Photo: Young Monk and his Friend Monkey Share a Banana at Wat Damnak

I was still at Wat Damnak temple grounds trying not to get fried by scorching Cambodian sun. The chants from Buddhist gathering at temple’s Vihara (prayer hall) could be heard from everywhere because of the loudspeaker broadcast. I was almost done taking inconspicuous pictures when I noticed this young monk standing outside with banana in his hand which he handed to the monkey sitting at his feet. Monkey took it off his hand with his hand and munched on it like they’re best buddies. The human like behavior of that monkey was bewildering.

Photo: Monkey Turned to See if I'm Still Following Him Around

Granted, I only had my wide angle lens on me because extreme heat makes it impossible to carry extra baggage and since I really wanted to take pictures of my first monkey encounter, I had no choice but to walk up to the couple sharing the banana. It was interesting to watch how monkey turned his head the same way any human would. As I got closer and got the camera at the ready, the monkey gave me that look of “what the hell are you taking pictures of me eating for?” My amazement escalated.

Photo: Monkey Kept Pulling Faces at Me to Show His Dismay

As I was closer, I noticed indescribable dexterity this monkey had in his hands. He had fingers similar to human ones and used them to peel the banana peel off to get to chewy mass inside. When he was done, he simply turned around and started quietly walking away. I swear if he could talk, I would hear him say: “Screw you, man. Staring at me as I’m trying to eat!”

Photo: When He was Done with Banana, Monkey Picked Up Some Juicy Leaves to Flush it Down

I followed the monkey as I really wanted a picture but in order to get any done, I needed to get really close to him (disadvantage of not carrying around the telephoto lens). His every reaction was identical to a reaction of a human. It simply kept blowing me off my feet. Perhaps it’s because we don’t have monkeys in Canada where I come from so seeing an animal whose behavior resembles human so closely was astounding to me. I was being rude by shoving my camera in his face and he was moving away from me to let me know that he does not appreciate being photographed at such close range by a guy he’s never met before. If there was a human in his place, I’d be getting precisely the same type of response. Are monkeys really this close to humans? Unbelievable! All this time I felt like saying: “You got me man. I almost believed you were a real monkey. Now take off that costume and quit playing one, will you?” But the fact was – there was no masqueraded man inside a costume. This was an actual, real monkey. They are closer to humans in their behavior and perceptions of the surroundings that I had ever realized. Wow!

Photo: This is Where Monkey Stopped One More Time, But Seeing me Come to Him Again, He Climbed the Tree and Got Off my Sight

What Landed People on This Page:

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Related Reading:

• Wat Damnak
• Wat Kesararam – Pagoda of the Cornflower Petals
• Wat Keseram Photo Gallery
• Wat Bo Stupas in Siem Reap, Cambodia Photo Gallery
• Buddhism Stupas

Photo: Sign Informing About the Center for Khmer Studies Building

Center for Khmer Studies is a US corporation recognized as a tax-exempt institution which basically means that they can legally and officially collect donations and issue tax deductible receipts to donors (I believe all that is possible – not sure, I’m not an American myself). While I was unable to verify how big a chunk of donations goes directly towards operations of Center for Khmer Studies and how much is kept as “administrative fees”, I remained positive that this is one institutions where charity scam is not a daily bread operation. Unfortunately, scam charities are not uncommon in Cambodia so anyone who’s been here long enough will grow very wary of anyone using charitable purpose as store front. However as it turns out with Center for Khmer Studies, they have something to show for their donations so this would be one of few NGOs where at least some, if not most of the donations go towards actual good cause.

Photo: Small in Size, but Big in Significance - Center for Khmer Studies in Siem Reap

Part of the Center for Khmer Studies is a walk-in library which is the largest in Cambodia outside of that in capital Phnom Penh. The plaque by the library says that library of the Center for Khmer Studies is under high patronage of His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni. As far as size of the institution is concerned – it may not be a monstrous behemoth, but despite its smaller size it’s recognized worldwide and has been chosen by many foreign scholars who came here to study Khmer culture.

Photo: Entrance to Center for Khmer Studies at Wat Damnak Area

Photo: The Carved Gable on Top of Center for Khmer Studies Building

Photo: Blooming Tree in Front of Center for Khmer Studies Building

What Landed People on This Page:

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Related Reading:

• Wat Damnak Photo Gallery
• Bribes and Scam on Cambodian Border Crossings
• Angkor Archaeological Park
• Moving to a New Guesthouse
• First Monkey Encounter

Photo: Wat Damnak Courtyard with Temple in the Rear

As always, I used the map provided in Angkor Siem Reap Visitors Guide to find locations of most relevant temples and pagodas in Siem Reap and used it as my main guide in choosing the best itinerary to get me there. Not that it’s in any way difficult, given rather small size of Siem Reap.

Wat Damnak is located near Phsar Chas aka Old Market, just on the opposite side of the Siem Reap river. If you were to take a walk around the Old Market, you would see the stone bridge right on its south-east corner. Take a walk across the bridge and by the time you made it half across, you will see the roof of beautiful Wat Damnak to your slight right.

Photo: Wat Damnak Front Gate with Cables Spoiling the View

Once I was across the river, I just followed the road that seemed to go in the general direction of Wat Damnak and it got me there. The entrance gate was the same way I got used to seeing from other temples I have visited before – magnificent, but spoiled by presence of disorganized bunch of cables which are used to electrify Cambodia. These cables spoil the view of basically every important or nice to look at structure in Cambodia, except from Angkor Wat temples since this part of the country has not yet been electrified. This was driving me up the wall as no matter where you go, you see beautiful temples, but you have no means of finding an angle under which to take a picture so it is not ruined by crap loads of cables cross knitted along each other.

This would have been the second day of Pchum Ben Festival. The 15 days long Festival of the Dead is an important part of Buddhist Khmer culture so during these two weeks I was encountering it on my every step. Pchum Ben was the most prominent within temple grounds. It always involved presence of dozens of monks, very loud traditional Khmer music played from really old loud speakers (awfully painful for the ears) and lots and lots of food and then some more.

Photo: Wat Damnak Vihara, the Prayer Hall

Just as with any Cambodian temple during Pchum Ben festival, there were many people around and lots of traffic in and out. It was a scorching hot day but locals were all nicely dressed and carried bowls with food they’d use as offerings to their dead ancestors and to local monks. I parked my bike by Vihara – the prayer hall. It was close to Wat Damnak’s entrance gate and there seemed to be most commotion happening there. Aside from noticeable crowds, there was also obvious audible effect as Buddhists inside were repeating chants with powerful unison after the leading monk.

Photo: Mass Prayer at Wat Damnak Vihara

RELATED GALLERY:
Wat Damnak Photo Gallery

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• Buddha in Cambodia
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Related Reading:

• Wat Kesararam – Pagoda of the Cornflower Petals
• Pchum Ben Festival in Cambodia – Feeding the Spirits of the Dead
• Wat Preah Prom Rath Temple and Pagoda, Siem Reap, Cambodia
• Wat Keseram Photo Gallery
• First Monkey Encounter

What Landed People on This Page:

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• praying buddhastatue
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Related Reading:

• Center for Khmer Studies in Siem Reap
• Angkor Archaeological Park
• First Monkey Encounter
• Wat Damnak
• Preah Ang Chek Preah Ang Chorm Shrine