Angkor Wat

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Tues 19

Set off to ankor wat by tuktuk. $20 for a day for driver Lek. We first had to buy our passes and get our photo ID.We arrived fairly early to see a huge moat with crumbling sides. We walked across a long bridge to enter the main temple compound. It was very atmospheric; even the scaffolding on the main tower was reminiscent of our 1976 trip to Europe where all the important monuments had scaffolding. Great views from the top of the tower, huge mural and not too many tourists. Next stop was Bayon which was being restored. It had huge faces and a layrinth of passages. then we walked across a causeway to Baphuon, the elephant Terrace, the leper king terrace and out thru the Victory Gates to more temples. All the temples are different and each had its own charm. We were taken to lunch at a local restaurant where the waiter wore a Burberry T shirt ! Ta Prohm was the temple that you see in the post cards with tree roots clambering through the walls . The Indian Government is restoring it as the trees will eventually cause the whole area to collapse. It was very Indiana Jones. Got back to the hotel about 3 and then went out for Gin Slings, Tom Yum and Fillet Steak.

Wed 20
Lek's brother Polis took us on a round of more temples.

Preah Khan was a long series of rooms with a stupa in the middle of a 2 story bit.

Neak Peam was an island with a horse saving sailors in the middle of a lake.

Ta Son was a small temple with a big tree root.

East Mebon had very steep brick towers and great views over the countryside.

We had lunch in an old French Colonial restaurant called Cafe Grand. Fans and a terrace overlooking the street. Photos of Old Siem Reap. great service in spite of the electricity cut. At night we went to the new market across the river with lots of lights on the river.

Thursday and we travelled 38km by Tuktuk to the lady templrat Banteay Srei which was very Indian and dedicated to Shriva. There were some very detailed carvings. The whole area had been sorted by Canadian advisors so as to manage tourist numbers in what is a fairly small area. There were also a couple of explanatory displays to show the history of excavation etc. The holes in the stones are for the wooden pegs which were used to grind the stones into place.

It was quite an interesting trip through rice fields and gardens which have been cleared of land mines! There were lots of little shops and we stopped to buy petrol sold in ols Johnnie Walker bottles.

Up early for flight to KL and then a long hot wait for flight to Coolongatta.

Back in Siem Reap we walked 500m into town for White Ladies and Chicken Kebabs. There was a funeral service a few doors down complete with exposed corpse and lots of Buddhist wailing. At lunch the coffin was closed but by the evening the body was out and they were hugging it.

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