My asian trip - mon voyage en asie - blog

 
 

vendredi 6 novembre 2009

Cambodia- temples of Angkor - Angkor Wat

Most visited monument of Cambodia, Angkor Wat has become the emblem of the country. It is represented on the Cambodian flag. To get there, you have to go to Siem Reap, the nearest city. There are several types of passes to visit the temples including a pass 3 days ($ 60 at the time).
Then to move from temple to temple, there are several possibilities, the most comfortable I think is the taxi. For an average of 30 dollar per day, it takes you from morning to evening everywhere you want.

The main temple - Wat Anghkor
Angkor Wat - the temple - cambodia
Temple of Angkor - Buddhist monk
Bas reliefs
Temple of Angkor - cambodia
Angkor's temple - cambodia - walls

Siem Reap and Angkor

I can not say that I saw what Cambodia is during my short trip there in 2007. I only stayed there 3 days and I've been in Siem Reap to visit the temples of Angkor. But I keep a wonderful memory of this days. I really advice you to not just visit the main temple. There are about twenty temples in the area and all worth visiting.
They are in the midst of nature, sometimes really in the forest with trees that are trying to find a way among the stones. There is something peacefull, calm in this place. As soon as you visit the other temples than Angkor Wat, there are often only few tourists. Most tour operators only propose the main temple and sometimes a Banteay Srei visit. The roads to the orange earth, nature, temples, the kind of people ... I look forward to being back in Cambodia in a less touristic mode.

Cambodia - nature - road - Angkor

Counting in thai

Counting in Thaï is fairly simple to learn !
No, it's true, the principle is very simple. Just learn the numbers 1 to 10 and then say 20, 100, 1000, 10 000, 100, 000 and one million and from there, you know how to count in thaï language. After that it is just a set of additions or multiplications. Either you multiply by a figure that is set before either you add a figure that is behind. For instance 13 is said ten-three (10 +3 somehow), 30 is said three-dix (3 x 10) ect ...

Count from 1 to 10:
1 nuung
2 song
3 saam
4 sii
5 ha
6 hok
7 jet
8 bpéét
9 gaao
10 sip

Les nombres à connaitre :
20 yii sip
100 roï
1000 pan
10 000 muun
100 000 sèèn
1 000 000 laan


Compter en thailandais

My first conversation

Well as in all languages what we first seek to know how to say is the usual platitudes. Saying hello, asking the other how it goes, what's his name, also giving our surname so here is how you deal with that in thaï language for a conversation between me (yes, I am egocentric and then?) and women :

- Sawatdi krap
Hello

- Sawatdi. Sabaïdi maï kha.
Hello. how are you?

- Sabaidi. Khun la krap
I'm fine ! And you?

- Sabaidi. Di chan chue Lia. Khun chue a-raï kha?
I'm fine. My name is Lia. And you, what's your name?

- Pom Chue Michael. Pom bpen kon farangséet
My name is Michael. I am French.

Well, this is a start. If you get understood it is well!

Visa and vaccination

For Thailand, we can get a free visa at Bangkok's airport. These will be a tourist visa for a period of 30 days. Visa that can be extended at the Office of Immigration Bureau in Bangkok but if you stay more than 30 days, I suggest you apply for a visa before leaving your country for peace of mind ( it seems that certain airlines may refuse your boarding if your return ticket is beyond 30 days, there are rumors about this on Gulf Air). Note that if you go to Thailand by land, you will get a visa than 15 days (against 30 days by air), it is a recent disposition to discourage multiple outflows and inflows in the territory dating from June 2009. Since that date the 60 days visa is also free.
For Vietnam, I you really should do it before. Of countries that I'm going through, it is the one that is more complicated and for which delays are longer. Of course, you can also make your visa from a neighboring country but my advice, deal with it before leaving. There are certain travel agencies that offer visas for Vioetnam in Thailand and inflate the price significantly.
Cambodia Visa is simple to obtain at your entry into the country, just prepare 2 passport photos and about $ 25.
Otherwise regarding the vaccinations, are strongly recommended the typhoid and hepatitis A vaccination and to a lower extent the one against Japanese encephalitis. Depending on the zones you will cross the risk of malaria or dengue fever exists. Therefore it's important to protect yourself against mosquitoes and have an anti-malaria treatment. Anyway see your doctor at least one month before departure (to allow time to make vaccines and boosters).

Thaïland - Bangkok - Buddha of Wat Po