Thursday, March 29, 2012

Getting "Angkored"

Getting through customs in Cambodia is a breeze.  We filed for the visa online, waited briefly in-line, let them take our fingerprints (all 10 of them!) & away we went.  If only Vietnam reflected this efficiency a little bit…but that's another story.

We had only two days to visit the temples in and around Angkor Wat (late 11C). Space wise they span 81 hectares.  In years they span about 12 centuries, but we focused on 10-12C. (When we have time, we'll update this with more details on the vast complex of temples.) The visit started out with an elephant ride around Bayon Temple (late 12C).  The Leper King Terrace (1190-1210; faced with deeply carved  bas-reliefs inside & out depicting multiple-headed serpents, garudas, giants, gods, and dancers; many theories abound re why the name, so don't ask…)  It rained through lunch and off & on later.  Much of this was spent undercover in Angkor Thom (12th century) where we climbed to the highest level and entered "heaven".




Day 2 we visited Banteay Srei temple (10th c), regarded as the jewel in the crown of Classical Khmer Art with good reason.  The bas reliefs are delicately and intricately carved.  Way finer than those we saw the day before.  And they are unprotected but have withstood centuries of weathering.  Wars & theft have taken their toll though.  It's about 35 km from Siem Reap but absolutely a "must-see".  From there we returned to the Angkor complex to see Ta Prohm, recognizable from Tomb Raiders. This temple has been taken over by trees that grow in, around and through the stones.  At this point the trees are frequently part of the structure. Ta Prohm has been relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. We had to pass up the earlier temples (from 1-9C) due to a flight change.  But honestly, Banteay Srei & Ta Prohm were so impressive, it was fine to leave it at that.

Banteay Srei Detail

Banteay Srei Detail 
Banteay Srei

Banteay Srei
Ta Prohm

No comments:

Post a Comment