Siem Reap

Angkor Wat
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Siem Reap is a small ( but quickly growing ) town. New hotels are being thrown up at every turn .The reason for the boom is the  temples of Angkor.A ' must see' for any visitor

I didn't realise but there are many , many temples built over hundreds of years by a succession of kings, each making there mark . I'm trying to do the highlights but there are so many. Day one and with the help of a moto driver it's of to the following : Bayon is a little spooky as it's covered with many  stony smiling faces where ever you look. Next up Angkor Thom is impressive but the real star of the show is Angkor Wat the daddy of all temples.Enclosed by a rectangular moat of 1.5km x 1.3km , its the largest religious structure on earth and is simply stunning.

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At the approach to the various temples there are stalls with the locals selling drinks and souvenirs. The call "Hello. You want cold drink?' became very familiar. After i'd said 'no , thanks ' to the first 3 the next in line would still ask ! The kids are trying to make a buck too. Kids no more than 5 or 6 will tell you how many people live in your Capital city and recite 1 - 10 in 5 different languages.

it's interesting to see the wide range of preservation  used at different sites . Some have been shored up to prevent total collapse, some are or have been rebuilt using exsisting stone where possible and some like Angkor Wat are subject to cutting edge techniques.

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Day two and back on the Temple trail.It's a long ride out to Banteay Srei to see a hindu temple with 'some of the finest stone carving seen anywhere on the planet'according to the Lonely Planet , and I'm not arguing.

Next is Eastern Baray which must have looked stunning when the reservoirs were filled with water.Then off to Ta Som for some great 'tree roots growing through temple' photos. Then Preah Neak Pean and Preah Khan. Phew! It would be nice to have done it at a more leisurely pace but I was weighing up the cost of moto driver and entry pass. Plus of course , a couple of days might feel enough .

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Impressive as all these temples are they are the remnants of a huge city that was home to a million people when we were still living in Hamlets in England. Only temples were made of stone , all other buildings were of wood so they've gone without a trace. It's easy to see why thousands of people come here each year and i'd love to return.

I'm heading back to Phnom Penh as it's easier to make travel plans from there.