Wat Hanchey and Angkor Ban, Cambodia
Wat Hanchey is a modern Buddhist monastery, built on the site of an 8th century Hindu temple, remnants of which, somewhat incongruously, remain immediately adjacent. It is a popular pilgrimage site in the vicinity of Kampong Cham, rebuilt after having been largely destroyed during the Khmer Rouge period. Incorporating as it does a primary school, the wat features images of common animals – buffalo, deer, etc., and huge models of tropical fruits, some of which are not common to the region. We were introduced to a young monk who was persuaded to demonstrate how he wore his saffron robe for travelling, and had the choice of ascending and descending the hilltop location on foot up some 300 steps or on the pillion of a moto – not as hazardous as it may sound. The highlight of a trip to Wat Hanchey is the splendid vista over the broad Mekong River, a treat for those who were experiencing their very first day on this great waterway. Our guides spoke frankly about their youth in this area both under the Khmer Rouge regime and the Vietnamese-controlled communist government that replaced it, posing a serious challenge to their educational and occupational ambitions.
On our return to Jahan, a group of monks were invited aboard to give us their blessing, a simple but moving ceremony that went well beyond being a mere “tourist” moment. Our crew and guides responded with gifts of food and drink, bearing in mind that the monks are permitted to eat only twice a day – “when they see their fingertips in the morning” and just before noon. This was followed by an engaging and comprehensive talk by John Freedman on the history and tenets of Buddhism including the distinctions between Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism.
In the late afternoon, with a slight hint of rain in the air, we visited Angkor Ban, a well-preserved village left largely alone, at least physically, by the Khmer Rouge. We toured the area in the company of a large number of small, friendly children (no school on Sunday) and two very aggressive goats, property of the local temple. The market sells seafood and vegetables from the local farmers and fishers. It was an excellent opportunity to see life as it is lived in a fairly typical, but relatively prosperous, Cambodian rural community.
At the daily recap, Gordon Longmuir presented a very brief background talk on the origins and meaning of “Indochine” as a prelude to further presentations to come on contemporary Cambodia and Vietnam.
