7 years ago: same day, same place. To set foot in Siem Reap was a wonderful experience! Knowing that 7 years have past, I decided to come back with better lens and wider coverage.
The famous Angkor Wat which can be viewed from sunrise to sunset
I initially tried booking my hotel through Agoda but when I noticed the Pavillon Indochine Hotel (http://www.pavillon-indochine.com/) to fit to my accommodation type, I decided to directly book it through their website. I was not mistaken to choose Pavillon Indochine Hotel for my 4-night stay; it was homey, quite, and simple. Locationwise, I found it at the middle of everything; to the Angkor Archeological Park and to the Siem Reap city center.
I practically have 3 full days in the country (Aug 29-31) so I planned to bike around Angkor Archeological Park for my first day. I rented a bicycle from the Hotel for $2 for a whole day. Before cycling to the Angkor Ticket Office, I dropped by Wat Thmei which is just across the hotel. Although the main attraction of the killing fields is in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap also has museum and a temple and a cemetery in this site for their share of losses during the Khmer Rouge regime. A memorial of a painful past ingrained in the country’s history; a lesson learned to value human rights and human life.
A temple within the Killing Fields Museum
Wat Thmei
Bicycling from 10am to 4pm gave me opportunity to reach as many temples I could cover. All of them expressed artistry, intricacy, and boldness. The baroqueness, the stone works, the primitive carvings, the raw talents are real and preserved forever. This second time of visit afforded me to explore all temples in the ancient city, each temple has unique features, different experience, some you can climb, the others you cant.
Cycling around Angkor ancient city
Prasat Kravan
Ta Phrom
One of the trees that crashed Ta Phrom temple
Ta Keo temple
Preah Pithu
Bayon Temple
Phimeanakas
Inside Angkor
Angkor Wat's facade
I hired a car with a driver, Sophoan Tueng (wattsapp +8562055616463) to take me to Koh Ker and Beng Melea temples in my second day. This was my first time to reach the farther tour destinations away from Siem Reap. It was quite expensive but more impressive; worth the long trip. My goals of chasing all ancient ruins got me to Koh Ker and Beng Melea of Cambodia.
Koh Ker Temple
Koh Ker Pyramid
Linga (Penis) Temple
On top of Pyramid
Facade of Koh Ker Temple
Kra Chab Temple
Beng Melea Temple
The same car and Sophoan drove me to Kulen Mountains on my third day tour. Up the mountain of rocks and clay lie 3 interesting tourist spots: The Thousand Penis[es] (Linga), The Reclining Buddha carved from the gigantic boulder, and The Waterfalls. To know the background stories of them, one should really pay visit. On our way back, I revisited the red temple, Banteay Srie.
Kulen Temple
Recling Buddha
A Thousand Linga in the river
Penis & Vagina: Symbol of Fertility
Phnom Kulen Waterfalls
Banteay Srei
Given these numerous Hindu temples of old, my reflection is that it is on the temple where faithfuls frequented, spent most of their time, go-to place, and thus become the most significant venue for the people of the past. That is why the temples were made artsy, intricate, majestic, expressive, and imposing.
Angkor Beerdom has become my night event. On the first night, I drunk 2 mugs at the hotel bar. The second night was another 2 bottles at the Container Night Market with a live band. The last night was back at the hotel, shared with Adrian, the hotel proprietor and manager.
But of course, I too have nightly tours. Before the drinking spree, I witnessed a cultural dance show called "Smile of Angkor" on Aug 30 and another impressive spectacle of the night that I will always cherish, the Cambodian Circus entitled “Same Same but Different” on Aug 31.
