Temples of Angkor / Dec07-09

We've arrived in Siem Reap which is full of great restaurants and markets.

We're here to see temples which are about a 1000 years old.  They remained overgrown and unknown to westerners for hundreds of years.  The locals of course knew about them.  In the early part of the 20th century they were 'discovered' and restored, which is ongoing.

The restoration process is called 'anastylosis', a greek word which means new structural members are made from undetailed store, instead of guessing what it should look like.

In many of the walls you can see circular divots from bullets during the many wars here.

Phnom Bakheng

We head out for a little warm up temple.  The path leads us around a hill and then up steep stairs to the top.  The cicadas were deafening.

Angkor Wat in the distance.

But we've all come for the sunset.

And what goes up, must come down.

Banteay Srei

This is the only temple not constructed by a monarch.  It's relatively small but highly detailed.

I believe the monkeys are reconstructions.

A little artsy shot.

A quiet path outside the walls.

But not everybody is welcome

We stopped at a village on the way back that specialized in palm sugar

'3 for a dollar, 4 for a dollar, 5 for a dollar'

It's tough to say no, but we have to discourage children begging from tourists.  They really should be in school.

Ta Prohm
This temple was used in the movie 'Laura Croft: Tomb Raider'.  You might recognize the trees.

The gatekeeper.

Ancient ruins, ancient trees.

The walls are covered by these carvings.

Including this stegosaurus??

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is the most famous of these temples.  It is surrounded by large moats.

On the way in, the heavens opened up.

And we make it inside

All of these temples have active shrines.

We keep going up.

to the top

Down we go

Hot babes

More views

Dusk over the moat

The money shot

Angkor Thom
The last site we're seeing is Angkor Thom.

This is the king's reviewing stand for the elephant races.

Of course we have to climb.

And at the top

 It was only a  dollar for a blessing.

The Bayon

Part of Angkor Thom is the Bayon, which is the last temple constructed in Angkor.  The most distinctive feature is the dozens of these four faced towers.

Pucker up!

The walls are also detailed with war and other scenes

Lastly, it's the monkeys!