Angkor's Charm
MY good friend Bruce's dad visited Singapore in May 2007, an annual ritual to celebrate Bruce's birthday year in year out. This time father and son decided to check Angkor Wat in Siam Reap, Cambodia--which I have longed to see for myself for many years now--so I jumped at the chance to join them just for one weekend. Indeed, it was all worth the wait!
Backgrounder: Angkor Wat (or "City Temple" in the Khmer language), a World Heritage Site, was built for King Suryavarman II in early 1100s both as capital city and state temple. The only temple to remain a major religious center since its foundation--"initially Hindu (dedicated to Vishnu) then Buddhist"--it is the epitome of classical style Khmer architecture, becoming a symbol of Cambodia, even appearing on its national flag.
The subsequent narrative is based on my personal experience in Angkor Wat. Its intention is not to incite malice or stereotyping or over-dramatization--just a straightforward account of an unfortunate encounter with a very small segment of the Cambodian society. You can choose to use it as a lesson or warning, but please do not take it as a general description of the Cambodian people. They, are in fact, a friendly, warm and gentle people--a rarity in rapidly changing Asia.
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Harassed by a Child
They're your regular touts except that they're younger, from 8 to 14 years old.
I am only excited about getting inside Angkor Wat. I want to get there fast, maybe check out the nooks and crannies of this exquisite monument normal guided tourists don't see. I say to one of the touts, "Maybe later."
To them, apparently, this constitutes a promise. After an hour or two on foot inside the temples, I proceed to my rented car, dying to go back to my hotel and a nice comfortable bar for an ice-cold beer.
Inside my rented car I can still hear the child saying, "Liar! Liar! Liar! Your mother is a *****!"
Lesson learned: Don't say "Maybe" when you mean, "No, not really."
YOU: You are only excited about getting inside Angkor Wat. You want to get there fast, maybe check out the nooks and crannies of this exquisite monument normal guided tourists don't see. You tell one of the touts, "Maybe later."
WAR: To them, this constitutes a promise. After an hour or two on foot inside the temples, you proceed to your rented car, dying to go back to your hotel or a nice comfortable bar for an ice-cold beer perhaps. The tout suddenly appears out of nowhere, shoving back in your face the goods you said "Maybe later" to. You said you're not buying, that you have a similar book or you've seen the place yourself and you don't need the book, and so on and so forth. The tout "reminds" you of your "promise." You say you said maybe. The tout says, "Maybe is a promise!" You stand firm on your decision, not to be outwitted or coerced or intimidated by a tout. "Sorry, I'm not buying," you said in all finality.
Inside your rented car you can still hear the tout saying, "Liar! Liar! Liar! Your mother is a *****!" Fuming mad, then shaking your head in disbelief, you drive off.
Lesson learned: Don't say "Maybe" when you mean, "No, not really." WELCOME TO ANGKOR WAT!
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