As I had hoped, I was able to arrange a visit to a local nature reserve. There, I used my new binoculars to spot the super rare Sarus Crane. It's tall with a dark red head, totally beautiful. Only about 2,000 birds remain and I can't help but wonder if they will thrive once humans are gone. (Clearly, I've been watching too many distopian films). On to cheerier topics.
The next da
y, I traveled through the countryside, which reminds me a lot of bits of Africa--the same red dirt roads and bamboo huts--to visited the Banteay Srei temple. Bantey Srei means "Citadel of Women," and it is renowned for its intricate adornment, red limestone and petite size. I held up an entire tour group of oversized Americans to take this shot at the entrance. Ha!
Then my driver, Chamrong, and I climbed a mountain to visit the Valley of 1,000 Lingas, where 1,000 lingams, stacked neatly together, and a lone vulva or two were carved into the river stones.
At my urging we stopped for palm sugar candy, which I remember from my childhood in the Philippines. Palm juice is boiled and stirred, as below, and then dried into little candies.
I ate an entire banana leaf sleeve of the candies, much to the Chumrun's shock. This was after snacking on a green mango with chili salt, banana sticky rice and before eating a dessert similar to halo halo. This dessert, from a roadside stand, consisted of ice, sweetened condensed milk, chunks of banana cake, sweet bean paste and jelly candies and was wonderfully refreshing and very sweet. As you might imagine, I returned to my hotel with a bit of a belly ache and several more sleeves of palm sugar candy.
The next day, I traveled through the countryside, which reminds me a lot of bits of Africa--the same red dirt roads and bamboo huts--to visited the Banteay Srei temple. Bantey Srei means "Citadel of Women," and it is renowned for its intricate adornment, red limestone and petite size. I held up an entire tour group of oversized Americans to take this shot at the entrance. Ha!
Then my driver, Chamrong, and I climbed a mountain to visit the Valley of 1,000 Lingas, where 1,000 lingams, stacked neatly together, and a lone vulva or two were carved into the river stones.
At my urging we stopped for palm sugar candy, which I remember from my childhood in the Philippines. Palm juice is boiled and stirred, as below, and then dried into little candies.
I ate an entire banana leaf sleeve of the candies, much to the Chumrun's shock. This was after snacking on a green mango with chili salt, banana sticky rice and before eating a dessert similar to halo halo. This dessert, from a roadside stand, consisted of ice, sweetened condensed milk, chunks of banana cake, sweet bean paste and jelly candies and was wonderfully refreshing and very sweet. As you might imagine, I returned to my hotel with a bit of a belly ache and several more sleeves of palm sugar candy.
your pictures are so beautiful maria! and elle is right, you are absolutely glowing! cambodia sounds AMAZING. i'm jealous! :)
ReplyDeleteCambodia is amazing...I see it in your future, Jackie!
ReplyDelete