Andy's Cambodia: www.andybrouwer.co.uk

Back home

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:05:00 +0000

Now and myself, this morning, courtesy of Eric d Vries

Sunday night update: I'm back in Phnom Penh, caught the Mekong Express at midday from Siem Reap and it was comfortable, on-time and a much better option than Paramount. Believe me. Popped into 4Faces early this morning to say goodbye to Now and the rest of the de Vries crew, namely Pheap, Lida, Srey Pich and Leak. Yesterday afternoon, following my last update, was spent with Now at Angkor including my first visit to the top level of Angkor Wat since it's been reopened to the public. I also went to see the work in progress at the Baphuon but just my luck, access to the temple is not possible at the weekend so I wasn't able to view, up close and personal, the work the restoration teams have so far accomplished. More later.

Lunchtime update

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:56:00 +0000

It's lunchtime Saturday and with my pc having lots of problems connecting to wireless in various places I've popped into an internet cafe to fire off an update, whilst I'm in Siem Reap. I intended to get out to Kompong Phluk for the morning but a $16/per boat price and the local mafia who have taken over access to the village put me off (and pissed me off), so instead Now and myself just pottered around the countryside between Roluos and Siem Reap, stopping off where the fancy took us including a pagoda, which the locals called Wat Prin in Chreav district and where there was a mound of laterite building blocks that was obviously the site of an old temple/prasat. I uncovered a partial lintel from the rubble as well as a small pedestal, an antefix and other bits and pieces. Nothing earth-shattering but a nice unexpected find nonetheless. This afternoon I'm heading into Angkor for a few things that are on my to-do list. Yesterday was my hotel day, with visits to about ten hotels, meeting the sales managers and a couple of hotel inspections rolled into one. Those very nice people at Hotel de la Paix, Christian and Marpha, treated me to a very pleasant lunch. It's hot and humid, the cool spell of a few days ago has disappeared, and though I can see hordes of tourists around the place, everyone is telling me numbers are down and the high season isn't as high as everyone had hoped. Apologies for the paucity of posts but I always seem to have internet connection problems when I visit Siem Reap, and this trip is no different. Grrrr.

Shaking all over

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:05:00 +0000

If you want to do the bus trip between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap then don't choose Paramount Angkor Express, as their bus that carried me between the two, leaving the capital at 6pm, was one of the most uncomfortable I've ever been on. And believe me I've been on some crap buses. I got into their Siem Reap bus park, in a sidestreet off the main bus depot at midnight after being shaken, stirred and whatever else for six hours. I thought the bus was going to fall apart with everything including seats, windows, tv, etc, shaking violently for the whole trip. We stopped for 30 minutes to pick up a group of twenty backpackers at Skun which provided some momentary relief but the bone-shaking soon continued as we raced through the countryside to our final destination. The fare was $10 (I got mine for $6) and it ain't worth the money. Spend a few dollars more and take the Mekong Express at a more acceptable departure time. Thanks to my pal Kim Rieng I had a lift to my hotel for the night, the Royal Bay Inn, which has a very pleasant breakfast setting around the pool and gardens. I'm in the office today with lots of people to meet. Tomorrow is hotel day with visits to about fifteen hotels on the cards. Saturday I hope to get out and visit a few other places of interest.

Stop press

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:44:00 +0000

I'm off to Siem Reap this afternoon on the late bus, so posts could be a bit sporadic over the next few days. I'll try my best but I don't get up to Siem Reap as much as I would like hence I have a full diary of people to see, and things to do. One of them will be to pop into Shadow of Angkor GH and see my pal Kim, who is over for a brief holiday with her family, before she returns to Australia to complete her studies. I'm scheduled to do some staff training, interviews, hotel visits and if I get the chance, I want to pay a return visit to the very top level of Angkor Wat, for the 1st time in quite a few years. I've missed climbing those stairs and hoping that I don't slip and break my neck.

Book review - Match Fixer

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:40:00 +0000

Yes I know its a football-related post but it's also a book-related post, so I've posted it here too. If you have any interest in Asian football at all, you must get a copy of Neil Humphrey's debut novel, Match Fixer. Even if you can't stand football - yes there are some people like that out there - but fancy a really good read immersed in the exotic Far East then Match Fixer will provide that too. Just treat the football as incidental. Humphrey's has lived in Singapore, has worked in sports journalism and has put the two together to produce a riveting read, which will be on sale at Monument Books on Norodom Boulevard next week.
I thought that the best person to review Match Fixer would be someone who has played football in Australia and Singapore (as the lead character in the book did), who's worked in the media and who knows Asian football inside out. Step forward Scott O'Donell, the national football team coach of Cambodia, who kindly penned the following review after reading through Humphrey's new novel:

Match Fixer by Neil Hunphreys

Neil Humphrey’s has taken me back in time with his latest offering, Match Fixer.

Having played and coached in Singapore, Match Fixer was something that I could obviously relate to. Humphrey’s intimate knowledge of Singapore and in particular the S-League, is an entertaining and somewhat disconcerting view of life as a professional footballer through the eyes of failed West Ham Reserve team player Chris Osborne.

Having failed to make the grade at West Ham, Osborne ended up in Singapore via Australia to ply his trade in one of South East Asia’s newest football leagues. While enjoying success and being the new superstar of the S-League, Osborne gets entwined in a complex web of drugs, karaoke lounges and bookies.

It was his presence at a party of a well known foreign publisher that he found himself caught in a situation that proved very difficult to get out of. As you will discover, his honesty and unwillingness to co-operate with the bookies very nearly cost him his career.

The characters in Match Fixer are people all of us who have been involved in football anywhere in the world can relate to: Danny Spearman, the failed ex-pro from UK, Billy Addis, the expat journalist and Yati, the beautiful Sarong Party Girl. All of whom contribute to this fascinating tale of football and Singapore’s underworld.

While this piece of fiction is a must read for anyone looking for an entertaining and fascinating novel, anyone who has been involved in football in South East Asia whether as a spectator, a player or a coach will be able to relate to it.

Scott O'Donell

Frommer's faves

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:40:00 +0000

Guidebooks about Cambodia are on the increase. The latest version of the Lonely Planet guide has been sent off to the publishers so should be out in a few months. Brand new guides by National Geographic Traveler, Moon and Frommer's are already out according to the publisher's blurb, though so far my requests for review copies have fallen on rocky ground. Instead, all I can do is give you a taster from their own websites. Ah, there's a problem there as only Frommer's Cambodia and Laos, by Bangkok-based Daniel White, 352-pages and published this month, has anything worthy of mentioning. Frommer's have gone for the traditional 'best of' with 10 Favourite Cambodian Experiences to chew on, best small towns and best restaurants, amongst others. For the small towns they recommended Battambang, Kompong Chhnang and Kampot. For the best restaurants they've selected Frizz, Khmer Surin and Angkor Palm. Hmmm. Anyone who has spent time in Cambodia will have their own favourites of course, me included, but for the time being here are the top 10 fave experiences according to Frommer's author Daniel White:

Contemplating the Bayon
Dancing the Ramvong
Enjoying fresh coffee and baguettes by the Tonle Sap
Haggling in the market
Dolphin spotting on the Mekong
Savoring Kep crab in Kampot pepper
Biking the Cardamoms
Boating up the Sangker River after the rains
Taking in an Apsara dance show
Taking a spin through the rice paddies around Battambang.

Anyone want to throw their personal favourites into the ring?

and of course, coming to a bookstore near you soon, or get it online

Sambath doubles up in print

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:54:00 +0000

With his documentary, Enemies of the People, which he made with Rob Lemkin, earning itself a heap of press coverage around the globe in recent months, Thet Sambath (right), a reporter with the Phnom Penh Post, will also tell his story in a new book, Behind the Killing Fields: A Khmer Rouge Leader and One of His Victims, that will be published by Pennsylvania Press midway through this year. Co-authored with Wall Street Journal reporter Gina Chon, who also used to work for the Cambodia Daily, it will include the story of Nuon Chea, who Sambath interviewed for over 1,000 hours in the course of his film, and book. Plans are underway to show the film in Phnom Penh sometime in the near future. Link: Film.

New entry fee

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:10:00 +0000

The new $5 entrance ticket for Preah Khan

I realise this information will be useful to a mere handful of adventurous travellers but be prepared to pay an official entry fee of $5 next time you go to the remote temple of Preah Khan of Kompong Svay (also known as Prasat Bakan). Instead of a few thousand riel to the policeman who was guaranteed to appear at some stage during your visit, he'll be on the main gate now, will give you a ticket (see above) in exchange for your five dollars. It's the same fee for Beng Mealea and Banteay Chhmar whilst Koh Ker will cost you a whopping $10. Preah Khan is still the 'hardest to get to' of the main Angkorean temple sites around the country and remains off-limits during the rainy season. There's no accommodation anywhere close by except in a villager's house in the village of Ta Seng. For a taste of the adventure that is Preah Khan, read about my trip there in January 2003 here.

The more popular Beng Mealea also costs $5 to get in

Luxury cruising

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:21:00 +0000

In dock in Phnom Penh, The Jayavarman cruise ship

The Jayavarman luxury cruise ship was in port today so I decided on a visit to give it the once over in comparison to the other cruise ships on offer between Saigon and Phnom Penh and beyond. It compares very favourably with the larger RV La Marguerite, which plies the same route and which has 46 cabins compared to the Jayavarman's 26, which includes two state rooms. Named after the great Khmer king of the 12th century, each of its cabin has a balcony, good cabin space, nice sized bathrooms, air-con and all mod cons, except tv's. The public areas are equally spacious and breezy, with restaurants and bars and a spa. I've seen both boats up close and had a good feeling about the Jayavarman, I liked the decor though maybe its the name that resonates with me (yes, I'm easily pleased). Most of the staff are Khmer and the boat has been operational since the back end of last year. They plan to add a jacuzzi pool next season, the Marguerite already has a substantial whirlpool, which will be a welcome addition. Most of the clientele to-date have been Americans, Aussies or German/Swiss. Cruises are not a cheap way to see a country but for some, they are the only way to go.

The Bao Dai suite stateroom, one of two suites on-board

A view of the deluxe stateroom aboard the Jayavarman

Each room has its own balcony to enjoy the view and eat breakfast

The Henry Mouhot Lounge on-board The Jayavarman

Musing on a Monday morning

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:20:00 +0000

I've been a bit light on posts this weekend with the Cambodian football cup final taking precedence, more of which you can read about on my football-only blog here. I forgot to attend the book launch at FCC of Carrying Cambodia last night too, but that's unfortunately something that comes with the territory as I get older, I forget a lot of things. It's a public holiday today, to celebrate International Women's Day when the spotlight will be deservedly turned onto the women in Cambodia. That spotlight gets turned on all too infrequently in my opinion. It's the women of Cambodia who do all the work around here, lest we forget. This week may be extra busy as I'm planning on a few days in Siem Reap but nothing's confirmed as yet. More as it happens. I'm meeting a student from the UK at lunchtime who's over here working on her PhD on the arts scene in Cambodia. Not sure how much useful information I can provide but we'll see. I also want to get out this afternoon and visit the Jayavarman cruise ship which should be in dock, as its a new cruise boat operating the Saigon-Siem Reap route. On paper it looks like a tip-top cruiser. Update: Just back from a visit to the Jayavarman and it definitely is a very nice cruise ship. It's the best I've seen of the boats doing the Saigon to Phnom Penh/Siem Reap route. It's been operating since the back end of last year, bookings are in great shape and I can see why. It's a stylish vessel and the rooms are a good size, lovely decoration, big bathrooms and substantial deck and relaxation areas. It should have a jacuzzi pool next high season, which will just about round it off nicely.

Remembering Koh Ker

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 02:02:00 +0000

Okay, I look like a shaggy sheepdog but in my defense I'd just spent 8 hours on a moto

Reading about the project to turn Koh Ker into a world heritage site took me back in time to my first visit to the temple complex in November 2001 with my pal Sokhom and his trusty Daelim moto. It was a wonderful adventure, one of many I've had in the company of Sokhom, and although Koh Ker had yet to reveal many of its treasures that you can see today, I was chuffed to bits to be one of the first visitors to get to Koh Ker under our own steam, though it was a gruelling journey, there and back. Here's my story from that first-ever Koh Ker adventure:

The journey by moto along Route 12 from Kompong Thom to Tbeng Meanchey was gruelling and uncomfortable enough but paled by comparison to the 70 kms of road to Koh Ker. However, more of that soon enough. The tenth century royal capital of Koh Ker had been a magnet for me for a long while after Sok Thea, a Khmer friend of mine blazed the trail there just under two years earlier. In a remote and inhospitable corner of Preah Vihear province, for so long under the control of the feared Khmer Rouge and in an area awash with landmines, Sok Thea's stories had whetted my appetite for a similiar adventure and with Sokhom's help, it became a reality. Koh Ker became the centrepiece of the Khmer kingdom in 928 when Jayavarman IV built a series of colossal monuments in a twenty year period of frenzied temple construction. When the capital returned to Angkor, Koh Ker fell into disrepair and has remained isolated and inaccessible ever since. The Koh Ker period of Khmer history is renowned for its architecture and sculpture on a monumental scale and the museum in Phnom Penh has many key pieces on display that prove the point. Recently, the Cambodian government has earmarked the site as a key historical attraction which they plan to develop in a bid to attract foreign tourists, so I was desperately keen to visit the complex before that happens.

After our first night in Tbeng Meanchey at the 27 May guesthouse, Sokhom and I rose early and took the road heading west, after breakfast at a nearby cafe. It was just before 7am and little did I know our eventual destination was nearly eight hours away, although Sokhom had an idea as he'd made the trip once before. We immediately got a foretaste of what was to come as the road surface alternated between heavily rutted and sandy and quickly turned into little more than an ox-cart trail rather than a navigable road, once we'd taken a left turn at the village of Thbal Bek. Parts of the track were underwater and we had to detour into rice fields to avoid some of the flooded stretches. Apart from a couple of ox-carts, we saw very few people until we stopped a motorbike rider for directions. Remarkably, Sokhom knew him as an aid worker with Health Unlimited in Kompong Thom and he told us of the poor state of the road ahead. Three hours into our trek, we arrived at the village of Koulen, at the half-way point, and time for a well-earned rest, while Sokhom brought out his repair kit and tinkered with the engine and suspension. We ate some noodles and quizzed the local policemen about road conditions, safety and other ancient sites in the area. Suitably rested, the track continued in the same vein as before, with the sandy surface making it impossible to drive at anything more than a crawl. The route remained flooded in places and whilst crossing one stream, we lost control of the moto and had to pick it, and ourselves, out of the water. We stopped one of the few ox-carts we encountered, to buy a couple of bunches of bananas, whilst a noticeable feature of the flooded areas was the abundance of brightly-coloured butterflies.

As the trail wound its way through a heavily wooded area, I was relieved that Sokhom had made the trip before as I'm sure we would've got lost. At times, the route ahead was blocked but he somehow found a way forward and kept us on track. The sound of a helicopter overhead suggested some visitors to Koh Ker had decided on the more comfortable travelling option, and who could blame them. My back and bottom were aching and sore, my face was red from the sun and the rest of me covered in dust and dirt. Then, as if sensing my desire to curl up and go to sleep, Sokhom announced we had arrived. Imagine my surprise when he stopped the moto and pointed off to the right, where through the trees I spied a large laterite tower and wall. My tiredness evaporated and my sense of excitement took over as we walked through the light brush towards a hole in the laterite wall surrounding the tower. It was just under eight hours since we'd left Tbeng Meanchey and our arrival at Prasat Neang Khmau, the southernmost temple of the Koh Ker group, was a great relief. The temple itself faces west and is a tall, dark laterite tower inside a walled compound. Through the sandstone doorway with carved colonettes and below a cracked and defaced floral lintel propped up by a large wooden pole, a large pedestal and broken linga litter the inside of the sanctuary. Back on the moto, we covered a kilometre or so to the state temple of the whole Koh Ker complex, Prasat Thom. The eastern gopura entrance was blocked by fallen sandstone columns and vegetation had taken a firm hold around the other sanctuaries and galleries as I quickly made my way through the ruins to catch my first glimpse of the giant sandstone pyramid - the complex's crowning glory.

Keen to organise our overnight accommodation before the sun went down, Sokhom and I made the short hop to the nearby village of Koh Ker and quickly located the village chief, Yuon. He was only too happy to let us stay at his home for the night, so we dropped off our hammocks and water bottles, booked our chicken supper and returned to Prasat Thom to watch the sunset. While Sokhom took the opportunity to wash off the dust and dirt of our trip in one of the royal ponds, I carefully negotiated the rickety wooden ladders that straddled each of the terraced pyramid's seven tiers. The square pyramid is 36 metres high with the steep stairways on the east side ravaged by time and replaced by the wooden ladders to make access to the summit a little easier. From the top, the view over the surrounding forest canopy with the Kulen mountains in the far distance was simply breathtaking, enhanced by the glow of the setting sun in the west. There wasn't a great deal of room at the top, as I sat down next to some broken carvings of lions and elephants and enjoyed the peace and quiet, noticing a column of smoke rising from the village nearby. At the foot of the pyramid, I could just make out Sokhom in the deepening gloom as I cautiously made my way down the ladders to join him and we returned to the village.

At the top of a much smaller ladder, Yuon welcomed us into his two-roomed bamboo home on stilts and introduced us to his wife, five children and brother. As headman of the village, his home is one of the largest in the hamlet and under the slatted verandah, where we hung our hammocks and mozzie nets and an hour later ate supper, was his collection of family animals including two dogs, chickens, pigs and piglets and tied up closeby, two oxen. Yuon's wife served up our supper of chicken, rice and vegetables as we all sat cross-legged in a circle under the naked flame of a lighted torch, with Sokhom translating the conversation. It was just before 8pm when we thanked the family, the flame was extinquished and we climbed into our hammocks. Any thoughts I had of falling asleep were forgotten as the family continued with their chores in complete darkness, a Khmer language radio was switched on and under the house a fire was lit and neighbours stopped to chat. It was another two hours before everyone settled down for the night, leaving the occasional animal sound and the creaking of the bamboo structure as the final sounds I heard before I fell asleep.

Awakened first from my slumber by a crowing cockerel at 3am, two hours later the whole village erupted into a similar morning chorus that signalled the start of the day. Sokhom and I arose and in the glow of a lighted torch - the village had no electricity, or water-pump for that matter - we ate the remainder of the previous night's chicken with the family, thanked them for their hospitality with handshakes and a small payment in riel and paused for photographs. Sokhom's moto had aroused considerable interest as no-one in the village owned one and a farewell party had gathered to wave us off at 7.30am, as we returned to a deserted Prasat Thom for one final look. The early morning dew and fine mist gave the temple an eerie feel as we clambered across the broken entrance gopura and reached the large tower known as Prasat Kraham ('red temple'). Broken statues and pedestals littered the floor of this massive structure and the mist lifted as the rays of the sun pierced the tree cover and highlighted a headless apsara on a doorframe. Dense green vegetation throughout the complex restricted exploration to the main pathways as we ambled past a series of nine small identical brick towers with weather-worn lintels and colonettes in situ, and made our way to the giant terraced pyramid at the rear. The unsteady wooden ladders didn't fill me with sufficient confidence to attempt another ascent of the tower, so we retraced our steps, investigating a few broken lion statues, more lintels and carvings amongst the ruined structures.

Our final visit to Prasat Thom lasted an hour before we headed back out of the complex, past faded 'Danger Mines' signs on our left and the remains of a laterite wall in the wooded undergrowth on our right. I signalled to Sokhom that a wall usually meant a temple, so we parked the moto and went to investigate. The brush was waist-high but not too thick as we traversed the wall and headed for a clump of large trees. A ruined brick gopura with broken carved colonettes signalled the entrance to another temple but the vegetation was simply too dense for us to inspect the large laterite temple any closer without a machete or scythe. Frustrated, we returned to the moto as I checked my map and decided that this must be either Prasat Bak or Prasat Chen, most likely the latter. There are believed to be up to 35 major monuments in the Koh Ker group and we'd only just scratched the surface. Our village friends were unaware of the location of the other structures as much of the land surrounding their village was potentially mined and unsafe even to collect firewood. I'm sure the Koh Ker group has many more delights to offer the adventurous traveller once the mines have been cleared and the land has been made safe and with the government earmarking the site for development, that might be sooner than later. Koh Ker is already attracting a small trickle of visitors, as we were told a group of five motorcyclists had spent a night camping at the main temple the night before we arrived.

The route back to Srayang, where we stopped for running repairs, was as bad as I remembered it. The sandy track, tree roots and stumps posed as many problems as the waterlogged sections but it was a slippery slope that undid Sokhom as he ended up knee-deep in mud and his moto submerged underwater. Fortunately, I managed to jump off the back of the bike at the last moment. We eventually completed the first half of the trip back to Tbeng Meanchey in four hours, with a noodle and petrol stop at Koulen, accompanied by loud music bellowing out from loudspeakers, celebrating a wedding party next door. Three hours later and with my bottom and back in agony, we arrived back in town. Covered in dust, I was grateful for the cold shower I had after booking into the Mlop Trosek guesthouse and the beef and chicken meal at the Mlop Dong restaurant as I reflected with Sokhom, what a wonderful adventure the trip to Koh Ker had been. It was a tough test for the two of us on his moto, my aching bones were testimony to that, but Sokhom had once again come up with the goods when it mattered. I can't speak highly enough of my resourceful friend.

Sokhom (left) and Yuon, holding his son, alongwith family and friends at their home in Koh Ker village

Koh Ker's heritage

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:25:00 +0000

The temple pyramid known as the Prang of Prasat Thom at Koh Ker, when the top was still accessible in 2001

As promised, I've had a longer peek at the annual report of the JAYA Koh Ker Project and it makes very interesting reading. As I said a couple of days ago, the idea is to develop a master plan aimed at putting the Koh Ker complex of temples up for world heritage status. The Hungarians are working in tandem with Apsara on creating this master plan which will see more than just a few temples to visit, with sustainable tourism at the forefront of their thinking and the involvement of the local communities. First things first though, they have to properly demine the whole area, which will take a while. Then they have to consider any urgent steps that are needed to prop up some of the monuments that are currently falling down, complete an inventory of all the temples and other sites of interest in the area - they are still uncovering temples such as Prasat Trapeang Russei which came to light last year - appraise the 66 inscriptions they've found on temple walls and doors and lots more besides.

Koh Ker means 'island of glory' though it was formerly known by the name Chok Gar Gyar ('the koki-tree thicket') and even Lingapura when Jayavarman IV proclaimed himself 'supreme king of the Khmer kings' at Koh Ker in 928. Knowledge of this king's early days are scratchy, but what is known is that he commenced and completed an incredible array of over 40 temples during a frenzied twenty year period before his death in 940 and a return of the royal court to Angkor a few years later. The first man-made creation at Koh Ker was the baray, known as Rahal. The most memorable of the monuments is the Prang of Prasat Thom, a 32 metre high temple-pyramid, the largest ever built, rising over seven levels and originally crowned by a giant linga more than a metre in diameter. The linga disappeared long ago. The prang is no longer accessible by visitors for safety reasons. The five unique temples, some 750 metres east of Prasat Thom, each contained a massive linga on its yoni pedestal, each linga estimated to weigh some fifteen tons, some carved from a single rock. Inscriptions abound at Prasat Krachap, with over a thousand lines of script, a huge statue of Ganesha is known to have been stolen from Prasat Bak after the civil war, Prasat Chen produced the famous monkey brothers statue that is housed at the national museum, whilst Prasat Thom gave up the colossal garuda that stands at the entrance of the capital's museum. The rock carvings at Ang Khna, dotted around the pond known as Trapeang Khna, contain a variety of reliefs depicting deities and animal shapes, including a monitor lizard and a pair of freshwater dugongs. There's a suggestion that these sacred carvings were made by hermits at a later date. One other noteworthy monument is Prasat Andong Kuk, which is the last temple to be built and has been identified as one of the hospitals created by Jayavarman VII and shows that the city was still active as late as the 12th century. There is still so much to uncover about Koh Ker. It still holds many mysteries but the completion of a master plan will set the wheels in motion for those investigations to take place. We await the results with great interest.

This is a 2007 map of Koh Ker's temples from the EFEO

The green type and shapes surrounding the pond of Trapeang Khna denote carved rocks which include lingas and animals

Reggae on film

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:02:00 +0000

A diversion from the norm tonight with a visit to Meta House, soon to move to new premises I might add, to watch a film about reggae. I haven't mentioned the Meta House schedule for this month as there isn't much that grabs my attention (aside from The Tenth Dancer on Sunday 28th) except this 1977 hour-long documentary called Roots Rock Reggae, which begins at 7pm. I was a big reggae fan in the 70s and 80s (I still am), primarily in awe of Steel Pulse, who I saw at Cheltenham Town Hall in 1978 and I was hooked, but also of iconic figures such as Bob Marley, and of course British reggae bands like Aswad, Black Roots and The Natural-Ites. There are many more, too numerous to mention. Most of my reggae collection is on vinyl, housed in cardboard boxes in my spare bedroom. Does anyone have access to a spare vinyl record-player?
Tomorrow and Sunday, I'll be at Olympic Stadium to catch the football. Tomorrow is the 3rd place play-off in the Hun Sen Cup between Naga and Preah Khan, whilst the final will happen on Sunday at 3pm between Phnom Penh Crown and the Army. Come on the boys with the big boots and guns - hopefully not on the pitch of course. And on Sunday night at the FCC, is the book launch for Carrying Cambodia, a new photographic essay on the loads you find being transported along Cambodia's roads. I often see the most ridiculously overloaded motos, trucks and trailers but never seem to have my camera with me to record it. Obviously Conor Wall and Hans Kemp did.

Great gusto

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:32:00 +0000

The Tonle Bassac folk dancers strutting their stuff last night

Last night on an outdoor stage at the National Museum, the performance of Children of the Khmer by the youngsters from the Tonle Bassac Folk Group, supported and funded by the Cambodian Living Arts team, showed exactly why they went down a storm on their Womad and Edinburgh Festival appearances in 2008. Their combination of classical repertoire and engaging traditional folk dances, performed with great gusto and a guest spot from master musician Ieng Sithul, was lapped up by the appreciative audience in this premiere piece of a performance they will open to the public later this month. Towards the end of this year they are aiming to make the show a regular event. Ieng Sithul has trained his young group well, and their repertoire involved a variety of traditional and well-known folk style dances as well as comedy routines, all backed by their own excellent musicians and singers. You can read more about the group's performances in the UK here. You should definitely make the effort to see them perform, they are an inspiration and a great credit to the youth of their country.
Update: The two 'open to the public' upcoming performances from the Tonle Bassac team will take place on the atmospheric National Museum outdoor stage at 7pm on Thursday 25 March and Thursday 1 April. Tickets are priced at $18 per person, call 023 986 032 to book.

The show opened up with some classical Cambodian court dance

Master Ieng Sithul encourages a member of the audience to partake in some leaf whistling

The show was full of vitality and movement in last night's varied programme

The performers take their bow at the end of the National Museum premiere

Getting your juices flowing

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0000

Two forthcoming books from Bangkok-based publishers River Books should get the juices flowing for certain members of the Cambodia-loving fraternity. If you are into ancient temples, then Beyond Angkor will grab you by the lapels and demand your attention, or if you are into the more delicate art of ceramics then a new tome from Dawn Rooney entitled Khmer Ceramics: Beauty and Meaning will be just up your street. Rooney is of course the author of the oft-seen, oft-photocopied guide to the Angkor temples but she is an art historian first and foremost with a particular bent towards ceramics, hence this latest offering. This book will explore in depth the largest and most complete collection of Khmer ceramics in the private collection of Yothin Tharahirunchot. Robert McLeod, an internationally renowned photographer, provides the pictures in this 262 page book due out anytime now. Beyond Angkor has been in gestation for a while. As the title suggests the book will primarily dig deep into the temple sites away from the main Angkor complex to include Preah Vihear, Sambor Prei Kuk, Phnom Da and pretty much everywhere else. Helen Ibbitson Jessup and Ang Choulean will share the author duties with the latter concentrating on ethnography and mythology to give the sites their true significance whilst John Gollings will provide the pictures. With a fair wind, this book should be out and about in the next month or two. But don't hold your breath, as I said it's been hanging about as long as my own To Cambodia With Love!

The future of Koh Ker

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:41:00 +0000

Here I am at Prasat Pram (Koh Ker) a few years ago, just after it had been cleared of landmines

I'm just reading a very interesting report on Koh Ker that is essentially an end of 2009 progress update from the JAYA Koh Ker Project that is investigating all the aspects necessary to be able to get the site in a position to be able to apply for world heritage status. Apsara, who manage the main Angkor park and beyond, are working closely with the Royal Angkor Foundation from Hungary over a 3 year period and a budget of just under $1 million, to prepare a master plan for the complex of temples situated 60kms northeast of the Angkor temples, as the crow flies. Sections of the designated area are still believed to contain mines though the temples that tourists currently visit at Koh Ker are clear and safe. The temples date from the 10th century though the site is considerably larger than at first thought and the temples you see today are just a sample of what is to be found in the locality. Once I've read the report in full, I'll divulge more information though the longer term plan is to not only present visitors with the variety of temples but designate nature trails, boat trips, a botanical garden, a museum, cycling trails, elephant rides and so on. A similar type of sustainable project is also underway at Banteay Chhmar, in the northwest of the country, which will also be put forward for the world heritage stamp of approval sometime in the future.

In the ascendancy

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:48:00 +0000

Okay, so what was supposed to be an occasional series has taken on a life of its own but 'friends' deserve their place in the limelight, although this particular friend of mine, Belle, or Chumvan Sodhachivy or Abelle, as she's variously known, needs no introduction to the spotlight. Her incredible penchant for dance, of all forms and styles, has propelled her to the fore of the new wave of contemporary dance in Cambodia and her star is definitely in the ascendancy. There's no stopping her. I love this picture of her, taken by Anders Jiras during a performance of modern Cambodian theater and the story of Preah Kongkea. My appreciation to Anders for some superb photos of Cambodian dance which you can enjoy here. As for Belle, she'll be off to Hong Kong, Singapore and the United States over the next few months, showcasing her undoubted talents to international audiences far and wide.

Cultural stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:55:00 +0000

There are changes afoot at the National Museum in Phnom Penh. Ms Ou Phalline has taken over as director of the museum from Hab Touch, who has been responsible for many positive changes and improvements at the museum during his long tenure. He has been appointed Director-General in charge of the Department General of Cultural Affairs, which oversees just about everything to do with Khmer art and culture. Find out more at devata.org.

The team from Khmer Arts Ensemble, currently in Northern India

On the subject of culture, whilst the stage at Chaktomuk Theatre has been groaning under the weight of various performance groups during the last two weeks of the national performing arts festival, a small team from Khmer Arts Ensemble has been over in Northern India promoting classical Cambodian dance. 4 dancers and 2 musicians accompanied by manager Chanveasna Chum have been performing since 21 February and until 12 March alongwith 150 other artists from Thailand, Indonesia and the northeastern states of India, entertaining audiences in various cities with traditional dances to showcase the art and culture of each area.
This Thursday at 6.30pm, a music concert featuring the great and the good of Cambodia popular music will take place at Olympic Stadium. It's free, sponsored by Smart Mobile and will host such luminaries as Preap Sovath, Meas Soksophea, Sokun Nisa and a host of other local favourites. Don't say I didn't tell you.

Dance on display

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:29:00 +0000

Belle enjoying her Wat Botum park appearance

The park in front of Wat Botum came alive with dance and dance fans tonight as La rue danse was played out on eight floodlit stages offering a wide range of contemporary dance, hip-hop, juggling, and much more besides. The audience was entertained by the 20+ performers who rotated across the stages in short ten minute bursts to ensure everyone got the chance to see their offering. Judging by the size of the crowds, the applause and murmurs of approval, the show, part of the Dansez Roam! series of events, was a major success. The best known of the performers was Belle and her dance partner Chy Rothana who performed two separate pieces and wowed the crowds with two entertaining contemporary dance sequences, not usually seen by Cambodian audiences. The audience also loved the monkey antics of Phon Sopheap and the younger element enjoyed the kids from Tiny Toones. But it was the variety on offer that made it such an enjoyable event for all.

Belle and her dance Chy Rothana partner perform a flemenco inspired piece as their 2nd offering

In her 1st piece, Belle offered up a robotic or mannequin style dance

One of the few moments that Belle and her partner paused for breath

Hotel Manolis

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:37:00 +0000

A view of the front facade of Hotel Manolis in Post Office square, Phnom Penh

I was looking through some photos from my visit with the Heritage Mission last year to look around some of the colonial French buildings still standing in Phnom Penh when I realised that I hadn't posted a few pictures of the old Hotel Manolis that stands opposite the Post Office and is now home to many families, who've converted the old hotel suites into homes. The Manolis Hotel was constructed in 1910 and looks out onto the Post Office square. It's obviously seen better days and deserves a lick of paint and some tender care, which has already been lavished on the Post Office and the former Bank of Indochina, that is now Van's restaurant. Some of the thirty families that live in the rooms of the former hotel do not have legal papers and face expulsion at any time. The building was also the headquarters of the French colonial Chamber of Commerce at one time. One of the hotel's most famous former guests was Andre Malraux, who spent four months there in 1923 after stealing carvings from the temple of Banteay Srei before getting caught.

The corner portion of the former Hotel Manolis

The faded lettering on the facade of Hotel Manolis

Two of the former hotel's current inhabitants

A kitchen area in one of the family homes

The original floor tiles are still in place

Some of the shuttered windows inside the inner courtyard of the former hotel

The passion of the cup

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:21:00 +0000

This will be the last football report on this blog. I've created a separate football blog - Kingdom of football - where you will find everything of a football nature after today. And what a day to end it on. The Hun Sen Cup final next week will be between Phnom Penh Crown and the National Defense Ministry after those two teams came out on top in today's semi-finals. The Army team had the easier of the semis, beating Preah Khan Reach 1-nil, albeit against the odds and the formbook. However, the real drama of the day came about in the afternoon's first match between Crown and their big rivals, Naga Corp. This match had just about everything you could ask for in a cup tie. Passion, often mistimed, was evident and that was clear at the card card which reached two reds and 14 yellows. The goals count was just as high with Crown taking a 3-nil lead at half-time with a 3-goal splurge in just seven minutes. Naga, who'd threatened a walk-off just before the interval, came back strongly and pulled back the deficit, the game finishing 3- 3 at full-time, with the Naga equaliser coming from the penalty spot with five minutes to go. In extra time they blew the chance of a win by failing from the penalty spot with almost the last kick of the game and that meant a penalty shoot-out. It was 3-3 after the first five spot-kicks and onto sudden death. The drama continued to unfold when Teab Vatanak had to retake his penalty (he'd missed in extra time), which was saved and then Phuong Narong stepped up to fire Crown into the final before bursting into floods of tears. It was time for everyone to draw a huge breath of air. This game was certainly a glorious advert for the good, and bad, of Cambodian football. More later, over at Kingdom of football, after I've had a lie down in a darkened room.

Wrestling

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 06:34:00 +0000

I'm at a crossroads. For a long while I've resisted the urge to separate my daily blog postings from my football-related posts. Afterall they are part of my life here in Cambodia, even if many people switch off and scroll straight past my football output. However, I do understand the anti-football comments I receive and have been wrestling with the decision about whether to separate them for a while now. And I still can't decide (though I'm edging towards a 2nd blog solely for football). We're not yet into the full flow of the Cambodian football season, just a bunch of cup ties before the season starts properly in a few weeks time, so recent reports have been sporadic and usually at the weekends. Tomorrow for example, the Hun Sen Cup semi-finals will take place at Olympic Stadium with Phnom Penh Crown versus Naga and National Defense Ministry meeting Preah Khan Reach. I'll blog the results, as well as write them up for the Phnom Penh Post, and then make a final decision as to whether I should set up a separate football blog. As for the cup finalists, I'm in favour of a Naga versus National Defense final but I have an inkling that Preah Khan will prove too strong for the Army team in the 2nd of tomorrow's semis.

A million dollars

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 02:10:00 +0000

Back to that occasional series of photos of my best friends and today it's the turn of Ara. I love this particular picture as it's from her wedding day a couple of years ago. I've known her for a decade now and on that special day she looked a million dollars, with a regal look that the '60s icon Sophia Loren and her ilk would've been proud of. Ara has worked for a relief and development agency for nearly as long as I've known her and she's recently expanded her family's portfolio to provide catering services. She lives in Phnom Penh with her husband Ly and remains one of my very best pals.

Festival season

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:18:00 +0000

The opening scene, Euphoria, from Seasons of Migration

The national performing arts festival hit the heights with Season of Migration this afternoon, to a healthy-sized audience at Chaktomuk Theatre. This was a rare performance of the Sophiline Cheam Shapiro-choreographed work by her Khmer Arts Ensemble and the four-act show reminded all present that when classical Cambodian court dance is done well, it looks seamless. The all female troupe glided across the stage, so light on their feet, shimmering in their glittery costumes as they brought to life the gods and goddesses who have to adjust to a new existence and surroundings on earth, experiencing culture shock en route. Most of the audience were Khmer, a few barangs heard about it on the grapevine and turned up, as did the television cameras. We simply don't see enough performances of classical dance in Phnom Penh, certainly of this high standard, and it's high time the Ministry of Culture sought ways of bringing more performances into the public domain.

A scene where the divinities are adjusting to their new life on earth

The final act of Seasons of Migration is called Equilibrium

The deliberate movements and gorgeous costumes characterize classical dance

A scene from the final act of the performance

Street performance

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Brouwer) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 02:09:00 +0000

Concluding the recent Dansez Roam! series of events by the CCF, the park surrounding Wat Botum will come alive this Sunday night (28th) from 6.30pm onwards, with over 20 performers, including Belle, who will have to battle for space with the keep-fit aerobic groups that inundate the park at that time. Under the banner of La rue danse, there will be eight dance areas dotted around the park where individuals and small groups of contemporary dancers, hip-hop and traditional performers will strut their stuff. The idea is to bring the dancers closer to the audience, with a projection screen also showing dance images by Anders Jiras. It will be an interesting experiment given that the sound systems that boom out the music which accompanies the keep-fit enthusiasts is usually loud enough to make your ears bleed. Bring ear-plugs. This afternoon (2.30pm), the Khmer Arts Ensemble are performing their very own Seasons of Migration classical dance story at Chaktomuk Theater, as part of the national performing arts festival that's taking place at the venue this week.