aerial photo of Iloilo province

No definite plans, no guidebook, no research, but this time I’m shamelessly bugging my friend Marcos whose based in Iloilo.   I reclined the sit, closed my eyes and rested my head on the old familiar window.  I should be excited but now I don’t care, I  can’t wait to get off the plane and take a nap.  Spontaneity is starting to bore me.

“Your alone?”, a woman wearing a wide genuine smile and a wide glasses though  not as thick as the bottle of Coke surprised me.   She has short wavy hair,  chubby cheeks, spotless face, blue coat.  With an innocent look on her face, her eyes was locked on the map I was holding.  “Ahhhh, the same ol’ epic question I have to deal with whenever I travel!”, I mumbled.  I’m not in the mood for a conversation with a perfect stranger.  But then I think I heard Alex Garland whispered a passage from his book, “ Never refuse an invitation!” .

Since then she never stopped talking.

As we touched down at Iloilo airport,  an old fashioned car is already parked outside waiting for us.  My new found friend called her friend to drive us to the city and she decided to take me to Miag-ao. First off we need  to drop her luggage at her house tucked somewhere in Iloilo, then we will commute to the town of Miag-ao.

She is a widow.  Like me, she is alone, but unlike me, she is not lonely.

Eccentric? Yes. But strangers indeed have the power to change our lives in a few minutes.

 ”So where do you live?”, she asked.   Not trying to be hard to her I answered,  ”I live somewhere under the blue skies”.   “Napaka-sekreto mu naman”, she teased me.

That’s how I’m built.

Where I come from and my work has nothing to do with my travels.  I detest  it when people treat you well  or judge you based on your work, affiliations or where you’re from.

Miag-ao Church Photo

Within 45 minutes, we’re winding up to Miag-ao, through sweeping panoramas of  lush green rice farms, and mountainsides with modest shacks.  The villages with Spanish old churches lie serene and sluggish in the valleys.  From the tainted window of the van,  I watched in nostalgia a series of black and brown sand beaches  and fishing villages  slipping away.  I’m missing ordinary beaches like the ones I used to see during my childhood summer days. I guess I’m starting to get sick of white sand beaches.

“Sa lugar lang”,  in her native tounge she asked the driver to stop the jeepney.

As early as 5pm, the bucolic town  is already feeling drowsy.   We move at a stately pace up the streets, hurrying for nobody.   The  steel gate introduced an intimate courtyard with a stone fountain-like slender structure  in the middle surrounded by  flowering plants .  Behind lies  the massive  church of  Miag-ao, one of  the old Spanish Baroque church in the Philippines declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.   Standing proudly amidst the dancing  agoho trees, the centuries old facade is adorned by by a large coconut tree in bas-relief which is the central figure  representing the “tree of life” in the Philippine culture manifesting  a native touch.  Another imposing sculpted image is that of St. Christopher carrying the Child Jesus on his shoulder surrounded by a variety of flora and fauna.

I wasn’t able to get inside at that time as the mass is going on  and my new friend insisted my blue dress is kind of “prohibited” inside the church.  The photos shown here inside Miag-ao church are taken during my return late last year  for the Visayas Blogging Summit.  I wanted to stay longer but she seems in a hurry because we might miss the last trip back to Iloilo city. Sometimes, that’s the downside of traveling with a companion – if your travel buddy is in a hurry you’ll be forced to leave the place as well even though you still wanted to savor the moment.

There comes a point it just hits you when you’re on a lone journey, you know. You long for a travel buddy who has the same passion as yours so you wouldn’t have to think of boring  him/her and you wouldn’t  have to explain what you’re doing and all.  But sometimes, we wish so much for someone so ideal that we take for granted the person who is standing right there for us.  And we only realize that once they are gone.

We took a jeep to San Jose terminal and then took a cab to eat at Tatoy’s – a  famous local restaurant in Iloilo.  We ordered mostly seafoods the specialty of the restaurant. I honestly don’t find anything special with the food, probably because I’m used to eating sea foods in our province.  But I like the rustic aura of the place.  My guide happens to know the owner  of the restaurant – Mang Tatoy, a simple old man.

After dinner, I reverted back  a lone traveler wandering aimlessly in the city.

I took a cab and asked the driver to drop me off at Ong Bun, a cheap inn. Manong Doods (the cab driver)  has been very nice to me, too bad he didn’t have a number I could post here but he said if  I call his taxi company  (Lights and Glory taxi ) and request for him I could find him again.  We passed by at Smallville, the famous hang out in Iloilo.  He toured me quickly.  Unfortunately the supposedly cheap beds is full already and I wouldn’t spend on a Php 1500 room for 1 night.

At 9pm I’m walking at Iloilo City with no place to stay.  I’m holding a map and couldn’t figure out where to go because I don’t even know where I’m at.

Now I’m missing my good Samaritan. I wish she can help me at the very moment when I needed her.

With blinding orange lights, I crossed the still busy streets and took a jeep.  I’m in Iloilo, and it’s one of the safest place in the Philippines for solo female travelers.  That’s what I like about  thisprovince, the sweet and hospitable people, you won’t have to worry if you’re lost or in trouble because most of the time, almost everyone is willing to help you.

Mang Tatoy with my new found Ilongga friend

And I was right.

The locals inside the jeepney pointed me to New Emperor’s Palace  Pension in La Paz.  We passed by Gaisano Mall and beside it lies this huge budget hotel. Room rate starts at Php 300  and the room & bed  is huge enough to accommodate 2 people with  TV and private bath.

Now I can sleep and continue dreaming after over 24 hours.

Unarguably, solo traveling is rewarding – the feeling is just ineffable.  But sometimes loneliness will hit you and that’s when you start making perfect strangers into new friends. Ever since I started traveling on my own dealing with strangers along the road has become “my expertise”.  Using common sense and trusting my instinct is the name of the game.

I cannot erase the fact that trusting strangers can also be scary to the unwary solo travelers that’s why extra care and awareness must be kept in mind.  Fear can rob us of the rewards and joys of  travels and one of the most significant reason why we travel –  our desire to understand the local culture and connect with its people.  When someone or something disappoints us, treated us unfairly or hurt us, it is expected that our  perception of that place, people or culture will be clouded by misjudgment and unfair generalizations  brought by pain, fear and vengeance that envelopes us at that very dark moment.  But if I let fear eat me alive, then I wouldn’t have turned perfect strangers into friends.

Live curious! -The National Geographic

Fear is the highest wall that could separate us from the world that we want to explore and the culture that we want to experience.  But traveling should open our minds and our hearts.  For most of you, I may appear us a unique girl because I dare to travel alone even on the unexplored and remote places in and out of the country plus I have a lot of misadventures!  But the truth is, I am just like any other girl- fragile and vulnerable, only that I’ve  learned to accept my fears, challenge it and accept the world as it is than how I  wished it to be.

I am a stranger here myself, but the people I’ve met on the road didn’t let that stop them  from helping me.

As Mary Manin Morrisey puts it, “You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith. ”

Without  faith, there is nothing.

So trust your instinct.  Face your fear and get out.

************************************************************************

*This is part of my Iloilo series.

*Some photos shown here were taken during my return to Miag-ao for the Visayas Blogging Summit and Philippine Blog Awards

*This is my entry to the Pinoy Travel Bloggers September Blog Carnival entitled ”Unforgettable Human Encounters on the Road” hosted by Mark Ramone Go of Nomadic Experiences.

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Batad Rice Terraces is one of  the 5 rice terraces found in Banaue that’s listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Unlike the world-famous mud-walled  Banaue Rice Terraces carved out by the Ifugao‘s some 2,000 years ago (located  in Banaue town proper), Batad  Rice terraces grandeur is owed to its amphitheater-like stone-walled terraces. Like Sagada, Batad being an isolated enclave with breathtaking views of the lush green surroundings and rice terraces, the warmth of  the Ifugaos and interesting culture makes its a backpacker’s mecca.

Summer  last year, I revisited Batad after 10 years. Surprisingly, nothing much has changed, except that here’s already electricity in this sleepy town . I never experienced Batad with electricity  though, because at that time it’s brown out and according to the locals of  Ramon’s Homestay it happens most of the time.  But I like it that way, I remmember back in college, it was a favorite  of  one of our  professors in Anthropology so the entire class went there.  We didn’t even took a jeep to the saddle point that time, we all hiked for like 2 hours to get to  the village of  Batad. Some foreigners still do that  until now.

(Rates  as of  my April 2010 trip)

How to get to Batad:

-Manila to Batad-

There are 2 buses that ply the Manila-Banue route : Florida Bus and Autobus Bus Lines. Both bus terminals are located in España,Sampaloc, Manila (one block away from each other). Travel time is 9-10 hours.

Though Autobus has older buses they have “good customer service” (will tell you in detail in my future post) the aircon isn’t that cold compared to Florida bus.  They have one trip daily at 10:00pm for Php400 (USD8)only and you don’t really need to book ahead because most passsengers are all lined up at the newer buses in Florida.

Florida Bus Line has newer pink buses with toilet onboard but the aircondition is pretty cold. Florida bus to Banaue leaves daily at 10:00pm and 10:45pm daily, fare is Php 450 (USD9).

Florida Bus website: http://www.gvfloridatransport.com

If you live in Cubao or  Sta. Mesa area, you can just ride Cable Tours Bus Line headed to Bontoc , because this bus also stops at Banaue. Cable Tours Buses leave daily at 8pm and is located in E. Rodriguez Boulevard, Araneta, Quezon City (near Trinity College and St. Luke’s Hospital).

Nueva Vizcaya

-Clark, Pampanga to Banaue-

This is a complex route though and you have to change buses.  From Clark airport you can  take a cab to Dau Bus terminal. Ride a jeep to SM Clark. Then take another jeep to Dau (ask the driver to drop you off in Caltex near McDonalds and KFC). Walk to the right to Dau Bus Terminal.  Then you can ride a bus : Dau–>Tarlac–>San Jose—>  Solano,Nueva Vizcaya then take a jeep to Lagawe (fare Php 75 (USD2) / travel time 1 & 1/2 hours) —>from Lagawe take another jeep to Banaue (Php 30 (less than USD1)/travel time 50 minutes).

Alternatively, from Clark airport, you can just ride a bus to Manila and start your night trip there.

Going back  to Banaue from Batad:

Make sure your back at the saddle point before 9am to catch the jeep back to Batad, otherwise you have to rent again. We we’re lucky because during that time, there’s a group of UP students who visited Batad so we hired the jeep back to Banaue for Php 700 (USD14).

Going Back to Manila from Banaue:

Night trip:

Buses leaves at  6pm and 8pm. A reservation is  highly recommended, so I suggest before heading to Batad, make sure you reserve a seat back to Manila first.

Day trip:

Take a jeepney from Banaue to Lagawe (Php 30/travel time 50 minutes),  from Lagawe it’s another jeep ride to Solano, Nueva Vizcaya (fare Php 75 / travel time 1 & 1/2 hours) and in Solano you can now catch buses bound to Manila (Php 375 / travel time : 7 hours).

-Manila-Solano, Nueva Vizcaya-Banaue -

Take a bus bound to Tuguegarao, Cagayan ( Baliwag Transit, Florida Bus or Victory Bus) it will pass by the town of  Solano in Nueva Vizcaya. Several jeepneys ply the Solano-Banaue route or the Solano-Lagawe route, fromLagawe take another jeep to Banaue (Php 30 (Less than USD1)/travel time 50 minutes).

Victory Bus website: http://www.victoryliner.com/schedules/

How to get to Batad from Banaue:

From the terminal in Banaue, you can take a tricycle to Banaue town proper (Php 10 per pax).  Look for jeeps going to Batad saddle point, there are jeepneys bound to Batad junction only (about 3km short from the saddle point). There are two jeepneys in the morning and one at about 3 pm at Banaue.

Most  likely  though you’ll end up hiring a jeep to Batad saddle point , we got one for Php  2,000 (USD 40) (one way) and shared the cost  with other  foreigner backpackers so we paid Php 150 (USD3) each.  We found a jeep parked at Greenview Restaurant that time who are waiting for tourists. Alternatively, you can ask  at Banaue Tourist Information and pay a tourist fee (Php20 (USD0.50).  I suggest you eat breakfast first at one of the many restaurants with a  breathtaking view of  Banaue town before you head for a trek  to Batad, we had breakfast at Greenview Restuarant (prepare at least Php 100 (USD2.5) for one meal though).

From the drop off point at the saddle point, there are guides waiting, most of them are affiliated with Batad guesthouses so they will most likely bring you to their guesthouse.  We paid Php 700  (USD14)for the guide including the trek to Tappiya Falls, there is a gently sloping trail leading to Batad or you can take a steeper footpath (the 450 steps shortcut) and connect to the main trail further down the hill.

Around Batad:

There’s no jeep nor tricycle in Batad so you can just walk around the village. Please make sure you ask permission before taking photos of people especially elderly and children.  They don’t like having their photos taken, they have this local belief of  associating photos with death. Please respect differences, respect their culture.

Food & Drinks:

You may also want to buy your  snacks and drinks at one of the stores in Banaue town proper.  As you may have heard already, drinks is not at all cheap in Batad, a small bottle of coke in Banaue town for Php12 (US$0.50) can cost  Php 40 (US$1) in Batad ( but please understand that locals have to carry these products all the way from Banaue town).

Guesthouses and Inns in Batad serves mostly  western dish.   Expect to pay at least Php 60-100 (USD 1.2-3)  for one meal in Batad. But you can also arrange with your guesthouse for a local food to be cooked for you, must try is the Batad or Igorot specialty called Pinikpikan. Our class tried this on my 1st visit to Batad. There’s no ingredient in making Pinikpikan except for salt and a live native chicken (salted pork is optional), what makes it special is its smoky taste. The chicken wings  is beaten lightly with a piece of stick until the chicken dies.  The purpose of this beating is to allow for blood coagulation in the wings.  This provides for the different taste of the chicken.  This is why it is called pinikpikan because the chicken is beaten.

Also  try the sweet potatoes grown in Patpat Sitio (Sub-Village).

Where to stay in Batad / Batad accommodations/guesthouses:

Ramon’s Home Stay: We stayed here because our guide took us here who happens to be a family member of the owner.  But I must say, it is a good choice.  Ramon Homestay is located within the village itself (Php 200 (USD 4) for a regular room;  Php 250 (USD 5) to stay in a traditional Ifugao hut). Ramon Homestay  is an excellent source of help and information about the local history and culture.  They will show you traditional artifacts, and host bonfires at night  with matching rice wine  and stories of local practices, so make sure you ask about the local culture.

Batad as I’ve mentioned above is a backpacker’s mecca so no worries, you won’t have a hard time finding a room to stay (Php 200-Php250 (USD 4-5), here are several guesthouses in Batad like:

Rita’s Mount View Inn (we had breakfast here, check out their cool tourist wall), Hillside Inn, Simon’s Place,  Batad Pension and Restaurant, Foreigner’s Inn, and Cristina Inn.

Activities in Batad:

-trek  around the Batad Rice terraces of course!  If you are adventurous, and have much energy, try to trek the highest  of them all!

-you can have some photo op with an old local Ifugao wearing his Ifugao costume at the rice terraces , the old man will ask you for some “donation”, you can hand any amount.  (I shouldn’t encourage this, my Anthropology professor and friends will kill me! haha)

-trek  to Tappiya Falls - it’s  a 40 minute hike, a guide is a must here and please be careful especially during rainy season, I tell you  it’s not an easy trek! We paid Php 700  (US$14)for a guide from the saddle point, all the way to Batad and Tappiya Falls.  You can coordinate with your guesthouse or the Batad Tourist Information Center. Batad has a network of guides called the Batad Environmental Tour Guides Association where 20% of all the fees these guides collect goes toward restoring the rice terraces.

-swim in the cold water of the 30 meter high Tappiya (Tappia) Water falls. Do check out the  ”refrigerator” of the store, the owner cools the soft drinks in the waters of the falls.

-check out the old Ifugao females tribal tattoo (in the their arms). They have stories to tell, though most of them doesn’t like having their pictures taken.

-check out Patpat Sitio (Sub-Village) and try the sweet potatoes

Other  treks out of  Batad:

Batad-Bangaan Hike – a 2 and 1/2 hike starting behind Rita’s Mount View Inn down to the river.

Batad-Cambulo-Pula-Banaue Viewpoint Hike- a guide is a must for this hike. If you take this hike, it is suggested that you stay overnight in Cambulo where cheap guesthouses are available.

Batad Souvenirs:

There several shirts, trinkets, sold at the stops on your trek to and fro Batad. Do buy one.

Ifugao weaving- Beside the Foreigner’s Inn at the main village there is a small hut with an elderly woman weaving traditional clothing with a backstrap loom.

Romeo’s Antique Ifugao Collections- check it out at Rita’s Mountain View Inn

Handmade Ifugao knives- look for the village blacksmith of  Babluy-> Juan Buy-a.

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Prambanan temple photo

The sun was shining at the towering pointed aspires of  Prambanan temple. Legend  has it  that the largest  Hindu temple in Indonesia is a story of  love and  it’s fulfillment is owed to revenge.  I was dwarfed by the grandeur of  the temples whilst I was surrounded by history and lush manicured greenery… it’s as if time stood still.

Prambanan  temple depicts a masterpiece of the Hindu temple architecture in its classic glory.It stands proudly on the boundary between Yogyakarta and Central Java province. It has three main temples in the primary yard, namely Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva temples, all facing to the east. Each main temple has accompanying temple facing to the west and corner temples.

Of course I had expected this UNESCO World Heritage site to be filled with faceless crowd during late deal holidays, so I wanted to find a momentary solace to better  acknowledge it’s presence.  At the shade of a lonely tree at the back of the temple, overlooking the damaged walls of  Prambanan temple during the earthquake in 2006, I found peace.

It has always kept me wondering how the people despite the basic technology in the old days can build such intricate structures, giving the scene its stately splendor .  If the legend is true, love indeed is divine.  But more than unrequited love, I believe this hard work  & brilliance is owed to their faith in their religion – Hinduism.

*This is part of my Indonesia tour series. Click here —> INDONESIA

Prambanan entrance/ admission fee :

Foreigners – $15

Students (foreigners)- $7

Locals – 15,000 Rp

Prambanan Temple Complex Hours of operation: 6:00 AM-6:00 PM, last admission at 5:15 PM.

How to go to (Commute by bus) Prambanan Temple (source: Tourism Indonesia)

TransJogja, Yogyakarta’s newest bus service, also serves a direct route to Prambanan. The bus is air-conditioned and comfortable, but sometimes can be overcrowded. Take number 1A from Malioboro street (Rp 3 000 one way). The first one leaves around 6AM, then every 20 minutes. Depending on traffic, the journey can take one hour. From the terminal station it is just 5 minute walk.
There are regular buses from Yogyakarta’s Umbulharjo bus station (30 minutes), as well as a wide variety of tour agency-operated minibuses shuttling directly from Yogyakarta’s backpacker haunts. Local buses to/from Solo are also easy to find (90 minutes).

I’m not a fan of tour package, I don’t even book hostels , it’s my 1st time ever to avail of  a packaged tour and I find it practical considering the distance of the temples from my guesthouse and the complexity of finding the bus station there. I used *GREAT  TOURS* for my Borobudur and Prambanan Temple tour located in front of Gang II.  Paid Rp83,00 for Borobudur andPrambanan temple tour (entrance fee not included). I highly recommend Great Tours because of their kind lady guide and  comfortable huge van. They’re not the cheapest tour though, Simple Tours which I used for my Bromo Tour offers the same tour for Rp75,000, but they start at 5am, unlike Great Tours which start at 9am just in time for my arrival inYogyakarta.

website: http://greattoursjogja.com, http://yogyes.com/great-tour

JL. Sosrowijayan 29 Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Tel./Fax: (0274)583221

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“We are not going in circles, we are going upwards. The path is a spiral; we have already climbed many steps.”
— Hermann Hesse (Siddhartha)-

Originally, Buddhism was not a religion, but a doctrine that explained the steps to reaching Nirvana, a release from life’s misery. My curiosity about Buddhism started back in high school when  I found a classic book in my grandmother’s house ” Siddhartha” by Herman Hesse, one of my favorite books to date.  I  never expected that when I grow up, I will come face to face with a Buddhist sanctuary because I thought that traveling outside the country is only for the rich.  The world famous UNESCO World Heritage Site -> Borobudur Temple known locally as Candi Borobudur (candi means ancient temple),  is an ancient Buddhist pilgrimage site carved out of volcanic stones during the reign of the Sailendra dynasty in Central Java. The temple actually sits between two volcanoes;  Sundoro-Sumbing and Merbabu-Merapi.

Indonesia broke my practice of not joining packaged tours, it was my 1st time to join a tour  group (except when I was crossing the border in Thailand-Cambodia last year) but that’s different since I didn’t really join them tour Siem Reap during the late holidays ).  In Indonesia getting a tour package is a practical way to tour around since the tourists spots are far off from each other.  Thus, I joined Great Tours to Borobudur and Prambanan Temple.  I’m usually friendly, but I detest long conversations.  I’d rather build rapport with the locals, stay at their house, and discover something new than spend all my time talking with fellow tourists, but that’s just me you know. Needless to say, our tour group is full of  mature, humble and interesting people.

I was walking like a young kid in the heat of the sun in a manicured park filled with locals and tourists, anticipating the sight of  the  largest  Buddhist temple in the world covered with bass-reliefs and images of the old Javanese society.  Borobudur temple houses several stupas and Buddhas. I paid  Rp 135,000 (USD15) for the entrance fee, kinda hefty compared to Cambodia temples. I guess when you’ve grown to seeing temples lately you’ll get that ” temple overload” feel.  “This is it? It’s huge. But the interior is boring, it’s redundant.”,  I murmured to myself.

Little did I know that in those panels, terraces and staircases , I will learn the sacred steps to Enlightenment. The temple has 9 platforms, each representing one stage of enlightenment. It is said that 3 central elements of Buddhism are expressed here in the architectural form of the stupa, the Meru, and the mandala. The panels of Borobudur depict Mahayana Buddhism, the idea is to become a Bodhisattva, an enlightened being who rejects personal salvation and returns to life in order to help others reach Nirvana. The journey up Borobudur shows the way to become a Bodhisattva through good deeds, contemplation and meditation.

From the base called Kamadhatu, I started walking in a counterclockwise direction keeping my left shoulder away from the temple.  The temple has 9 platforms; the six lower are square in shape and the 3 upper are circular.  The base is called the Sphere of Desire, which depicts human and  his/her worldly desires and pleasures.

 The next 5 circular terraces is Rupadhatu or the Sphere of  Form depicting the pathway to freedom of  man from lust,  but still tied up with appearance and shape. The next 3 circular terraces is called Arupadhatu, the Sphere of Formlessness, and symbolizes human freed of worldly desires including the topmost stupa of  Nirvana where Buddha resides.  This stupa refers to the death of the Buddha.  It symbolizes the Buddha’s complete absorption into the highest state of mind.

“In my body and in my soul I realized that I greatly need sin, I needed lust, vanity, the striving for goods, and I needed the most shameful despair to learn how to give up resistance, to learn how to love the world, to stop comparing the world with any world that I wish for, that I imagine, with any perfection that I think up; I learned to let the world be as it is, and to love it and to belong to it gladly.”
— Hermann Hesse (Siddhartha)-

When I first laid eyes on Candi Borobudur, I based my judgment on it’s physical appearance, like a human being too tied up with appearance and shape.  But then when I was taking the steps towards the highest platform, I realized indeed it’s a long hard journey in search of ultimate truth while the outside world is blocked from sight by the balustrades.  An important lesson  I learned in Buddhism, is how freedom is to be found in letting go. I wish I’d have enough courage to let go of  my worldly desires.

And finally, there I was standing in awe at the top of temple, looking around I saw Mt. Merapi covered by clouds,  I need not convince myself that the world despite all it’s imperfection and it’s constant impending danger is a beautiful place to explore and live in.

*This is a part of  my Indonesia trip series. Click here to read more—> INDONESIA

Borobudur entrance fee:

Rp 135,000  (USD15) for foreigners

Rp 72,000 (USD8) for students

Rp 15,000 for Indonesians

The site is open to the public from 6AM to 5PM.

I used *GREAT  TOURS* for my Borobudur and Prambanan Temple tour located in front of Gang II.  Paid Rp83,00 for Borobudur and Prambanan temple tour (entrance fee not included). I highly recommend Great Tours because of their kind lady guide and  comfortable huge van. They’re not the cheapest tour though, Simple Tours which I used for my Bromo Tour offers the same tour for Rp75,000, but they start at 5am, unlike Great Tours which start at 9am just in time for my arrival in Yogyakarta.

website: greattoursjogja.com, yogyes.com/great-tour

JL. Sosrowijayan 29 Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Tel./Fax: (0274)583221

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In the 12th century, King Jayavarman VII is said to have ordered the construction of a vast baray (reservoir)  to provide water to its hundred-thousand support workers. The artificial lake stored water to irrigate the rice fields during the dry season. Neak Pean sits at the middle of the reservoir of  Preah Khan temple consisting of Five Ponds.  Some historians believe it was built as a replica of  Lake Anavatapta in the Himalayas and in Buddhist belief  going into these pools would balance the elements in the person, thus curing illness.

the elephant gargoyle

The lake is said to be situated in the center of the universe, the central pond is the water source  where statue of  Bahala (Bodhisattva Guan Yin transformed into a horse), as a symbol of drowning prevention is proudly standing. The central pond gives birth to the four great rivers depicted by the sculpted gargoyles shaped like horse  representing water, a gargoyle shaped like elephant representing Earth, a gargoyle shaped like lion representing fire and  a gargoyle shaped like man representing wind.

one of the four pools surrounding the central pond

Obviously, this temple has a unique architecture, quite different compared to a typical Angkor temple. Finding  this lotus shaped temple is such a relief especially when I was on the verge of  “temple overload”.  Some say it is best to visit the temple during rainy season when it’s pool is filled with water. Unlike Angkor Wat, Bayon and Ta Phrom, this is one of the off-the-beaten temples in the Angkor Complex.

I spent  a couple of  minutes walking  around this magnificent architecture and wondering how it  must have looked like in the luxurious old days when princesses laid their offerings of  wrought gold and pungent perfumes on this tiny temple surrounded by water.

*April 2010 trip.

How to get to Neak Pean :

Neak Pean is located about 2.5kmn east of  Preah Khan and roughly 2km west of  Ta Som. It is also a short distance from Krol Ko, which is on the opposite side of the road.

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Angkor Wat is a miniature replica of the universe in stone and represents an earthly model of the cosmic world.

On my 3rd day in Siem Reap, I couldn’t contain my excitement anymore, I know I have to visit  the Angkor temples. While most tourist visit the temple at sunrise with their tuktuk and tour guide, I was still  on a deep sleep.  At 7am,  I went out and rented a blue bike for $1.5  and headed to the road leading to Angkor.  Unfortunately,  I noticed dark clouds  started moving in the sky, and in a few minutes it drizzled.  I went back.  Blame it on the weather, my bed missed me that fast.  So I took a nap and woke up at 12 noon.   At that point, the intense heat of the sun is getting through my skin, but I can’t waste another day, I just wasted one, the day before.   I biked in the heat of the sun and after a few meters reached the ticket booth, I bought a 3 day ticket for $40 but I just wasted half day of it on my bed.

And while it is suggested to tourist to leave Angkor Wat as their final stop I couldn’t hold my fervor!  I planned to do the entire tour of the temples with a bike. Crazy! But it’s the cheapest way to tour the temples and you can do it in your own pace without being bothered by anyone but the kid vendors.

Biking towards Angkor from Siem Reap will just take a few minutes.  After passing by the bustling city of  Siem Reap crowded with accommodations from posh & mid-range hotels to cheap guesthouses I was like suddenly transported to a scenic and nostalgic town. I  was surrounded by huge trees and I mean really  huge trees proudly standing on orange ground!   And as I  slowly reached the dead end, I am to choose, wether I should  turn right to Banteay Srey Temple or left to Angkor Wat on what seemed like a circular road leading to the great Angkor temples with the Angkor river on it’s backdrop.  I chose left and  stopped by the river.  I love rivers, sitting on it’s bank is nostalgic and brings tears to my eyes.

No matter how much I wanna stay at the river though I know I have to use the ticket.  So I took my blue bike and started cycling towards the most famous  and the largest and best preserved monument of the Angkor group, no other than –> Angkor Wat. As I was nearing the temple, I felt what everyone felt the very 1st time they behold this architectural masterpiece. Angkor Wat is sublime. 

I  parked near the river and gazed it from afar together with some locals, I was teary-eyed.  I don’t know if it’s just the river that  has made me weep, or  it’s because I am viewing the temple by the river with some locals and children that if it weren’t for my camera that’s attracting too much attention (which I’m starting to hate!) I would’ve easily blended with them.  Or  maybe it’s the disbelief that after all this years and after all I’ve been through to get to Cambodia,  I am finally standing there.  Perhaps it’s a mixture of it all.  I  tell you oftentimes I get too emotional during my travels, especially when a beautiful place strikes me and it is contradicted by the poverty in it’s surroundings, like the poor little children that has to work at a very young age,  I just feel so useless, and that’s exactly what I felt in Cambodia.

I didn’t research well for my Cambodia tour so I have no idea what to see, except for  the famed Ta Prohm and Angkor Wat, since their photos are all over the world wide web .  I didn’t rely on a book or a map, just following where the road would lead me this time. It is suggested though that you get a Khmer guide, to learn more about the temple’s history and the best position  or spots  to take photos, but if  your a cheapskate then research before you go!  I guess my biggest mistake is not getting a map or researching about the temples first before I get there. But I guess because I am such a curious ass and I really spent time in each and every temple so I didn’t miss that much, not to mention that whenever there are tourists with guides, I listen to them. Poor me!

After my emotional encounter with Angkor Wat by the river banks, I headed to the crowded parking lot and kid vendors running from everywhere offering drinks, books, postcards and foods. I biked through the not-so-crowded part of the ground, one girl offered me Fanta which by the way is my official drink during my entire stay in Siem Reap! lol  “Buy Fanta from me and me, and my sisters will watch your bike, for $1 drink ,” said the vendor kid.  I agreed and she lead me towards the area where there “moving store”  is located.

the Khmer teen vendors

What I like about the friendly vendors in Cambodia is their after sale service. They never fail to say  thank you and convince you to come back. Well, of course, that’s my 1st encounter with Khmer kids vendors, and if you get to meet the same insistent kids in every temple, sooner or later  you will get annoyed.

I crossed the dusty road and walked towards the west gate where a long busy causeway  guarded by 2 lions  in the midst of the moat leading to a sandstone  covering the facade and full view of the centrals towers which then leads the main prang , the guards checked my pass and I heard they are really very strict when it comes to that.  I set aside my emotions and started taking pictures.  It is indeed vast! Before getting to the main temple, a lonely cross-shaped structure on the left side  caught my attention, I learned later on that it’s the so-called library, there’s a same structure on the right side of the causeway.

I went down the stairs and took  vanity photos  inside the library.    From there I saw what seemed like a man-made lake , a basin filled with water.  I have seen impressive photos online taken from that  location. I didn’t even realized until I got home and looked at the photos that from that location on the left basin, one can take a photo or view the 5 central domes as symbolized in the Cambodian flag.

I headed back to the causeway, it’s Cambodian New Year so just imagine the crowd ,the main prang of the temple is under construction, so green nets covered it. Argh!  At that point, I have 3 options, to follow the bas relief to the left, or move forward or proceed to the right.

By their beauty they first attract, by their strangeness they hold attention, Helen Churchill Candee

The bas relief  on the right caught my attention so I viewed it counterclockwise.  For me, the most amazing part of the temple aside from the view on the top of the temple  is the bas relief.   The gallery at the West  gate depicts  the  ” Battle of Kurukshetra ( a province in India)” which is the main subject of  the epic Mahabharata.

On the south gate gallery, the main subject is the Army of King Suryavarman II,where the King himself is seen standing on an elephant surrounded by his servants and Vishnu is standing on a garuda (a supernatural eagle-like being that serves as Vishnu’s mount) and the Judgment by Yama (the supreme Judge) Heaven and Hell.  It is said that this gallery  is an evidence that it was created after the King’s death.

On the East Gallery is a well-known episode in the Puranas –> Samudra manthan or Churning of the Ocean Milk which takes place during the 2nd ascent of Vishnu (when he is incarnated as a turtle Kurma). The sole purpose of this is to give rise to Amrita (the elixir of life). If you’ve been to Suvarnabhumi Airport (Bangkok) you can also see it depicted there with Vishnu in the center.

the Churning of the Ocean Milk

Unfortunately the  “Churning of the Ocean Milk” walkway & the West gate is is under construction, so tourists are instructed to walk down the stairs and proceed to the  North gate which portrays  the victory of  Krsna over Bana, the Demon King and Battle between the Gods and Demons.

I didn’t follow it, and instead walked back to the courtyard and saw a steep stairways leading to the central towers where several tourists and even monks are lined up. At that point, I was prohibited to use a tripod and had to cover my back and sleeves with a bolero.

The echo wall. If you stand at a certain part of the temple, stand with your back against the wall and strike your chest, you can hear the echo through the walls of the temple - make a wish for healing of sickness or illness in your body. Many Khmer believe in this, thus, they flock to this side of the temple to partake in this ritual. But it is said that if a person stands in your way they are breaking the magical line to the healing Buddha and it will break the echo and wont work for you.

What I like about walking on the gallery of the upper dome is the view of it’s impressive surroundings of the countryside as well as the perfect balance and grandeur of Angkor Wat.

I walked back and headed towards the North Gallery and I was struck by a walkway surrounded by trees. It feels like walking in autumn but it’s eerie as I was the only one walking there.

The path leads to another structure that is severely damaged but if you walk inside and exit it on the other side, you’ll be rewarded by a beautiful view of the river with cows relaxing on the river bank.

There’s another path leading towards I don’t really know where, but most likely to the countryside.  At that point I have to stop.  I walked back towards Angkor Wat and I realized how  magnificent it is from that view.

I spent a couple of minutes sitting on the North Side of the temple and decided to grab a drink –> Fanta, my official drink while waiting for the sun to set without realizing that the sunset can’t be viewed there! That’s what you get when you don’t have a compass or map or didn’t research about the location!

Vendors,souvenirs, foods etc are bursting in this area. I ordered food which is a long wait by the way and a sugarcane shake. We use to eat sugarcane in the province when I was a kid, so I was curious how the shake taste.

Mind you once you sit and eat on every food stalls in each and every temple, you’ll be bugged by kids selling postcards, books, bags, etc. I bought a book  about Angkor Wat for $1, it’s full of pictures only, not much to see nor read, I regret not buying the bigger book fr $5.

I  sat  with the children & waited 3 hours till sunset, I was getting bored and it’s getting dark, yet of course, sunset is nowhere.

I whispered to the sky, as I walked back to the basin on the left to take  a last keepsake of Angkor Wat.  I will forever remember that unexplainable sensation I’ve felt when I first saw you…

* The title  was derived from the profound movie “In the Mood for Love” by Kar Wai Wong. If you’ve seen it’s finale which was shot in Angkor Wat,  it features the most beautiful yet saddest ending in a love story.  Nothing, I just wanna quote it. *wink

*I wouldn’t recommend biking the entire temples though,  it is tiring and dangerous especially at night as the street gets really dark and the traffic gets heavy, I almost got into an accident twice because of  biking at night. But if you are adventurous and a cheapskate like me, then rent a tuktuk on your 1st day to visit the far temples like Bantey Srey and you can bike Angkor  Wat and the temples near it on your 2nd day, just don’t wait til it gets dark before you go back to Siem Reap.

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The ruin of the old city of Ayutthaya was  hailed a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991, the Siamese kingdom that existed from 1351 to 1767 until it was invaded by the Burmese.   This was once known to be one of the richest cities in Asia if not in the world.There are several travel agencies in Khaon San Road that offers package tours to Ayutthaya including Bang Pa-in, price starts at 300B, but you could save  a few baht and explore more of the city if you commute.  To get to  Ayyuthaya from Bangkok on your own, there’s 2 options: bus or train. I took the 1st option.

I asked the metro cleaners on how to go to Northern Bus Terminal or Moh Chit and they only understood me when I mentioned Moh Chit.  In Thailand,it is better to mention the Thai name of the place when you ask a local so they can understand you better.  Luckily this time, I was not lost and reached the terminal around 30 minutes after.

I bought a ticket from one of the windows inside the building and the employee pointed me towards the waiting area fronting the buses. I had to wait for the next trip which was around 10am. I sat with some locals, and I was looking for some tourists, but found none. The bus finally arrived. I paid 60B for the ride, the bus was almost empty when we left but it is picking up passengers along the road so it is already full before we reached Ayutthaya.

On the window of the bus I saw a peak of one the stupa, but the bus didn’t stopped there and still moved farther.  I was too shy to ask the locals on the bus that time.  So I walked from the bus station to what seemed like a highway.  I have no map with me so I have no idea where the temples are, all I know is it’s best to get around here with a bike.

I was looking for a tuktuk but surprisingly, there’s none around.  I couldn’t decide whether I need to go left or right, as I’m not seeing any signs of old ruins.  I then saw a store and ask the Thai owner.  She could barely understand me because she doesn’t speak English that well she said so I showed her a picture of the old ruins on my Bangkok map. She directed me towards the right side and when her husband came out driving an expensive car, she verified the information she gave me. They both agreed I head towards the right side.

 It was a short walk but it’s so hot as it’s already 12noon, and while approaching the major road –> U Thong Road, an old temple which seems to belong to Angkor Period was unveiled to me!  I hurriedly crossed the street to get a closer look, searched for the entrance and paid 50B.  I learned later on upon reading the signage that it is Wat Rachabunara.  It was surreal.

I climbed the top of the major temple and the view below is equally amazing!There’s an exhibit inside the temple. A large amount of the golden artifacts and treasures found at Wat Ratchaburana are said to be displayed in the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum.

Walking around, I noticed that the site is full of headless Buddha images except for one that’s dressed and sitting proudly in the midst of the ruins.

I spent like an hour on that place alone, that’s how hooked I was!  I’ll let the pictures here speak for you…

When the sun’s heat started to take its toll on me, I decided to cross the street and grab a cold drink and ice cream at a small cafe fronting Wat Rachabunara. Bikes for rent caught my eye and I suddenly remembered that there’s no better way to explore this charming ancient city than to bike around.  I left my I.D and paid 50B.

I biked to the next temple which is pretty close–> Wat Mahathat.  I had to leave my bike, and I don’t know how to. I forgot to lock it and good thing it wasn’t lost!   I paid another 50B for entrance to Wat Mahathat (Temple of the Great Relics) which is the symbolic center where the Buddha’s relics were enshrined.  It was also the residence of the Supreme Patriarch or leader of the Thai Buddhist monks. The temple is believed to be built during the 14th century A.D. (the early Ayutthaya period).

This site is also home to the famous Buddha head enclosed in the roots of a Bodhi tree. 

There’s not much to see inside, they’re almost the same, headless Buddha images and stupas everywhere.  I cycled around Wat Nok which is within the same block and has no entrance fee.

I passed by a little Thai spirit house under a tree by the river. These little houses are often charming miniature replica of a Thai-style house or temple. According to traditional Thai belief, the spirit house provides a home for the resident spirits of the compound. Wielding considerable power, resident spirits can play a major role in the fortune and destiny of the inhabitants of the compound. If the spirits are offended by inappropriate acts, neglect or disrespect, bad luck and misfortune befalls the owner and residents of the house. To appease and pacify the spirits, a daily offering of incense sticks, fresh flowers and food is presented.

Biking around an ancient park with rivers and trees everywhere is certainly, one of my most memorable post-birthday trips! Unfortunately, I had to leave, I didn’t get to see other equally important temples nor the King’s Summer Garden but one day I shall return. I wish I could’ve given justice to Ayutthaya, I should’ve spent more time or even stayed there overnight, I could’ve seen the light show of the temples at night.

I am thankful to my sister for suggesting that I visit Ayutthaya and there’s no cheaper way to get around the city than to go biking.  Too bad I only get to explore it half day (and knowing me, I really take time to tour and savor each place I visit so I didn’t get to explore the whole city) and I had to get back to Bangkok to get my stuff at my guesthouse in Khao San Road and catch my flight at the Bangkok later that night.  Had I known that I would miss my flight due to the heavy traffic because of the King’s birthday celebration at the Royal Avenue.  I would’ve have stayed for the night at this charming old city.  

How to get to Ayyuthaya:

Travel tips:

The temples with entry charges are usually in ruins, so there is no dress code, although visitors are still requested to refrain from blatant stupidity like clambering up the Buddha statues. Working temples tend to charge no fees and there are often no officials to check that a dress is appropriate (though it is advised to follow these customs to show respect for sacred places).

How to get to Ayutthaya:

By train

The cheapest and most scenic way of reaching Ayutthaya is by train. It regularly departs from Bangkok’s Hualamphong Train Station and stops in Ayutthaya. The trip takes about 2 – 2.5 hours depending on the type of service. Second class seats(A/C) cost 245 baht, third class is just 20 baht (!) (Reservations and seats are not guaranteed).  (Fares in April 2010) Check time table here:  (Please note that fares listed on the Thai railways site are out of date and incorrect) Also note that railway employees prefer not to sell 3rd class tickets to foreigners so if you’re on a budget; do insist with a smile.) And that some train stations (for instance Bang Khen) does not appear on the sites map, and that tickets may even be cheaper (12 baht from Bang Khen).  If you have local friends, they may have some good advice.

The railway station is not on the island but across the river a short ferry ride away. Walk across the main road and down the small street straight ahead. Ferry boats run every few minutes and cost 4 baht.

By bus

Buses operate every 20 minutes or so from Bangkok’s Northern Bus Terminal (Moh Chit*) directly to Ayutthaya. First class air-con buses charge 50 baht. This trip is scheduled to be around an hour and a half, but allow at least two hours for the trip since the buses stop rather frequently and there are often jams on the roads out of/into Bangkok.

• To get to Northern Bus Terminal, take to Moh Chit BTS Station. Upon exiting gantry gates, cross the bridge on the right to go to bus-stop, and take bus service 3 or bus service 77. (Air-con buses charge 12 baht, non-air-con buses charge 7 baht.) Bus ride is about 10 – 15 minutes and the Northern Bus Terminal destination is the last stop for the bus services. However, buses do not stop in the Northern Bus Terminal, but at the bus stop across. Cross the bridge to get to the Bus Terminal.

Also you can take a minivan from the Victory Monument direct to Ayutthaya. Takes ~1 hour and costs 60baht. Buses depart every 20 minutes or so

The buses are from 4:30AM–7.15PM. For more details, please call Tel. 0 2936 2852-66 or see the website [1] and Ayutthaya Bus Terminal, Tel. 0 3533 5304.

In Ayutthaya, the central BKS bus station is on the south side of Thanon Naresuan next to the Chao Phrom Market. Songthaews to Bang Pa-In also leave from here. Some 1st-class buses to Bangkok, however, leave from the north side of the road some 500m to the west, on the other side of the khlong (canal); the queue for air-con buses is easy to spot.

From Kanchanaburi, take a local bus from the main bus station to Suphanburi for 45 baht (2 hours), then another local bus to Ayutthaya for 40 baht (1.5 hours). A taxi from Kanchanaburi costs 2000-2500 baht (2 hours).

There is also a central bus station east of town serving northern destinations. It can be reached by songthaew – ask around to find the appropriate stop.

By minibus (van)

Convenient minibus service (can get stuck in traffic, but makes no stops like regular buses) operates from the Victory Monument square in Bangkok. Take BTS Sky train to the Victory Monument station, and go right on the elevated walkway – keep on it until you cross a large road, then descend – the buses are parked at the side of the main traffic circle). The cost is usually ~70 baht, takes around 1 hour or 1 hour 20 min. It’s quite convenient since you don’t have to go to bus terminals (nearby Mochit) but the only problem is that the minibuses don’t have much space to put big bags and have to wait until the car is fully filled.

Minibuses (van) from Kanchanaburi can be arranged by guesthouses or any tour operators for around 350 baht.

Biking around the ruins is the most enjoyable and fun way to spend the day. The archaeological park is easily reachable and manageable on bike even if you aren’t very fit. The paths are paved and the distances between temples are small. You can rent a bicycle for around 50 baht per day. (As of Dec 2009) The bicycles are not necessarily well maintained, so be sure that they work properly (Wheels are firm, seats adjusted to your height and well attached, handlebars don’t slip. Good shops will give you a free bike lock as well) Free map of the city is widely available in all hotels. The park opens at 7.30 AM. It is recommended that you begin your tour early, before the tour groups arrive from Bangkok. Take a big bottle of water with you.

Bicycle rentals: Soi 2 (where the majority of tourist hotels and restaurants are located) have numerous bike rental facilities. They are all next to each other so it will be easy to shop around and find the one with the best bike for you.

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