Shaunduvall's travel blogs:
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Temple Heaven
Entry 20 of 105 | show all | print this entry |
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Monday 16th August 2004
Decided to be generous to myself and booked the 6 dollar, rather than 3 dollar bus to Siem Reap. Got up at 6.30, after four hours sleep (the English couple kinda kept me talking and drinking), and so was looking forward to a nice sleep on the bus.
The bus was indeed nice - plenty of legroom, nice breakfact, water on demand, nice video of the temples of Angkor, after which I decided to sleep.....one fatal error - I forgot a basic rule of Asian driving - you beep your horn furiously at anybody you overtake - now some drivers are worse than others, but this one, he had an addiction to that horn - and we overtook a lot of people. Attempts at sleep abandoned.
We stop midway at their preferred cafe (as always) and there are more beggars than usual this time - women with deathly looking babies (they drug them to look this way apparently), kids, limbless people, you name it - you feel really sorry for them, but you do get fatigued by it as well.
Arrive and go to see Angkor Wat at sunset. Even from a distance, it looks stunning, despite the annoying appearence of some clouds to dull the sunset.
Tuesday 17th August 2004
The temples of Angkor are so much more than simply Angkor Wat. Hired the requisite motorbike taxi, as they are spread our over many miles, and off to Angkor Thom first of all - through these huge gates with a large face looking down on you (as per Tomb Raider) and onto the Bayon, the main part of Angkor Thom, which initially does look a pile of rubble (lonely planets description!), but as you get close up, you see the numerous large buddha faces peering down on you. Manage to avoid the groups of Japanese tourists and explore.
Angkor Thom was a walled city, and thus there are many other temples and structures to wander round, many where there is nobody else, not even hawkers, and they are all stunning. Climb one with very very steep staircase (of the hold on for dear life, dont look down variety) only to find thee was a useful handrail going down the other side. at the topm you could just sit, in the sunshine, looking around.
Onto Ta Prohm - you have probably seen pictures of this, as this is the temple where it has been left to nature, and so there are many intertwined trees actually making them part of the building structure again.
Took many many photo's - must be about 4-500 a month now (bet you cant wait for the slideshow), plus some mini video - posted below (may take a while to load, and right click and choose "play" to replay), but probably only for a short while, as there are memory constraints on this site!
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Afternoon, onto Angkor Wat, the foremost visitor attraction, though I probably preferred Angkor Thom. That doesnt mean Angkor Wat wasnt stunning - it was, just there were more tourists around. Spectacular entrance surrounded by moats, again up scary stairs, and look out over wonderful view.
Wednesday 18th July 2004
Smaller temples today, and more further afield. Bantay Srei, small temple where there are many carvings, in more detail than you see at the other temples, and was a fair distance away.
Then onto Preah Khan, similar to Ta Prohm, but not so left to the wilds of nature and hence more intact. Various agencies and countries are trying to restore some of these temples, mainly France and Japan.
Then Preah Neak Pean, decorated pools, with, as ever where there is a pool of water in Cambodia, kids playing away, and then onto Ta Som, again spectacular intertwinned trees. Very deserted, so made some kids day by paying him 25 cents to take some pictures of me holding up the ruins.
Tried, and failed, to go on a balloon trip, due to winds being too strong - didnt feel anywind at ground level, as was more shocked at anybody in asia turning down money on safety grounds alone!!
Thursday 19th July 2004
Tried and failed again on the balloon ride - shame, as it would have been great.
Had a wander around Siem Reap today, which doesnt have that much to offer, so enjoyed my first glass of white wine in two months, and had a relaxing day - sometimes its good just to do nothing!
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