up to Kulen is good, I drove it yesterday. Then from Kulen to
Tbeng Meanchey it was a bad track like the latter to the junction for Prasat
Preah Khan. Then the road is narrow but asphalted on 8 kilometres. After it is
the hell. I gave up around 10:45 because of ruts and trees. I bivouacked on
the spot.
In the cell I was intrigued by a crack at the bottom of a separation with the
garage, it resembled a damage of water. I went into the garage to look for;
there was moisture close to the pipes of the air conditioning of the cell. Was
a leakage of the gas R134a? I inspected the lower part of the truck and I
discovered a long crack on the floor and the breaking of bolts of the central
fitting of the fixing of the cell. On the right fastener it misses 7 bolts out
of twelve and the left fastener 6 bolts out of twelve. The few bolts which I
recovered were oxidized. The bolts of the fittings of fixing of the cell in
front and at rear were in good conditions. The crack on the floor passes in
front of the fasteners right-hand side and left of the central fitting. I
started the air-conditioning of the cab I noted that the ball in the tank of
cooling agent was in low position; there was loss of gas R134a.
The day after
I left around 6:30 am to go to Sambor Prei Kuk to establish my bivouac. The NH64 was
very painful; I drove at low speed looking for to avoid potholes. Alas it was
impossible mission. I arrived exhausted at Sambor Prei Kuk. I parked my truck
on the road and I went in recognition by foot. The site did not appear of
great interest for a non–specialist. I drove back towards the NH64 to find the
bivouac.
When I
penetrated in the cell I found some more damage. There was a liquid of blue
colour on floor in the shower resembling of heating and/or cooling water. I
checked the level of the water of the engine radiator, it seemed normal.
Around 9:00 pm two policemen came to invite to go
to the police station. I understood it was for my security. In this area I
always was mandatory to campsite close to a police station.
Sambor Prei Kuk
the 25/01/2008
As of early dawn I took again the terrible NH64 to make the last eleven kilometres which I covered in 1hour30 before finding the bitumen on road NH6 towards Phnom Penh at 180 kilometres that I reached around 4:00 pm at the average speed of 30 km/h. The bivouac was established at GPS waypoint given by Casper met in Battambang. It is very well located close to Silver Pagoda. As soon as the truck was stopped I went in recognition towards the riverfront of Tonlé Sap. There are restaurants, coffees, bars and hotels for native and foreign tourists. I found an Internet Coffee there.
NH64
the 26/01/2008
In the morning I visited the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, the set is likeness with the Royal Palace of Bangkok, however much charged out of gold and brightness. The National Museum exposes items worthy of interest in particular sculptures representative of Pre-Angkorian and Angkorian Art Khmer. Bronzes and potteries are also remarkable. The museum was built under the aegis of Albert Sarraut. In the afternoon, I walked the excursion in the city recommended by Lonely Planet. I noticed some French colonial houses restored or not. I spent the evening with Marcelle and Alain Chaine back from Sihanoukville.
Throne hall
Phom Penh
the 273/01/2008
Silver Pagoda
Phom Penh
the 27/01/2008
French colonial house
Phom Penh
the 27/01/2008
National Laibrary
Phom Penh
the 27/01/2008
The occupation of the following week remained to define due to the damage of my truck.
