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Part 2: Trip to Banteay Srei |
| After heavy rains the night
before, the road to Banteay Srei is still difficult and we have to go slow
with our motorbike. Its about 21 km from the main Angkor temple complex.
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| "Mr. Three Eyes",
my driver during my stay in Siem Reap. Speaks good English and brings you
everywhere whenever you want. You can contact him at the Angkor Thom Hotel.
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| The entrance to the inner
area of Banteay Srei (citadel of the women). The temple was discoverd
in 1914. |
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| After the tour buses left,
Banteay Srei was a quite and peaceful place in the jungle again. |
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| Banteay Srei
is famous for it's magnificient, well preserved sandstone carvings. The
temple is quite small, but nevertheless a highlight of a visit to Angkor. |
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| The highly symmetric architecture
offers beautiful views through the gates. This one is from inside to the
entrance down the main axis. I have to wait quite a while to get this picture
without someone walking in or out. |
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| On our way back
it starts to rain again. We hide ourselves under a house (a little bigger
than in the picture) and watch the road turning into a river while
we chat with the very friendly family. Nine persons live here, including
five children of all ages. |
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| After the rain has gone
the green is even more intense. I decide to walk the next 2 kilometers
to take some pictures. |
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| On my walk I meet many children
coming home from school or working in the fields. They have fun when I
take the pictures. This is not the place where many people walk by with
a camera in their hand. I will never forget these smiles. |
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Ditches
supply the endless ricefiels with water. The sky is still dark, but the
rain stopped.
We drive on and stop for
a snack in a small village. Little filled sweet cakes with delicious sauce
and green leaves, hmm. |
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| TA PROHM:
This temple is really a magic
place. L'Ecole d'Extreme Orient left it to the jungle like it was
found many years ago. Many parts are turned into a pile of stones by the
constant pressure of the banyon and kapok trees, that sprouted through
and around the stones of the temple.
Ta Prohm is evidence for
the transitoriness of all manmade work and the power of nature.
The temple was erected in
1186 and had the function of a budhist monastery. Inside lived 18 priests,
2700 monks, 600 dancers and 12000 servants.
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| The roots of
these huge trees destroy and conserve at the same time. Many of the walls
would collaps today without the embrace ot the trees.
The whole temple is a mysterious
labyrinth, time has made an ingenious work of art here over the years.
For those who like Ta Prohm,
I also recommend a visit of the Preah Khan temple, it's a not less romantic
place.
For today we have seen enough
and we return to Siem Reap to have dinner at the Chivit Thai restaurant. |
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