Happy Birthday, Manasi!

This one's for Manasi - I love you always and for ever!!

4 Dec 2004 - our precious princess was born - filling our hearts with so much joy!

1st birthday in Paris, France! The Christmas lights were beautiful - seemed like all of Paris was celebrating with us!

2nd birthday, Pune, India. This year we had the big party at Rajwada!

Back in Grenoble, birthday 3 was very low-key. Ajey was travelling, but our dear friends, the Romanos family, made the day very special!

Last birthday in France! We were actually on a plane to Chennai on the 4th, but we had a party for all of Manasi's French classmates before we left!

The princess turns 5!! She insisted that the only party she wanted was at school - American International School, Chennai!

6th birthday party in our Chennai home! We had a magician and face paint and tiaras!! What a wonderful group of friends to party with!

My baby is growing up!! In Peoria for her 7th birthday...

8th birthday - this year in China!

Brought a cake to school, of course - but the real party is on Saturday!

Has it been a year already?? The last single-digit birthday, the 9th!! Much smaller party this year - but the enjoyment was enormous! Bowling, dinner at Casa Zoe and then a sleepover with her 4 besties here in Suzhou!!!

The big 1-0!!! Double digits, baby!! Where have the years gone? Wasn't it just yesterday when I was looking into those beautiful eyes for the first time? The best decade ever - loaded with happiness and love - and the journey is just beginning!!

This one is bittersweet!! 11th birthday, and the last one here in Suzhou!! In an echo of the 4th birthday just before we left France - this year, once again, we will be celebrating in a house without furniture!!! But we're going out with a bang - a theme party - this will be one for the books!! The theme?? - a surprise, of course!!

And here's the 12th - first birthday with new friends in our forever house!! Putting the basement to good use with karaoke and dancing!!












Happy Birthday, Princess, and may you have many, many more!!

Whirlwind tour of Beijing

In many ways, China has always been an enigma - what little is known to the outside world of the Chinese way of life is often grossly misrepresented. In US, the rich and diverse Chinese culture is reduced to Chinese zodiac place mats and fortune cookies found in Chinese restaurants. In India, too, Chinese restaurants flourish, but eating in these restaurants is the closest that most people get to understanding China! Of course, China is opening up a great deal - the Beijing Olympics were almost a kind of unveiling, and the number of tourists visiting is increasing rapidly. Most tour groups to China cover 4 cities - Hongkong, Shanghai, Xi'an and most important - Beijing, home of the Great Wall of China!

So, in the short month that my parents were here, we planned a quick 2 day trip to Beijing. It was to be only three of us - Manasi was going to stay behind with Ajey. A big attraction was the high-speed CRH train to Beijing. Of course, there are slower, cheaper trains available - but who can pass up a ride on one of the world's fastest trains? Almost a 1000 kms from Suzhou to Beijing - a short 5 hour ride on the CRH! Sweet! At almost $170 per head, the tickets are pricey - but, totally worth it - at least once! As we waited on the platform for our train, a couple of trains thundered by - now you see it, now you don't - at 300 kph, the incredible force has to be seen to be believed! The train ride was very comfortable - really missed the food on Indian trains, though! It was a pleasant change to watch the China countryside - paddy farms, and small villages instead of the shiny new China!

After a quick lunch at the Beijing South station, we took the Metro to Tiananmen Square - the very heart of Beijing. The Forbidden City, Mao Zedong's Mausoleum, National Museum of China and the Great Hall of People all flank this enormous area. It is a spectacular sight, designed to impress - and impress it does. Unfortunately, we were on a very tight schedule, and we headed to the Forbidden City without even a walk around the Square! Well, got to save something for the next trip, right?

Tiananmen Gate - Gate of Heavenly Peace

The Forbidden City was built in 1420s during the reign of the Ming Dynasty, and continued to be the Chinese imperial residence until the last Qing emperor abdicated in 1912. It was at the very centre of the old city of Beijing, and is a huge complex - with an area of almost a square km, and over 900 buildings. A day wouldn't be enough to take in all the Palaces and Halls - and we had a mere 2 hours! We rented an audio guide, so we at least knew what we were looking at as we raced by! The names flow like music - Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Central Harmony, Hall of Preserving Harmony, Palace of Heavenly Purity, Palace of Earthly Tranquility, Palace of Tranquil Longevity...

Hall of Supreme Harmony

The Forbidden City is the pinnacle of Chinese traditional architecture - and the marble terraces and bridges, the gilded roofs, the glazed tiles and all the dragons and lions are absolutely wonderful. But this was the home of Emperors!!! The vastness impresses, but I didn't really get a feel for the lavish, luxurious lifestyles of the rulers. Compared to the stately chateaus of the French kings, or even our very own Mughal and Rajput Palaces, the living quarters and the assembly halls came off as decidedly spartan. Of course, we never made it to the Palace Museum - and its entirely possible that all the riches and glories have been moved there - again, something for the next trip!

We then headed to our hotel - conveniently located 5 minutes from the Tiananmen Square. It was good enough for 1 night, but considering that the Beijing Metro is so good, I would definitely recommend staying a little further away in a good hotel. The one we stayed in was an old house in the Imperial City - now converted to a hotel - a total 'Best Marigold Hotel' feel to it! I have to admit I was disappointed when we arrived, but it was clean, the beds were comfortable, and the room had running hot water. As I said, not bad for one night!

Determined to make the most of our short stay, we set off again - from the very old to the very new - Beijing Olympic City! We hit the rush hour for the Beijing Metro, and with 3 transfers, it took us a little longer than expected. Did I mention how great the Beijing Metro is? Wonderful connections - stations exactly where you would want and unlimited transfers for only 2 RMB! And this has to be the first time that I've actually seen people lining up at train doors - even during rush hour! So even with huge crowds, there was no pushing or shoving!

Olympic Green - Bird's Nest Arena

The day had been wonderfully sunny, but in the dusk as we walked towards the Olympic Green, it was cold, cold, cold.  Not a cafe or restaurant to be seen here - the place bears a unkempt, deserted look. I guess the authorities are having a hard time figuring out what to do with this huge space - meanwhile, maintenance probably costs an arm and a leg! That would explain the unreplaced light bulbs, and the for the first time in China, dirty toilets!

Nothing can take away the thrill of watching the Bird's Nest Arena, though! It is absolutely marvellous. Very easy to imagine the hordes of cheering people, the flags and banners, those blazing moments of glory! We walked around the arena, to see if there was a way to get in, but in vain. A quick walk around the Water Cube, and we were ready to head back. Next destination - Wangfujing Street!

Wangfujing street is one of Beijing's most famous shopping streets. It is home to numerous restaurants - of course, the famous Peking duck can be found here! Number of malls and boutiques line the street - again, a wonderful place to spend a day, browsing through the stores, stopping for lunch or coffee! By the time we got off the Metro, we had barely enough energy to stumble into the closest mall and eat at Pizza Hut! One more place to add to the fast-growing list for the next trip to Beijing! Our hotel was a scant 10 minutes away - although I was exhausted, I could barely sleep out of excitement!! Great Wall tomorrow!!!


The hotel had arranged a taxi for us to go to the Great Wall - after much deliberation, it was decided that we should go to Mutianyu and not Badaling. As the receptionist gravely informed me - Badaling is where Chinese people go to see the Wall, and for foreigners, it is best to go to Mutianyu. I didn't really care either way, so Mutianyu it was! About 80 kms away, the drive took almost 2 hours. Reached the foothills, and found there are 2 options to go up - climb up the trail, or take the cable car. People always talk of 'climbing' the Great Wall, so I thought, of course we're going to climb up - big mistake! The trail is pretty steep - flights of almost 30 high, narrow steps at a stretch. We were all completely winded by the time we caught our first glimpse of the Great Wall! Made it, finally!

There are times when you have to just stand and admire the spirit and resilience of Man! I had felt the same jaw-dropping wonder when I saw the Pyramids and the Taj Mahal - and now, the Great Wall of China! Luckily, the notoriously fickle Beijing weather gods gave us another beautiful sunny day! The piercingly blue sky, with nary a cloud providing a perfect background for the Great Wall stretching away as far as the eye could see - a giant serpent nestling in the autumn foliage of the mountains! What a sight - absolutely beyond words!

And here is the climbing - on the Wall, and not to the Wall as we had done - walking on the Wall as it winds its way up and down the mountain tops. Somehow, I had imagined something totally different - climb up, take a few pictures and climb down. If we had taken the cable car up, we would have been able  to spend all our time on the Wall - which was quite exhausting in itself! Well, you live and learn, right? And we did take the cable car on the way down! Considering that this a prime tourist attraction, the Great Wall is pleasantly un-touristy. No hawkers trying to sell you souvenirs, no restaurants - just the fresh mountain air, and the awesome views! Of course, all that changes near the foothills - a veritable mob, all selling something at the absolute 'best' price- can get a little scary!

Our taxi took us straight back to the train station, and on the way, we got to see a part of Beijing we had missed so far. There it was, the financial district, the gleaming skyscrapers, the immense flyovers, and in a surprising touch, the highways all lined with rose bushes, absolutely laden with flowers! The political power has a very palpable presence in Beijing - as it does in most capital cities! Beijing is a city proud of its heritage and  ancient ancestry, very imperious and stately - after all, it has been the political centre of China for centuries!

All in all, it was a good trip. Lots of lessons learnt for the next time - in a way, the first time to any city is almost a reconnaissance trip - so that all future visits can go off without a hitch! Until next time then, Beijing- I already can't wait to go back!!

Memories of Diwali

The funny thing about blogging - the more you write, the more easily the posts come! After even a short break, it's hard to get back in the swing of things! Add to that a really sluggish Internet connection, a flaky VPN, gloomy winter weather and a mild case of the blues after the parents went back to India - and just turning on the computer becomes a monumental task! Anyway, trying to get the blogging ball rolling again with this post...

Yesterday was the last day of Diwali...our first Diwali here in Suzhou! Very low-key - for the first time in years, I made almost no 'faral'. We are actually still recovering from the snacks my mother brought with her last month - I know, what a lame excuse! Well, what can I say -  just didn't feel up to the task this year. Ajey had taken a day off, and we spent a very unexpected fun day shopping in Shanghai. In the evening, new clothes and Laxmi Puja and jamuns. As per tradition, we left the front door open all evening, my Chennai diyas shining invitingly on our front porch and steps, to welcome Goddess Laxmi into the house. After Ajey explained this to Manasi, she kept glancing at the front door - finally, at dinner, she exclaims "Mom, I see HER - I just now saw a tiger's tail and a crown - it has to be Laxmi, she's come to bless us!" Out of the mouths of babes, indeed! Saturday will be the big celebration with our friends - a Diwali party with about 15 Indian families living here in Suzhou. Lots of fire-crackers, and great food! Good times coming up!!

Growing up, Diwali was always at my grandparents' house in Sangli. I don't think I ever fully appreciated it then, but if ever there was a perfect Diwali - that was it! November in Sangli is cold - no floor heaters, no central heat - in fact, no heating system what-so-ever. No running hot water, so brushing teeth early in the morning was very, very refreshing - sure to jolt anyone wide awake! One bathroom, at least 40 people to share it! And yet, the Diwali spirit always prevailed. Again, didn't appreciate it then - my grandmother and aunts must have slaved to make all those different kinds of faral - name it and we had it! Big aluminium containers full of chivda, chakli, karanji, kadboli, shev, 5 types of laddus, anarase, chirote, shankarpale...it was endless! This was before the era of disposable paper plates - so for the morning faral we all got a quarter sheet from an old newspaper to eat from - convenient and recyclable! There was also the big 'faral' exchange - all our neighbours got a huge plate with a sampling of all the faral made in our house, and in return, they would send us 'faral' they had made! Good way to get to know who has made what!

The day, of course, began with sprinkling water in the front yard, and the rangoli. Radio tuned to Akashvani, so we woke up to Marathi songs. Endless rounds of tea. Marie biscuits for the grownups, and shankarpale to dunk into the tea for kids! Water for bathing being heated in an ancient copper water heater. Seriously, a couple of years ago in Chennai, I saw that type of water heater in a museum!! On the Diwali days, oil massages before baths! The best part was the new soap - we always had a brand new pink 'Moti' soap for Diwali. To this day, 'Moti' for me means Diwali! After the morning 'faral', we children left to play outside - well, I usually curled up with a book - and lunch prep started! What an enormous undertaking - feeding so many people a huge lunch, and then, the well-deserved siesta - followed once again by afternoon tea and dinner prep! Whew, exhausting just to think about it!

As soon as dusk set in, the lighting of the diyas. The word Diwali comes from 2 Sanskrit words - Deep, lights and Awali, a row - Deepawali or Diwali. To me, these lights are the most beautiful part of Diwali. Today, everyone decorates with electric lights, and the the little clay diyas are fast fading away - but can garish bulbs ever match the serenity of an oil lamp? I loved to help in setting out the lamps along the perimeter of the house - to be honest, that was probably the only thing I helped out with. Then dressing up in new clothes for the Laxmi Puja. In these affluent times, when we buy what we want, when we want - the thrill of 'new clothes' has sadly disappeared from our lives. The Puja also lasted a long time - the aarti went on for over an hour at times. Then the fireworks - sparklers, of course, and the favorite 'Laxmi bombs' along with others with no 'Boom' but a lot of 'Bling'!

Celebrating Diwali in later years, in US or even in Chennai, has never been able to match up. The atmosphere is always missing. People thronging the streets for last-minute shopping, the week-long vacation, the fire-works stalls, the brightly lit shops, the paper lanterns hanging from all balconies and porches, the flower torans, the rangolis, friends and families visiting each other, the acrid smell of gunpowder mingling with the sharp chill in the air, yes, even the deafening booms as the fireworks go off - how do you recreate all that? We did throw a couple of Diwali parties for our friends in Chennai - great fun, we got an electrician to light up the house, Ajey went out and bought a whole bunch of firecrackers, really good food and of course, somebody to clean up later! Last year, Diwali in Peoria, Manasi kept asking when the 'man' was coming to put up the lights. Ajey was travelling, so our house stayed unlit - except for the diyas, of course!

To end on a philosophical note - Diwali celebrates the triumph of good over evil. My wish for this Diwali is to be able to see the good in my daily life. Just as I swept the cobwebs from my house to prepare for Diwali, I hope I can sweep my mind clear of bitterness and misunderstandings and differences. Just as I made my home inviting for Laxmi, I hope I can invite good thoughts into my heart. Just as the oil lamp with its tiny flame strives to provide light, I hope I can provide warmth and comfort to my family and friends.

A very Happy Diwali to all of you!

Shining Shanghai

Shanghai! Instantly brings to mind a thrilling, fast-paced, mysterious siren of a city! Countless novels have painted a picture of Shanghai in the 1920s - the streets bustling with foreigners, a rousing night-life, the infamous opium dens, the slightly seedy edge to the glamorous, fashionable settlement - alluring and forbidding at the same time!

Historically, Shanghai has always been an important economic center - it is one of the most important sea ports of the Yangtze delta region. The Opium wars and the Treaty of Nanjing forced the Chinese to open up Shanghai to the world. Shanghai became the first firmly embedded footprint of the West in China. The British, Americans, French and Russians all carved up Shanghai in to their own 'Settlements' - and though nominally under Chinese jurisdiction, Shanghai for all practical purposes became a free port. It was a haven for adventurers and mercenaries alike, and Westerners flocked to Shanghai to experience the exotic Oriental! Shanghai quickly became the most important financial center in the Far East, gaining a reputation as 'The Paris of the East'!

World War II, invasion by the Japanese and the subsequent victory of Mao's People's Liberation Army all brought a halt to Shanghai's rollicking lifestyle. A lot of foreign investment moved from the now-communist Shanghai to the still-British Hongkong. Crippled by taxes, deprived of its indolent luxury, Shanghai languished under the communist regime until the late 1980s. Quickly making up for lost time, Shanghai has been the fastest developing city in the world since then! Growing at 'China speed', Shanghai today is a shining example of how much the Chinese have achieved, and how far they are determined to go.

 

 

IFC Mall traffic circle

It takes about 1 hour 40 minutes to get from Suzhou to Shanghai by car. We started early, determined to get the most out of our day in Shanghai! Driving into Shanghai is indeed a revelation. The expressway flyovers and bridges thread through the massive city like so many spiderwebs! Two, three, four...at one point, we counted 7 traffic bridges soaring one above the other!!! And the skyscrapers - there literally is a forest of these gigantic buildings - stretching away as far as the eye can see!! And we're not even in the City Centre yet!!! Jostling with each other for attention - each one unique, each one daringly high! After 40 minutes, we were all beginning to feel slightly claustrophobic!

Oriental Pearl TV tower

Coming out of the Yan'an Tunnel, we were finally in Pudong - the brand new face of a brand new Shanghai!! Our first stop - the Oriental Pearl TV tower on Century Avenue - built in 1994, now the symbol of new Shanghai!! It is an impressive structure, and holds its own amongst all the gleaming Pudong buildings! We got there early, so not too many crowds or lines! Entrance fee of 180RMB per person duly paid, we started at our tour! At the bottom of the tower, right before we got in, is an interesting montage of photos. From 1994 to 2010, it shows the Oriental Pearl and its surroundings captured from the same vantage point, year after year! Starting from 1994, showing only the Oriental Pearl and one other building to the 2010 picture showing the crowded Pudong skyline, it is a quick look at Shanghai's astonishing growth!! Inside the tower, we took the elevator to the first viewing platform at 290m - amazing views of Pudong and the Huangpu River! It is incredibly hard to believe that this was all mostly farmland a mere 25 years ago!

View of Pudong from the Oriental Pearl

I have been up on countless towers and structures, most recent being the Canton Tower - and I must confess, this is definitely not something that I enjoy very much. I have more than a slight fear of heights - acrophobia, I believe, is the technical term - and I'm always shaking at the knees at all these observation platforms. The Oriental Pearl goes one step further - the outdoor viewing platform at 259m has a transparent glass floor, giving you the impression of walking on air, high above this beautiful city! Like many other tourists, my Dad actually lay down on this platform - I got a splendid photo, but that was all! I couldn't even put a toe on this platform! I'm getting butterflies in my stomach, just thinking about it right now!

Glass viewing platform at 259m

The highest point was the Space Module at 350m. To truly appreciate Shanghai's span, you do need to be this high up! The city seems to be almost endless! One thing I really liked here - they have put up plaques with autographs from visiting dignitaries! It's fun to go celebrity hunting - notable were Atal Bihari Vajpayee, ex PM of India and Al Gore, ex VP of USA! I did start to feel a little dizzy here, though! Also, surprisingly, the toilets were not as clean as I have come to expect here! The odor was especially noticeable in the close confines of the Space Module!

At the bottom of the tower, is located the Shanghai museum. Our ticket was all-inclusive, so we decided to have a quick look. An interesting museum - mainly composed of wax figures in various scenes depicting Shanghai over the years. Very artistic recreation of the eras gone by! Of course, it is all mostly gloss - highlighting only the very best - concentrating on the 20s and 30s, when Shanghai was truly the Pearl of the Orient! Still worth a look, though - especially to see the development of the Bund.

View of the Bund

The Bund is about a 20 minute walk from the Oriental Pearl. We skipped the Bund Sightseeing tour, and instead had a picnic lunch on the steps overlooking the Bund. With the Oriental Pearl in the background, and a magnificent front-seat view to the historic colonial Bund, it was idyllic! Seen in the picture are the old British Customs house, and the clock tower - known as Big Ching, in reference of course to Big Ben! 2 banks of the river, 2 different eras represented - what a lovely contrast! The stately, genteel Bund - reminiscent of the past, and brash, aggressive Pudong - very much in the present and future! On the flip side - the Bund is also a reminder of the humbling of China by Western forces, whereas Pudong is China's triumphant return as a giant on the global stage!

Nanjing Street

We still had time to squeeze in a quick shopping trip to Nanjing Street. This, too, is a very historical place - has always been a major commercial street. It is now pedestrian only, and casual tourists as well as serious shoppers throng the street! There are a couple of upscale hotels - Sofitel and Hilton - and some 'brand' malls, everything from Louis Vitton and Gucci to Nike! The main attraction for tourists, of course, is the fake brands available. For a fraction of the original price, I bought 3 designer handbags - really good quality leather and workmanship. I don't really care about the brand, but then again, at that price, why not?! The bargaining can get a little tedious - but to get a really good deal, bargain hard is exactly what is to be done! And that needs a lot of time! Nanjing Street demands a day all by itself - hopefully, we'll manage to squeeze in one more trip before my parents head back! For now, it is time to head back to the relative peace and quiet of Suzhou!

Shining Shanghai - still mysterious, still alluring - ever enchanting!

Destination Cambodia V: Bangkok and back...

When we set off the next morning, we were confident that nothing could go wrong now - we had done it once, we knew the pitfalls, and now we had taken care to make adequate arrangements for the return trip - or so we thought! Our tuk-tuk driver had arranged a taxi for us to go from Siem Reap to Poipet. So far so good. The driver showed up on time, we managed to fit all our luggage in his Camry - we still had 3 bottles of water left, couldn't bear to part with them! En route to Poipet, the driver called a friend of his to arrange a taxi to go back to Bangkok. Totally at ease now, we enjoyed the 2 hour drive to the border!

At the border, things went pretty smoothly - Cambodia departure stamp, Thai passport control - no delays, no hassles! This was going much better than expected. To add to the overall sense of well-being, we happened to bump into the same porter who had brought our luggage over 3 days ago. We were met at Poipet by the taxi agent, who walked to Thailand with us, and introduced us to our driver to Bangkok. There was a car waiting for us - wonderful, we would be in Bangkok by lunchtime! So we started to walk to the car, and we walked and walked, looking hopefully at each van that we passed. A niggling sense of doubt was beginning to make itself felt - where was our van??

By the time we reached an outdoor shelter, and were told to make ourselves comfortable - the van would arrive in 10 minutes - all our cheer had deflated. Not 10 minutes - the van was over an hour away. We had paid an advance to the agent in Cambodia, so once again, we were trapped! This was the absolute pits! It was really frustrating - especially as we had thought that we would get straight into the van, and drive to Bangkok! After an interminable wait, the van showed up. Finally, we were on our way! Now nothing would go wrong! I should have heard the gods snickering!

It was a fairly large van - a 12 seater, loaded to full capacity. And yet, our driver drove it like a Ferrari on a F1 racing track! Could this get any worse? Why, yes! It started to pour - visibility was almost zero. Made absolutely no difference to our Thai Schumacher though! The only concession he made was to drop the speed from 140 kmph to 120 kmph. So there we were, hearts in mouth, fingers crossed - all the way to Bangkok! Did live to tell the tale though - got to be grateful for that!

I had booked a 2 bedroom suite for us at the Amari Residence in Sukhumvit. I didn't know it was a service apartment, so again, was a bit disappointed. Nevertheless, it was decent enough for a 2 night stay - plus, they had provided complimentary bottled water! Were we ever going to finish our water?? Again, we had had a really long, exhausting day. We were to have dinner at Ajey's aunts place - as ever, great food, even better company to end the day!

The next day, I had booked a Bangkok city tour for my parents. The typical touristy thing - Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha, Reclining Buddha and a bunch of other temples. The tour started at 8am - another early start for them - but Ajey, Manasi and I slept in! After a leisurely breakfast, we set off to explore - and found a massage place. Nothing in the world can beat a Thai massage. It is quite brisk - every muscle and joint is stretched out leaving you feeling as light as a feather! Perfect to unwind after a hectic vacation! Refreshed, we headed back to the hotel to wait for my parents!

Lunch was at a local Thai restaurant - Pad Thai and red and green curry and Tom Yum soup - guaranteed to clear out all sinuses, just like our peppery Chennai rasam! Then onto the main event - shopping! We were headed to Fashion mall, a.k.a Platinum mall, which is close to the exclusive Central World. Once again, we walked and walked! Shopping in Bangkok was not as much fun as we remembered from our last trip. Many shopkeepers refused to bargain, and the products also seemed to be limited. The selection of clothes was vast - it was after all, Fashion mall - but the sizes are catered to the diminutive Oriental build! Granted I'm no size zero, but to not have clothes in my size at all is a bit ridiculous!

We were to have dinner with the Heblis once again - they had offered to send us a car, but considering the traffic outside the mall, we opted to take the Skytrain again! As we walked back to the station, we had a very pleasant surprise - right outside Central World is a huge Ganesh shrine. The idol is breathtakingly beautiful - shimmering and yet serene. In the fading dusk, amidst the cacophony of traffic, an oasis of peace! It was gratifying to watch people of all nationalities offer flowers, light incense and bow reverently to this much-loved deity! We spent a few restful minutes here - taking in the quiet - before moving on!

We had to be at Suvarnabhumi airport at 6am next morning. No direct flight - we were to fly yet again through Guangzhou. This time, since it was our port of entry into China, we had to clear immigration and customs here. Due to some quirk in the booking process, even though we were all booked on the same flight to Guangzhou - my parents were on a different flight going from Guangzhou to Shanghai. So we raced through all the formalities, saw my parents to their departure gate, and then rushed back to our gate - which, of course, was at the other end of the airport! Our driver was waiting for us at Shanghai Pudong airport, and we made it back home in good time!

What a vacation! We spent 4 days out of 7 travelling - and the remaining days were no picnic either. The border crossings both ways took quite a toll on us - would have been manageable if it had been just Ajey and I - but it's definitely not something to do with parents and small kids! I would definitely recommend flying into Siem Reap directly - of course, getting tickets on Bangkok 'Mafia' Airways, can be a tad expensive! Cambodia's national symbol, Angkor Wat, will stay with us for a long time!

Now back in Suzhou, my parents are settling in for their short visit. China is nothing like what they had expected - just the way I had felt when I came here for the first time! I'm looking forward to exploring with them, and maybe even planning a trip to Shanghai and Beijing...but that will have to wait for another day, another post!

Destination Cambodia IV: Glory of Ancient Angkor

Angkor Wat

The next day we were off to a more relaxed start. Breakfast was leisurely, although not really up to the standards of a 5-star resort! It seemed like we were the only people staying in the resort - of course, the real tourist season in Cambodia begins in November, and the place would probably be packed then!

A vacation in Cambodia is a series of negotiations - we needed tuk-tuks to get to Angkor Wat, and after much debate, we hired 2 of them to take us there. They would stay with us for the whole day, for the princely sum of $15 each! Nobody uses the Cambodian currency here - all transactions are in US dollars, or sometimes Thai Bahts. Anyway, off we went to Angkor Wat - a 5km ride from our hotel. The tuk-tuks are surprisingly comfortable. A typical Asian innovation - a sort of horse carriage attached to a motor bike! We drove through Siem Reap - passing resort after resort. Tourism is about the only thing that keeps this town going - more than 2 million visitors annually, and the number is ever-growing! 

Angkor Wat is said to be the largest Hindu temple complex in the world. It is also the best preserved among the thousands of temples at the Angkor site. Built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II, it is a prime example of Khmer architecture. The temple towers are meant to represent Mount Meru - which Hindus believe to be the abode of Gods. A huge man-made moat encircles the entire complex, and the original causeway across the moat still exists. Within the outer walls the temple is set amidst lush green fields. Smaller buildings - libraries, mostly - can be seen along the pathway.

Statue of Vishnu

The temple itself has 3 levels - the shrines were located on the third level. The footprint is rectangular- three rectangular levels, reaching up to the topmost tower, Mount Meru. The lower most gallery has intricately decorated corridors in bas-relief friezes. Representations of the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Samudramanthan cover 3 sides, while the 4th shows King Suryavarman II himself, and his battles! The level of detail is eye-catching, and I think we would have enjoyed the scenes even more with a better guide! Our guide seemed content to talk only about Hindu mythology, completely disregarding the fact that as Hindus, we probably could have taught him a thing or two! The first level also houses giant statues of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - which were originally housed in the shrines on the 3rd level. The Brahma and Shiva statues are headless and dilapidated, but the statue of Vishnu is intact, and is worshiped by tourists even today!

The second level is known as the 'Gallery of thousand Buddhas'. It is comprised mainly of 4 water tanks, one in each of the quadrants - for devotees to wash up before ascending to the shrines. The water tanks are all empty now. Also present here are numerous statues of Buddha - thus the name - all headless and desolate. Most were destroyed in the Cambodian civil war, the remaining few ravaged by plunderers.

Original steps to the final level

The ascent to the third level is forbiddingly steep - as befits the climb to metaphorical heaven. Wooden stairways have been built over the original stone steps - although sturdy, they still seem precarious. Due to safety concerns, children under 12 are not allowed to climb up. So we took turns, my parents first, and then Ajey and I. The top level is again rectangular, with shrines on all sides. These shrines now all have statues of reclining Buddhas installed. The views from the top were good - the entire Angkor Wat site could be seen, as well as Siem Reap in the distance. We explored a bit longer, and then headed for the exit.

Shops outside Angkor Wat

The way out is lined with a multitude of tiny shops, selling every souvenir imaginable - T-shirts, scarves, handbags, magnets, little craft things - everything for sale! Just name your price! Ajey loves to bargain, so we often spend more time than needed trying to get the 'best' deal! We were so engrossed in shopping, that we got separated from my parents. It took us the better part of an hour to locate them - they had, of course, sensibly walked back to the entrance when they couldn't see us. Manasi is adept at thinking up all kinds of scenarios in situations like this, and she had me panicking a bit too! We would have probably eaten something in the local restaurants here, but in the confusion, everyone forgot about food!

It was already 5pm, and we still had one more site to visit before we called it a day! Phnom Bakheng, or 'Sunset Point' at Angkor. Back in the tuk-tuks for a 10 minute ride. Phnom Bakheng is a small hill, with a temple dedicated to Shiva. Offers a spectacular view of Angkor Wat from the top. As an added tourist attraction, elephant rides are available for the ride. At an outrageous price - $20 each way - considering that it is only a 15 minute walk to the top! In the end, Manasi and my mom rode the elephant up, and the rest of us walked. On the way up, we could see the huge West Baray or lake, which was built to symbolize the Hindu sea of creation. At the top, there was a large statue of Nandi, but other than that everything else was in ruins. It has historical significance though - Phnom Bakheng is the first temple to be built in the Angkor site. Tourists thronged the area, perched on every available surface, waiting for the famed sunset! Unfortunately, it was quite a cloudy day - no sun visible. After waiting for half hour, we decided to walk down while it was still light, giving up on the sunset!

At the bottom of the hill, we were again swamped by hawkers - but at this point, everyone had only one thing on their minds - food!!! I had picked up a brochure for 'Currywalla', and Indian restaurant, and there's where we had the tuk-tuks take us. What a wonderful find! A sign outside simply said 'Good food', and the place more than lived up to it! We started off with Indian tea and pakoras, and then kept on ordering appetizers instead of the usual dinner. The service was excellent, the food brought to our table steaming hot with a smile! We all ate till we were stuffed. Located next door, very conveniently, was a massage parlour. Who could resist a foot massage after the tiring day we had spent? It was absolute bliss!!

I had really wanted to see the sun rise over Angkor Wat - but the next day dawned with rain clouds. It was our last day here, so undeterred by the rain, we set off. Our tuk-tuk drivers were waiting for us, and we set of to see Angkor Thom, the capital city of King Jayvarman VII. The fortifications at the entrance were formidable. By this time, Angkor had moved from a Hindu to a Mahayana Buddhist regime. Inside the city, our first stop was the Bayon, which was the royal temple. From afar, it looked curiously like a pile of rubble, but up close it was a sight to behold! The top level of the temple has numerous towers all adorned with huge faces! Never seen anything like it before! There are over 200 faces, representing the king as the Bodhisattva Lokesvara. All the faces wear an enigmatic, serene smile - most could give the Mona Lisa a run for her money! Wooden stairways and walkways have been constructed for easy access to most spots of the Bayon.

Old lion, new lion!

Angkor Thom is huge - about 9 km square. We didn't have the time to cover it all - we just hit the main tourist stops. The 'Terrace of Elephants' was next - about 300m long and carved mainly with elephants, garudas and lions. This led to the 'Terrace of the Leper King' - don't want to know the origin of that name! The carvings here are fantastical - walls crammed with all kinds of fauna, predominantly nagas, and images of devas and apsaras. The exit led once again to a small shopping area with restaurants, where we had lunch.

It had started to pour again as we then headed to Ta Prohm - must-see for all visitors to Angkor. To get to the temple we had to walk about 800m - heavy downpour, the red earth turning to rivulets beneath our feet, an eerie jungle! Ta Prohm is famous for the huge trees which have all but swallowed the temples with their gigantic roots! And what a wonderous tableau this is!! The trees are almost reptilian in nature - sprawled over the seemingly puny temples. It is a formidable exhibition of the power of Nature - magnificent and menacing! This alone was worth the trip to Cambodia! I later found that some of these trees are 'Strangler figs' - didn't see any figs, but how fitting is 'strangler'!!

Once again, we headed to Currywalla for dinner - there are actually quite a few Indian restaurants in Siem Reap, but we knew what to expect at Currywallas! After dinner, it was time to get some shopping done at Siem Reap's night markets. Mostly souvenirs, a few jewelers and some silver shops. Of course, all kinds of fake branded items, from North Face backpacks to Burberry shirts! I usually only buy magnets as souvenirs - easy to carry and no clutter back at home! Also gifts for Manasi's friends, gifts for my mom to take home to India. We easily spent a couple of hours browsing there! My parents then left for the hotel with Manasi, and Ajey and I went off for a rare night together to check out Siem Reap's bar street. This was a small street lined with bars - not that big, about a dozen or so places - pulsing with music, obviously catering to Western tourists! We didn't stay too late, Manasi wouldn't sleep until we got back to the hotel, and tomorrow again was to be an early start!

So that was it, our vacation in Cambodia was almost over. One more night, and then back to Bangkok. We had hardly spent much time at the resort - the pool was actually quite lovely, and the spa seemed to be very inviting! Even at Angkor, we had only touched upon the most popular tourist sites, not venturing off the beaten path! There's a lot do and a lot to see here, but that would have to wait for another time! For now, I was happy to leave with memories of this exotic vacation with my family! Besides, we still had 2 days in Bangkok, so the vacation was not really over! To Bangkok....

Destination Cambodia III: To Poipet and beyond...

Googling 'Drive from Bangkok to Siem Reap' brings up a large number of blogs and travel advisory sites - most of which have really useful information. Almost all my research for our vacation was done through these. A very simple travel plan. From Bangkok, drive to Aranyaprathet on the border. Clear Thai and Cambodia immigration. From the other side of the border, drive from Poipet to Siem Reap. Sounds really straightforward - on paper!

Inside our van

 Ajey's cousin had helped us book a taxi for the drive to the border. There are buses and trains available from Bangkok, but we had a ton of luggage, so it made better sense to drive. The driver showed up at the hotel at 8am, very punctual - and within half hour, we were on our way! Our first order of business was to buy water. The word on the street was that drinking water in Cambodia was really, really expensive, especially near the monuments. Carry your own water! I'm quite paranoid about availability of clean drinking water, so we bought 5 huge cans of water to take with us - one for each day of our stay, and 1 just in case we ran out! What a mistake this turned out be. Bottled water is plentiful everywhere in Cambodia, and not that expensive either. We were lugging around all this water, for nothing!

Our van was comfortable, and the condition of the road is also quite good - it was pleasant to watch the Thai countryside as we drove. The landscape and the trees is so similar to southern India, made me quite nostalgic for our years in Chennai! Little coffee shops and bigger restaurants dot the highway - plenty of refreshments and rest stops are available. Just like in India, we spotted local fruit sellers on the road, squatting on the road with baskets of fresh fruits - too bad we didn't have time to stop! We made it to Aranyaprathet in good time, about 3 and half hours after we started. A fairly large town, with number of hotels and even a few resorts. Wonder why anyone would choose to stay here, though. To cross the border, we had to go about 10km further to Rongklua border market. Our taxi could go no further than this. We had to cross the border on foot, and then take a new taxi on the other side.

Now when I said we had a ton of luggage, I really meant it. And let's not forget about those lovely bottles of water that were travelling with us. As soon as we unloaded the van, we were inundated with offers of all kinds - to clear Thai immigration, to get a Cambodian visa, to get a taxi on the other side - it was quite maddening! Forewarned, we ignored all these kind offers. We did hire a porter though - there was no way we were going to carry our bags for a kilometer or so under the blazing tropical noon sun! The porter loaded all our bags (including the water cans) onto his push cart, secured them with a length of hemp, and took off. He didn't need a visa - he would meet us on the other side, where we would pay him 200 Baht, about $7. What's to stop him from taking off with all our stuff, worth considerably more than $7? Quite a leap of faith for us!

We walked to the Thai border post to get our departure stamps. A largish room absolutely packed with people - backpackers, tour bus groups, independent travellers like us and local Thai and Cambodian people! There were A/Cs installed, but none appeared to be working. We were in queue for at least an hour, and were almost at the counter, when Manasi announced that she had to go to the bathroom. Right now, and no, she couldn't wait! Newton's 4th Law of Motion - the urgency to go to the bathroom is directly  proportional to how far the closest bathroom is! OK, I made that up! Anyway, I remembered seeing a sign for toilets right where we had joined the queue, so I raced back with her - only to find our way barred by a middle-aged Thai woman demanding 5 Baht to use the toilet. Of course, I didn't have my purse with me. The woman was adamant, resolutely refusing to look me in the eye, ignoring all offers to bring her the money later. Just then, a kind samaritan heading back to Bangkok, noticed our predicament, and paid the entrance fee.

Back at the immigration counter, the border control officer was almost done stamping all our passports - then suddenly, he decided that we needed to get a re-entry permit for Thailand right now, instead of doing the visa-on-arrival on our way back, as we had planned. Well, there's really no arguing with immigration officers, so we meekly handed over money and photographs, and went back to wait. It took a ridiculous amount of time, but finally passports in hand, we stepped out of Thailand, and into a strip of what I assume was no-man's land to walk to Cambodia. By this time, bedraggled, drooping and hungry, we were beginning to feel a bit like refugees, and 'crossing the border' was achieving a whole new significance!

We all perked up as we crossed into Poipet in Cambodia, but little did we know, our journey was far from over. I had already applied for a Cambodian e-visa online for all of us, so we just had to go through passport control. Again, the lines were horrendous!  As we stepped out, we were met right away by our porter, and what a relief that was! He was offering to hook us up with a taxi to get to Siem Reap, when a very official looking individual stepped up claiming to be a Government agent - offering us government run transportation to our hotel. We had to get onto a free shuttle which would take us a transport depot, from where we would get a bus to Siem Reap. Despite all our precautions, we had fallen for the oldest scam in Poipet! The transport depot was almost 15kms away from Poipet, and once we got there, we were at the mercy of these 'government agents'!

After much haggling, we finally agreed to share a min-van with a group of backpackers. It was really, really uncomfortable - 10 of us crammed into the van, with luggage shoved everywhere. One of the 'agents' also hopped on for the 2 hour ride to Siem Reap. Again, the road was very good. The passing landscape was idyllic - acres and acres of lush green paddy fields, small homesteads with thatched roofs and swaying plantain trees, little lotus ponds, children swimming in lakes and creeks - very pastoral, very serene. A far cry from the seedy, grimy, corrupt Poipet!

Restaurant on the way to Siem Reap

Fatigued by the day, lulled by the gentle breeze, we were nodding off - when the van stopped at a road-side cafe/restaurant. Our co-passengers were hungry, and didn't want to wait another hour to get to Siem Reap. They were, of course, in no hurry, and lingered over their meal and cigarettes - while we waited impatiently! It was almost 6pm by the time we were driving into Siem Reap. We actually drove right past our hotel - but when we asked the driver to stop and drop us off, we were given a vague story about having to go to the office first. Then, we were told, we would be brought back to our hotel. This 'office' - 30 mins away in the heart of Siem Reap - brought an end to their pretense of being 'government'. It was clearly a tourist agency run by a hotel. And now, instead of taking us to our hotel, they told us to take tuks-tuks! This was absolutely the last straw!

Now anyone who knows Ajey would agree that he is the calmest person in the world! So it is always a spectacular sight when he decides to lose his temper! After a vociferous argument, we still ended up taking the tuk-tuks! This time around, we avoided the main roads, and took the backways. Again, very reminiscent of India. The dusty dusk, the red earth, children playing in the streets, vendors at crossroads, the indolent air of the people - all bring back memories of childhood!

Tuk-tuks outside our hotel

Our hotel was the 'Sokhalay Angkor Resort and Spa'. A huge campus- almost 10 acres, dotted with colonial style villas. We had a 2 bedroom villa - thoughtfully, the hotel had provided a golf cart service to go back forth from the reception. The villa itself was slightly disappointing. It was really spacious, lot of really dark wood, but it lacked the grandeur of a 5-star resort. The kitchen had a musty smell - maybe because of the varnish on the wood! The bedrooms were quite comfortable, though. We had hoped to reach the hotel by 2pm, and then go out for dinner. Definitely wasn't going to happen now! So after a drink from the bottle of Glenfiddich - which we had carried from Bangkok, just like our water - Ajey and I brought back dinner from a local Cambodian restaurant.

Third exhausting day in a row! And we had just got here! Hopefully, Angkor Wat will live up up to the expectations!