Leo Laksi’s Bangkok And Back

Interrogation room at S21 Security Prison.

One of the most emotional sights to visit while in Phnom Penh, Cambodia is the Tuol Sleng Genocide Musuem.  This venue was formerly a high school that was converted by the Khmer Rouge in 1975 to Security Prison “S21″ to house the mainly  middle-class and educated segment of society for interrogation and torture.  The Khmer Rouge believed that educated city-dwellers were exploiters of society and of the working, mainly agrarian, classes.  There was a forced exodus from the cities and larger towns to the countryside.

Those rounded up for interrogation and torture included whole families.  One of the difficult sights at the museum is the photographs of those rounded up and imprisoned.  Not only do you see the frightened faces of men and women, you also see the faces of children.  Beside the photographs, you can view the cells where the victims were imprisoned, torture instruments and human bones including skulls.  Although grotesque in some ways,  the museum is invaluable in making sure we don’t forget what happened thirty years ago.  In depicting gruesome inhumanity, it reminds visitors that we should not be complacent in the face of such crimes against humanity.

Photos taken with a Nikon D700 and Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom lens.

Interrogation room at S21 Security Prison.

Photos of inmates, tortured and murdered.

Reflection of whom.

Photo exhibition.

Makeshift prison cell in classroom.

Old woman after a day's work.

As photographers, tourists are sometimes bound to tourist attractions.  It’s just the nature of traveling.  We all do it.  We want to capture images that are easily identified with the destination.  In Cambodia, people usually capture Angkor Wat, the killing fields and perhaps the Tonle Sap, (the largest natural lake in Southeast Asia and one of the world’s wonders for its reverse flow depending on the season).

In my trips to Cambodia, I find the tourist attractions taking a backseat to shooting the people in their natural environment.  On this particular trip I spent several hours in rice patties and farms capturing people going about their everyday tasks.  From tending the crops to planting rice, the photography came alive for me.  It was also a chance to interact with people, people that you will find are very friendly, accommodating, and dignified.  This kind of interaction may transform your trip from a routine to a magical journey.

Photos taken with a Nikon D700 and Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8 zoom lens.

A shy and friendly smile.

Hard at work in the hot sun.

Covered at work.

Getting water from the lake.

Older man with water cans.

Main Street

In May, my friends and I made a trip from Siem Reap, the location of Angkor Wat, to the village of Kampong Kleang on the Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.  The Tonle Sap with its reversing water flow, depending on the season, is one of the great wonders of the world.  Any visit to Angkor Wat should include travel to this lake.  On the way there we passed this hamlet that this time of year was high and dry.  By mid-June the situation changed as the lake waters rose to a level just below the top rung of the stairs.  The 18 foot rise in the water level signaled the beginning of the wet season.

Thatch house

We stopped at this village to take a quick walk through town and found that it was difficult to leave as the people were very friendly, walking with us.  Mainly it was the children who shadowed our every move, yelling “good-bye” nonstop.  On those days when you are tired of visiting temples, you might consider a trip to the Tonle Sap.  With a stop or two in a village like this one.

Photos taken with a Leica M8 and Summicron 35mm f/2 lens.

Behind Main Street

Can't miss it.

Followed us around town

Curious

Dancers at Angkor Wat

One of the highlights of my latest trip to Angkor Wat is the opportunity to capture people going about their daily routines.  This could include dancers working at night at Angkor Wat or monks in a tourist mode visiting during the day.  Irrespective of their activities, they were all at ease before a camera, making it much easier to slip into a photographer and start shooting.

Photos taken with a Leica M8 and Summicron 35mm f/2 lens and Leica C-Lux 2.

Guard at Bayon. With carved female "Apsara" figure below.

Three monks sightseeing

Along the river near Siem Reap

Boys wondering who we are

Preah Pithu is a group of five temples in eastern Angkor Thom, near the “Terrace Of The Elephants”.  Although the complex appear to be a group, they were probably not designed as such.  These temples are known for their setting in majestic trees that can be a locale for a respite in the tropical Cambodian heat.  There is also a refreshment stand (and restrooms) nearby.   These temples also house some very intricate carvings that are surprisingly intact.

Photos taken with a Leica M8 and Summicron 35mm f/2 lens.

Children on a hammock

In this particular town, near Kampong Kleang, on the Tonle Sap, several of us decided to walk thru this single road village that was comprised of 80-100 houses on both sides of the road.  Normally, groups of foreigners drive straight through, heading for Kampong Kleang.

Altogether there must have been 300-400 people living here.  The children came running out of their houses, shouting only one phrase “bye-bye” which was their equivalent of hello, “how are you”, and good-bye.  Although their living conditions was rough by western standards, you couldn’t tell by the looks on their faces.  And the looks on the faces of their parents.

One got the impression that they hardly saw foreigners.  They were very ecstatic in tagging along with us.  And vice versa.

Photos taken with a Leica M8 and Summicron 35mm f/2 lens.

Sister and brother

Girl, Chinese doughnut, and hungry dog

Looking at the commotion

Checking us out

Pre Rup temple after sunrise

Pre Rup Temple is an alternative to the very popular Angkor Wat for sunrise.  In fact, climb the stairs to the top of the temple for a memorable sunrise.  On this particular day, the cloud cover was heavy so the sunrise was not as spectacular as it can be when it strikes the red sandstone, laterite and brick of Pre Rup.  An added bonus in visiting here is that there aren’t hundreds of people as there can be at Angkor Wat.  This morning, there was our small group and three others visitors.

Another thing.  Pre Rup is a very compact temple that is easy to access.  Angkor Wat is huge and sometimes loses intimacy, especially at sunrise when there are crowds of people trying to share the same expericience.

Photos taken with a Leica M8 and Summicron 35mm f/2 lens.

Looking down from Pre Rup

Two tourists climbing the stairs

Different perspective

Central tower

One early morning we traveled to Kampong Kleang, a small fishing village on the Tonle Sap.  From Kampong Kleang, we took a small boat to a floating village about 30 minutes away in the Tonle Sap.

The Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and is the life blood of the Cambodian (Khmer) people.  It is known for reverse flow of its water from wet to dry season and the rich biodiversity surrounding the lake.

When we visited, it was still the dry season, however, in another month, the rains will fall and the water may rise up nine meters.

The land surrounding Kampong Kleang will be underwater with the only high ground being the temple grounds.  As the houses are built on stilts, there is little risk from rising high water.  And the people have been living here for thousands of years.  They are well aware of how to survive in this environment.

They go about their daily lives no different than people around the world.

To visit this village travel south by motor vehicle about 1 hour south of Siem Reap.  There are other villages closed to Siem Reap, however, they have become heavily visited by tourists.

Photos were taken with a Leica M8 and Summicron 35mm f/2 lens.

Walkway from the main entrance to the temple

We visited Banteay Srei temple early one morning, hoping to catch the glow of a bright sunrise against the red sandstone.  Sad to say that the sunrise was not spectacular so we were left with the beautiful red sandstone.

Banteay Srei is a relatively recent name and means “citadel of women”, referring to its delicate proportions and intricate decor.  Banteay Srei was consecrated in 967AD and dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.  The original name of the temple was “Tribhuvanamahesvara”, meaning “Great Lord of the Threefold World.

The temple is a must-see.  It’s about 25km from the main Angkor complex.  It is heavily visited so I recommend that you visit early.  You will have the temple all to yourselves.  Later in the morning, there are lots of visitors.

Second gateway

Front facade

Intricate detailing

Rear view

Main complex

After a few days in Siem Reap, it’s time to take a break from the dozens of Angkor-era temples that are available to see.  One of the best alternate trips is to travel to one of the floating villages on the Tonle Sap.
The Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and is the life blood of the Cambodian (Khmer) people.  It is known for the reverse flow of its water from wet to dry season and the rich biodiversity surrounding the lake.

When I last visited Siem Reap seven years ago, I visited another village closer to town.  Since then, that village has become a tourist magnet with dozens of larger tour groups with the result that it sometimes feels like there are more tourists than villagers.

This floating village is about one hour south of Siem Reap with the last 15 kilometers over a dusty and narrow road, passing several small villages before stopping at land’s end at Kampong Kleang.   From Kampong Kleang, you boat down a narrow waterway for open water.  Ten minutes later you arrive at this village.  By June, the village will be gone, as it is rainy season and the lake will rise about 9 meters.  The village will then be moved closer to land.  In fact, the waterway will also disappear as its channel will submerge under the rising water level.

The residents of this floating village are ethnic Vietnamese whose principal livelihood is fishing (as you can probably guess).  Check out the last photo below with the large pig in a floating cage.  Also the small boat in the next to last photo is a local version of a grocery store.

This was not the best morning for photographs due to diffuse hazy light. And when you’re captive to a boat, it’s a bit difficult to plan your photos, both in terms of lighting (the location of the sun)  and the distance between your camera and your subject.  Sometimes you have to improvise.

Photos taken with a Leica M8 and a Summicron 35mm f/2 lens.