ANGKOR TEMPLES:
The Angkor Archaeological Park is over 400 sq km and consists of over 20 different large temples built between the 9th and 13th century AD. Admission to the park is $20 for one day or $40 for a three day pass….I got the 3 day one. Your moto or tuk-tuk driver has to be licensed to drive within the park (numbered jerseys) but they cannot act as a temple guide. Temple guides cost about $25 extra…so I decided to just wing it on my own. Once inside there are a few local Khmer’s that will approach you and help you with information.…for a small fee of course. Several times I just got close to an English speaking tour group and listened in for free. You can wander anywhere you like through out the park but make sure you stay on the paths as there’s still landmines in the jungle.
Jon would drop me off at one of the temple entrances and arrange a meeting place afterward….make sure you remember where to meet as its easy to get turned around inside and come out the wrong way….and there’s a lot of tuk-tuks outside waiting.
That first afternoon I went to Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat. Angkor Thom is a large collection of temples in a concentrated area. Next to Angkor Wat this is probably one of the best preserved groups of temples and consists mainly of Bayon, Baphuon, Phimeanakas temples and the Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King.
I spent the last hour and a half of the day at Angkor Wat which is the centerpiece of the Archaeological park….and the most crowded. After crossing the water filled moat on a long causeway you enter through a large gateway and then walk across another long causeway to the main building. It’s similar to the South American Mayan temples with really steep stairs on all four sides going up to the top section. To aid coming down they have added a handrail on one side and I had to stand in line for over a half hour to get down. Stayed around till sunset and then headed back to the hotel. I arranged to meet Jon at 08:00 the next morning, then, showered, ate dinner at the hotel and sat around the hotel bar talking to Doug, the owner, till around 10 pm.
The air was very cool as Jon drove me out to the park the next morning and I was glad I hadn’t gone out to watch the sunrise….as many people do. We ended up touring 6 temples today starting with Preah Khan, and then Ta Keo (which was an unfinished temple so was in and out in about 20 to30 minutes).
The next stop was Ta Prohm…this is where Angelina Jolene filmed portions of Tomb Raider….and where the trees are growing out of the ruins….and which most inspired me to make the trip up to the Angkor Temples. Unfortunately the place was very crowded with many large Asian tour groups. The best spots were filled with tour groups, where every person in the group wanted there own personal picture taken standing on or next to a tree root….which took forever….grrrr….I was getting pissed
(I should have gone to Ta Prohm first thing this morning before the tour groups arrived). After a couple of frustrating hours we left for lunch at a row of several nice restaurants near Ta Prohm.
After lunch I toured 3 more temples; Banteay Kdei, Pre Rup and East Mebon and by then I was tired and on temple overload….so we left around 2:30 pm….stopping to play with some monkeys on the way back to the hotel. Because I was so tired from walking and climbing temple steps all day, I did a repeat and stayed at the hotel all night (it’s a bi*ch getting old). The next morning had a late breakfast and headed to the bus terminal for the 12:30 bus back to PP….arriving back at Flamingo’s around 7pm.
Overall, I thought the Angkor Temples were amazing and liked SR better than PP. The biggest problem was with the large tour groups at the most popular temples…and it’s only going to get worse as there are several new, large 100+ room hotels going up right now. I noted areas of damage to tree roots from people climbing all over them and discoloration and deterioration to the sandstone wall carvings from people rubbing there sweaty hands all over them….especially carvings of bare breasted women, for some reason
. I would suggest to anyone thinking of going, to do it now before it turns into another Disney type attraction. If going from PP I would also recommend either taking the bus or boat up to SR and then flying back, as round trip on the bus just takes too long….Siem Reap Airways has several flights with the latest at 19:45 and I think it costs around $70 one way.
Photo's:
10) Cambodian tuktuk on the way to hotel
11) Golden Orange Hotel, Siem Reap
12) Trash piles in the street
13) South entry gate toAngkor Thom
14) Bayon temple
15) Bayon Temple
16) Sandstone wall carvings at terrace of the elephants
17) Discoloration of sandstone reliefs due to touching
18) Causeway over moat to Angkor Wat entry gate
19) Angkor Wat viewed from entry gate
more to come....