Blogs from Siem Reap, North, Cambodia, Asia - page 2

Asia » Cambodia » North » Siem Reap October 29th 2022

This morning we returned to Angkor Wat because when we were there on Monday we were not able to visit ‘Heaven’, the topmost part of the temple, due to it being a Buddhist holy day. We had Cholna drop us off at the eastern entrance so that we could do the steep climb up to ‘Heaven’ in the cool (?) of the morning and while we were feeling full of energy?? It was also interesting to see the eastern entrance which is also attractive, but not seen nearly as much as the western entrance. We were all suitably dressed for heaven this morning. I missed out on this section of Angkor Wat when we were here in 2010 because my skirt was deemed too short. My skirt was right on knee length, which I thought was ... read more

Siem Reap - Day 6

Asia » Cambodia » North » Siem Reap October 28th 2022

Baphuon Temple

Trabern

This morning we arranged for Cholna to collect us from the hotel at 8.30am so that we could start ticking off the the last of the temples on Steve’s list of 12 Temples. First we went back to Angkor Thom to view Baphuon Temple. With it being part of the Angkor Thom complex we’re not sure how we missed it on Tuesday? It sits between Bayon and Phimeanakis, but I guess we missed it because we couldn’t see it through the jungle from either! That’s the good thing about being here for a week, we don’t have to do our temple viewing like a military operation, we can go back again and again when we discover that there is something else we want see. We didn’t see this temple when we were here in 2010 because ... read more

Siem Reap - Day 5

Asia » Cambodia » North » Siem Reap October 27th 2022

Banteay Srei Temple

Trabern

It rained again during the night. Quite a lot actually! When we went out to meet our driver, Lin, there were huge puddles in the unmade road outside and we had to pick our way to the Mercedes minivan to keep our feet dry. But, before we left our room for our day trip we had made sure that we would have everything we might need in our day packs. Raincoat, tick, water, tick, toilet paper, tick and the Go Girl, tick. What’s that? people might ask. Well, a week or so before heading to Vietnam and Cambodia I was stressing about the whole squat toilet thing and decided that maybe I needed a ladies urination device so that I could pee standing up! Some research ensued and, not only are these a thing, they go ... read more

Siem Reap - Day 4

Asia » Cambodia » North » Siem Reap October 26th 2022

Bakong Temple

Trabern

When we ventured down to breakfast this morning it was feeling rather oppressive and the waiter told us ‘it’s going to rain today … in about half an hour’. Oh well, whatever will be, will be. We have been doing so well with the weather on this holiday we really can’t complain if we have a wet day. This morning we arranged for Cholna to collect us at 8.30am for an excursion to the Roluos temple group located about 13 kilometres east of Siem Reap. These temples are some of the earliest in the Siem Reap area dating to late in the 9th-century. First on this morning’s list was Bakong and, despite the dire prediction of our breakfast waiter, it was still fine as we pulled up at the east gate. Bakong was the first state ... read more

Siem Reap - Day 3

Asia » Cambodia » North » Siem Reap October 25th 2022

Bayon

Trabern

Today we explored the temples in the old capital of Angkor Thom. After Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom is probably the best known and most visited area amongst the temples and ruins of Siem Reap. This city, surrounded by a large wall with enormous gates and a crocodile infested moat was once home to as many as one million people. It is worth noting that this was at a time when the population of London was fewer than 100,000 people. Our first stop was at The Bayon which is a richly decorated Khmer temple dedicated to Buddhism that was built late in the 12th Century or early in the 13th Century as the state temple of the King Jayavarman VII. The Bayon stands at the centre of Jayavarman’s capital, Angkor Thom. The temple is characterized by the ... read more

Siem Reap - Day 2

Asia » Cambodia » North » Siem Reap October 24th 2022

Angkor Wat sunrise

Trabern

Today it was all about Angkor Wat, Siem Reap’s premier temple. Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world on a site measuring 162.6 hectares. It was originally built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12thcentury as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu. Towards the end of the 12thcentury it was gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple. It combines the two basic plans of Khmer Temple architecture: a temple mountain (representing Mount Meru) surrounded by a galleried temple. We had an alarm set for 4.30am so that we could be out the front ready to meet Cholna at 5.00am to drive to Angkor Wat in time for the sunrise. We last did this in 2010 and have always wanted to return because we were there at the end of ... read more

Siem Reap - Day 1

Asia » Cambodia » North » Siem Reap October 23rd 2022

Ta Keo

Trabern

Oh, dear, yesterday I started out with a bit of a headache, popped a couple of Aspros and managed to make it through the day OK. Last night, at bed time, I started to feel a bit congested and this morning I seem to have developed a proper head cold. Damn it! Our tuk tuk driver from yesterday afternoon, Cholna (sounds more like Jonah), ran us down to Pub Street last night and made arrangements to pick us up at 9.30am this morning to start visiting temples. First on our list today was Ta Keo. Ta Keo was the first sandstone temple mountain to be built by the Khmers. Its lack of carving makes it unlike other temples in the area and suggests that the construction was never finished. It is comprised of two terraces, a ... read more

From the Mekong River to Siem Reap

Asia » Cambodia » North » Siem Reap October 22nd 2022

Rain, rain, rain!

Trabern

During the night I woke to what I thought was the sound of rain. It was hard to tell with the air conditioner running, but I thought it sounded different from the sound of a/c alone. Sure enough, this morning we were greeted with wet decks when we ventured out of our stateroom. There has been the threat of rain quite a few times during the week, but we have been so lucky that we have had no rain when we have been taken out on our excursions. Considering it is the end of the wet season, we have been blessed with beautiful, fine weather. The R.V. Bassac Pandaw finished docking at Kampong Cham while we enjoyed breakfast in the dining room for the last time. Our early breakfast finished we raced back up to our ... read more

Rubber trees at the back, dragonfruit cacti in the middle and kasava plants i the foreground

Cambodia - Days 3-4, Cycling, Waterfalls, more sugar

Asia » Cambodia » North » Siem Reap March 2nd 2022

Phnom Kulen National Park

lexispence10

For the next two days, we cycled the back country roads outside of Cambodia, to see the local life and experience more food stops! When we left the floating village, thankfully we did not have to cycle along the long long levee, and instead got a ride in the support van. We stopped at the village near the entrance to the park and visited the local market, where there were many vendors selling fruit, raw fish, meat, and pretty much anything else you could think of. It was interesting, but we did not buy anything here. We continued on the country roads, getting covered in more red dust, and getting some more shade this time. There no real stops on the way except for some refreshments. It was fun to see so many school children on ... read more

How to Travel Solo

Asia » Cambodia » North » Siem Reap September 21st 2021

Visiting the Arctic Circle, Alaska

golfkat

Most of you who know me, know that I travel with my good buddy, Mr. Mike, or I travel solo. Mike is the BEST travel buddy ever. We are not joined at the hip when we travel, though we have similar interests. And we never, I repeat, never, talk about money!! But perhaps you would like a different perspective on solo travel, other than mine. I had the benefit of traveling solo on business throughout the late Seventies, and most of the Eighties. And I was able to start traveling for pleasure at a fairly young age (to Europe), essentially, on my own.The Point Guy has a great website, and email. I strongly suggest that you subscribe, not only for travel, but their advice on best use of award points and airline miles ... read more

Brief history of Cambodia

Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, whose Angkor Empire extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Subsequently, attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the ...more history

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