Meiqi Editor’s Note: Speaking of Cambodia, the first thing that comes to mind is Angkor Wat, which is known as Cambodia’s national treasure. This time, the author Donghui (public account: Qiji) will encounter some stories in Angkor Wat and discover What are the surprises?
There are two main tasks when returning to Phnom Penh: getting a visa and withdrawing money. I think there will be problems if these two things are done backwards, as if the bank card will definitely be swallowed if the passport is not with you. I finally turned into Phnom Penh on a bad road. When I saw a bank, I didn't dare to check it out. I went straight to the travel agency.
The travel agency introduced by Sister Juzi is right next to the Chinese Embassy. Although I have only been there once, I found it quickly. It took a few minutes to pick up the passport, and the waiter also gave me Chinese maps of Phnom Penh city and Siem Reap .
Don’t put too much faith in Apple’s own maps or travel guides. I was fooled by wrong landmarks once in Hoi An before. Now that I have the map in hand, I feel more secure.
As mentioned on the Internet, most banks in Cambodia do not support foreign cards. If you leave a city like Phnom Penh and go to a small town or county on the edge, there is no ATM at all. I was in trouble now. I finally found an ATM without the UnionPay logo, so I tried it. Fortunately, the machine displayed a string of English words and refunded the card to me, otherwise the "labor and management" would have broken your heart. I won’t be a guinea pig after that. It’s very troublesome to have my card swallowed abroad.
returned to the street and once again searched aimlessly with Tutu. The sun was very bright, and Tutu, who usually talked so much, had taken a break. I turned around and finally saw an ATM with "UnionPay". I put the card in and was shocked. It blatantly told me that it would charge a service fee of $4. At that time, I thought it was important to withdraw money and pressed confirm. Let me go, 4 knives is equivalent to about 28 yuan. Even if I insert the card to check my balance and play, it will still be deducted. This is so unreasonable.
I pressed it quickly without daring to be in a daze, because when I was withdrawing money in China, I had a brain cramp. After I stood in front of the ATM and put the card in, I started thinking about my mother. After thinking about it, I started thinking about my bicycle. I was just in a daze. It was swallowed. Only then did I realize that if you leave your card in the ATM and don't use it for a long time, it will eject the card first, and then if you don't use it again, it will swallow the card.
Although you have to look around a lot to withdraw money abroad, the speed is still good. I withdrew 40 knives, and after spending 30 knives on the visa, I had no money to buy Angkor tickets. Tickets for this world cultural heritage are very expensive, $20 for one day, $40 for three days, and $60 for seven days. If I ride there and spend the 40 dollars, I will have to find a way to get in. (This is totally a joke. Didn’t you know that there are many minefields in Cambodia? You accidentally helped others clear mines! By the way, the landmines in Angkor were planted by invaders during the war, not by locals to prevent fare evasion. . The local people are still deeply poisoned by the minefield!)
I left Phnom Penh in the afternoon and entered the bad road of Angkor. The dust and rocks can blind my eyes, and the sun uses all its internal power to make me sweat. It felt so good now. I just wiped my face and there was mud on my hands. I thought the dust and sweat on my face were working hard to create a mask for me.
To the town of Porekmé (60 kilometers)
Is there visibility on this road? Ever since I plunged into the dust and mist, I have not differentiated between east, west, north and south. The red soil on the road has covered my body with several layers of cassocks, but it is still flying all over the sky unsatisfied. Brother Fu's words rang in my ears again, "The road to Angkor is under heavy construction and it is very difficult to walk. Be sure to pay attention to safety!"
Looking at the map, a netizen told me yesterday that the bamboo carriage in Battambang is very interesting and I should go there have a look. I turned around like an idiot and decided to turn south onto Highway 1 and then go north to Battambang, taking a long detour to Siem Reap. Afterwards, I felt more and more that this decision was great. After leaving the gray road full of red soil, I saw the cross-river bridge built by China for Cambodia. This bridge is better than the ones I have seen in the United States, Japan, and South Korea. The bridges built with Cambodia’s aid must be spectacular! Standing on the bridge and watching the boats rushing by under the bridge, I felt a small sense of pride in my heart.
On Highway 1, I saw the little monks who were alms all the way. They were holding a small container in their arms and stepping on the hot floor with their bare feet (the ones I saw before were wearing simple straw sandals). When someone on the roadside is willing to give them some food, the monks will read a scripture for the donor seriously. At this time, the donor puts his hands together and lowers his head, accepting the sacred ceremony. There are often some children behind the young monks, carrying multi-layered lunch boxes. I don’t know if this means that part of the vegetarian food cooked by the monks will be given to the children, or if the children are entering the practice before the monks.
I have read in a book that Laos is mostly made up of mountains. The customs and customs there have become more primitive because of the inconvenient transportation. Buddhism is also the main religion. There are many temples and schools in Laos. connected together. In fact, this kind of scene is very common in Cambodia. The monks going to beg for alms is just like the description in the book. This shows that many travelers focus on Angkor during their travels in Cambodia!
The most enjoyable thing is riding in the evening in Cambodia every day. I won’t block its head with a hat during the journey. It likes to face the wind and blow the setting sun below the horizon. The dusk sky is always stunningly beautiful. If I choose one scenery to represent from the cycling in Southeast Asia, Vietnam I would choose the seaside, and Cambodia I would choose the sky. Because I saw a large swath of flaming clouds, stunning colorful clouds, and a very big sunrise... After riding a bicycle for so long, I discovered for the first time that the sky is so moving in a pure and quiet country!
Prekme Town ~ Bodhisattva City (110 kilometers)
The sun is shining brightly, and it has not rained for three consecutive days in the rainy season in Cambodia. From time to time, a few large dark clouds would come up in the sky and cover the sun's face, but they would not fall down, making the air stuffy and uncomfortable.
Tutu and I were both too hot, but Tutu had magical body protection, so he didn’t sweat even on hot days, so I worked very hard to let out his sweat. When you see a gas station, do you often hesitate to go in and take a shower? After riding for a while, if a "good Samaritan" takes the bike home and collects it outside the lock, should I hike again?
Evening is still the most enjoyable moment. The wind blows gently and the sun in the sky turns red. I am reluctant to stop, so I ride until very late again.
Bodhisattva City ~ Battambang (110 kilometers)
There is a legendary bamboo train in Battambang. Before the journey is over, I am so happy that I slap my thighs behind the train. I was also imagining in my head whether the bamboo train would surprise me like the crazy house in Dalat, Vietnam. The huge bamboo festival turned into a train by opening a window and adding a door?
Despite the sun, we arrived at Battambang quickly. The roundabout where Highway 1 intersects with the city has a huge sculpture of the patron saint, which is very spectacular. But the last 1 kilometer after turning to the bamboo train turned directly into a gravel road. Tutu patted my head from behind the car and asked if I was riding the wrong way. I said the scenic spot sign was right there, how could I be riding the wrong way?
was a little disappointed when I saw the bamboo train with my own eyes. It is actually just made of bamboo boards, and two pairs of wheels and an engine are added to make it a simple train. Did this invention play a big role in Cambodia? Did it at least solve the transportation problem on this section of the road? I don’t even know, but it’s great that this weird train can continue to exist, allowing adults to feel childlike or temporarily travel to an older era.
I didn’t have money to sit on the train, so I jumped on the train on the way. Fortunately, it didn’t buy a ticket and the administrator didn’t scold it. It just laughed. On the way, it ran around curiously. Maybe it just loves it. Archaeological giraffe.
But Tutu was very unhappy when he said he was a giraffe! When I saw a rather special temple on the side of the road in the afternoon, I immediately followed it. The gate of the temple looks like a Khmer smile, which is more spectacular than the temples I have seen before. Moreover, there is also a primary school inside the temple, and there are many children.
When Tutu saw a tiger, he jumped on it, because I told Tutu before that Sun Wukong killed a tiger and made a durable apron with tiger skin. Tutu still remembered that it was on the tiger's back, staring at it with bright eyes, trying to kill him with his eyes. The children gathered around him, looking forward to the story of hunting tigers on the road.
I still can’t understand many of the sculptures in the temple. I have very little exposure to Buddhism and don’t know much about the history of Cambodia. I can only look at them first and think about them first, and then learn from books when I go back. Of course, Tutu didn't need to know anything. When he saw the tiger ignored him, he ran to other small animals and couldn't pull it off no matter how hard he pulled it.
html Route 96 to Siem Reap (130 kilometers)
As soon as I turned onto Route 6, a German cyclist chased me from behind. His speed was so fast that I felt it would be difficult to catch up with him without adding two transmitters on the back of the car. Tutu seemed a little nervous after I accelerated. He shrank his hooves in fear behind the violently shaking bicycle, and then began to curse at me in animal language: "#$*%$!?$@# *〈/*〉! "I obviously didn't understand it at all, but I still felt good about myself and rode fast. After a while, the German guy came to greet me on the side of the road, shaking a drink in his hand. It felt great.
chatted for a short while under such a big sun, but after we got on the road, it showed a one-sided trend. I couldn't see his shadow at all! God may think this competition is unfair. He didn’t give me a Trek. He could have given me a road car, but my vegetable cart is the ultimate antique with a small plate and enlarged circles, a must-have push when going uphill, and a footbrake when going downhill. car, so there was a large dark cloud floating next to such a big sun, and by the way, there were also a few lightning bolts! Tutu jumped up directly behind the car. He patted my head left and right with his front hooves and said in standard Mandarin: "You are still riding in such a heavy rain. It's a sign of your fate!" I rushed to the side of the road. I went to a villager’s home and found out that the German guy was also here.
The villagers of this family are very friendly, and their children are also very cute. We all used body language to express our gratitude and blessings. Even though the thunder outside seemed to be about to tear down the sky, everything was safe and sound in our homes.
Heavy rain in Cambodia doesn’t last long. In just half an hour, the sun came out again. It was so dark just now that people felt like they couldn't see the sun tomorrow! Such a strong wind seemed to knock off the roof, and now it was such a strong sun!
After saying goodbye and leaving, marten asked me where I would sleep tonight. I showed him the tent picture on my phone and said, "Anywhere is OK!" marten actually nodded and said, "Me too!"
After riding for a while, The sky gradually darkened, and the nearest hostel on my phone was also 30 kilometers away. After I told Marten about this, he also felt that it was unrealistic to ride there tonight, so he started asking people around him for help. "Anybody can speak English?" After searching around, a guy finally came over and asked while passing by.
sarann is an ordinary resident of this village. I pointed at the map and asked if I could go to a nearby elementary school to stay for a night. We could sleep outdoors and have a place to block the heavy rain. After talking for a long time, Sarann took us to his home! Marten happily made a victory gesture, so we really got a free sofa here!
Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom
The ultimate goal of coming to Southeast Asia is now in front of me. I was thinking at home before, whether it would be a pity not to visit such a mysterious Angkor in this life, so I casually browsed on the Internet. The flight tickets, group tours, etc. turned out to be too fast, and at such a price I should be able to ride here.
So I booked it without much struggle and went to Angkor by bike. The journey started soon after it was said to be long, and it seemed like I rode to the end in an instant. The large number of stories in the process passed through my mind for a while, and I arrived safely. What about the motorcycle gangs and the drug triangle? , guns are sold casually, I have never encountered them, petty theft does occur, as long as people are safe.
A friend recommended me a hotel with a bed for only 3 US dollars. Later I thought about it, a room always restricts a person's freedom. Staying in a comfortable environment would make me waste time and not want to come out, so I didn't book it, but rode to a hotel. Go to a temple primary school, pat the children there, and then find a shady place to read.
You have to buy tickets for Angkor after 5 pm. You can see the sunset in the city that day, and then you have a 3-day free tour route. The almighty Taobao only provides related services after buying tickets, such as chartering a car and asking a tour guide to show you the way, which are all good, but I don't need it.
I looked through my wallet and suddenly made a calculation. If I bought the ticket, would I eat tree bark or eat ants after entering Laos? So I did a small job online, taking pictures and writing words for my friends. I saved some points, and the road ahead will still be one step at a time. There are always more methods than difficulties.
Looking for unknown history, I cycled around the mysterious Angkor Thom. Tutu asked me why I wanted to come here, and I said I forgot. I felt like I didn’t regret coming here. Tu Tu turned sideways behind the car. Maybe he was not satisfied with the answer. He should say that Angkor is one of the four wonders of the East, but its construction led to the decline of the country. But I don’t understand this history, and I have never been able to figure out which temple is called what.
Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom were popularized by famous movies such as "Tomb Raider" and "In the Mood for Love", which attracted people from all over the world to notice this place. The suffering Cambodian people also got an extra tourist opportunity. Occupations, large and small entertainment venues, and hotels have been well developed in Siem Reap. With the help of friends, Tutu and I found a bed for US$2 a day.
Tutu jumped directly to the checkout counter, patted the table and said: "Give the employees a presidential suite with a balcony, bathtub and swimming pool..." Before he could finish, I pulled Tutu down and said, "The cheapest price. "Yes, you don't have to pay for this guy to stay in the hotel. I'll share a bed with him." So Tutu kicked the bed every day for the past few nights. He wanted to scare me so much that I couldn't sleep by telling ghost stories, but in fact Tutu kicked me. Tu's ghost story is very interesting, and I fell asleep easily while listening to it.
Youth hostels with multiple rooms usually have mixed rooms. I was on the upper bunk of a two-story bed, and the French beauty Aislie was sleeping on the lower bunk. She seemed very well-behaved, but when she introduced herself, I heard "Aisley" as "I love you to death." Aisley smiled, said her name was "Aisley", and then just asked me Just a name. Of course, she mainly chatted with Tutu because she wanted to hug him. Tutu was a shameless man and would be happy to be hugged by anyone. Even when no one was paying attention, he would stick out his tongue and roll his eyes at me, so no matter what At what time, I couldn’t take a picture of Tutu’s sinful face!
Although the dormitory room did not have air conditioning, a single fan, and a shared bathroom, it felt like I was back at school, waiting for the bathroom and chatting. The foreign guy in the next bed rarely talks. He often sleeps during the day and sees no one at night. Westerners love parties so much, and this place is perfect for them.
And I decided to watch the sunrise at Angkor with Brother Shi. He rented a bicycle the day before yesterday. We need to get up at 4:30 in the morning and ride to Angkor Wat before 6:00.
Here I would like to introduce Brother Shi. Last year, I rode to Karamay Devil City in Xinjiang. When I was selling postcards at the entrance of the scenic spot, I met a few backpackers and hitchhikers. Brother Shi was inside! Without any arrangements, I found out on QQ the day after I rode to Siem Reap, Cambodia, that Brother Shi had just arrived in Siem Reap! And he found a bed for 2 US dollars, which is equivalent to about 13 yuan in RMB. There is a strange person who lives in a bed for 1 US dollar. I really want to know where it is! No matter what, yesterday when I set up a tent in Siem Reap, I encountered policemen patrolling with guns. I guess I’ll be in trouble if I continue to set up a tent, so just stay in a hotel! Moreover, it is very happy to have a Chinese friend to play with and be able to talk and brag.
The following is the extra story "Patrolmen with Guns"
I rode a bicycle back to Siem Reap in the night market. Everyone greeted me with hi and hello. Eating at a food stall must be very expensive. I don't like drinking at all. Occasionally, I would have a few drinks with an enthusiastic foreigner who struck up a conversation with me. Drinking is very dangerous.
impatiently went to buy dry bread and water to get away from the bustling world. I heard that there would be robberies on the dark road, but I liked the quiet feeling. If there weren't so many ant brothers on the roadside, I would just sleep.
I rode very late before finding a good place. If there was a roof to protect me from the rain, I hoped it would rain heavily to cool down Siem Reap. I quickly took care of everything in the dark, lay down and fell asleep. There are still ants, they are so common in Southeast Asia that sometimes they bite so hard that you want to eat them. But I'm thick-skinned, so I just swept away and fell asleep.
I don’t know what time it was, but there was someone knocking on the tent outside and scanning the flashlight casually in his hand. He probably suspected that I was some kind of terrorist because he had a gun in his hand. As long as it didn’t go off, I thought I would be fine. I quickly got out of the tent and said something like staying for one night in English. But they obviously didn't understand English, let alone Chinese. They all just said "No!" and repeated it several times. They probably also knew that there was strength in numbers, so they put away their guns when they saw me alone, but kept saying "No" until I left. What time is it? Are they on night shift?
I rode back into the dark night. Originally, I thought that meeting such a weird policeman and being pointed at a gun would scare me to the point of lying down, but when I left, I said with a smile, "Can I?" After taking a photo together, I thought how could my life be so long? And maybe they really don't understand English, so they still say: "No". So don’t set up a tent to sleep in Angkor Wat (=￣ ρ￣=) ..zzZZ
