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Published: November 20th 2009
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Banteay Srei
From the moat. Banteay Srei
The most popular sites at Angkor are over-run with tourists every day, so we took the opportunity to go to two of the temples that lie some distance from town. The first is called Banteay Srei or “Citadel of the Women”. It was built in the 10th century as a Hindu temple, much like the temple we saw at Vat Phou. What makes it unique is that it was built of pink sandstone. It is a small but exquisite temple. Almost every inch of its walls and doorways are covered with delicate carvings of scenes of the Ramayana. The temple was discovered by the French only in 1914, but was the first in the Angkor group to be restored by anastylosis, which is a method of recording, dismantling, and reconstructing ruins first developed at Borobodur, a huge mountaintop complex in Indonesia.
It's so nice not to be part of a tour group where we have to move in unison. Today we could wander at will, stop where and for as long as we wanted, and wait for photo ops. On the far side of the complex we followed the sound of musical instruments and there we found,
sitting on grass mats, a homespun band about 15-strong, playing native instruments. It appeared that most of them were war or UXO (unexploded ordnance) casualties - some were blind - and they were playing for tips or to sell their CD, like the people in Penn Station in New York City.
Beng Mealea
The other temple, named Beng Mealea, is interesting in that it has not been restored at all. It's like a huge jungle jim on which one can explore and climb to one's heart's content. Our driver dropped us at the entrance, flanked by lions, where we followed a causeway across the temple's moat, now filled with lily pads. The causeway was lined with balustrades of nagas (serpents). At the end of it lies sections of buildings and huge piles of building blocks from structures that have been toppled by centuries of intruding jungle. On one hand the jungle has destroyed buildings; on he other hand trees that have arisen in the middle of the complex are the only things holding the remaining walls up. Conservators have erected stairways and platforms to make it easier to scramble about the ruins, but otherwise little has been done
in the complex. The ruin serves to remind the visitor how much work has been done on better-restored sites and how much more is still left to be done. There are 74 accessible sites in Angkor in an area of 77 square miles; there will be work for archeologists and conservators for centuries to come. Angkor's designation as a World Heritage Site has served to bring recognition to it and to ensure that certain standards will be met in preserving its integrity while providing the tourist with facilities to make their stay comfortable.
When we came to the end of the causeway an elderly man offered to guide us through the complex; we knew that he would expect a tip if we accepted, which we did. He spoke only a few words of English, but was able to show us the way and point to the best places to take a photo. He apparently viewed Bruce as being too old and feeble to make it his own, so on every stairway or uneven place he would grasp Bruce's elbow and steer him along. I don't know what he thought he would do if Bruce tripped - he weighed maybe
Bruce's Helper
Leaving me in the dust. 120 lb.soaking wet. He must have pegged Bruce as a cash cow and wanted to make sure that he preserved his tip. Meanwhile I was left to fend for myself. And you all know how clumsy I am......
Today we experienced a little of the heat that people complain about, but all it took was a little shade and we were cool and comfortable.
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Loren
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Angkor environs
I've told everybody how you are not only going to one of the rarer destinations for Americans, but are also avoiding the typical Bangkok-Phuket-Angkor trip most would do. But there's a reason Angkor is so popular, and we're glad you're also getting to see your own corner of it. It's important to also see the must-see sights. As long as you take pictures of yourselves in front of them. BTW, Val especially loves the idea of your guide steadying Bruce.