The temples of Angkor at my leisure

bas-reliefs at Angkor Wat
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So on the road again or should I say river - a beautiful 7 hour boat ride to come full circle and arrive back in Siem Reap. Given that I'd initially got a bee in my bonnet to come to see the temples of Angkor about 7 years ago, I wanted to be here at my leisure so bought the week-long pass. The temples are breath-taking, and I found myself facing a common tourist dilemma…when things are so beautiful you want to capture them on film – but the act of taking pictures interferes with being able to really FEEL a place, drink it in and let it settle. So it’s been a battle of wills between the me that loves taking pics, and is really enjoying developing my photography style, and the me that wants to absorb the atmosphere, feel the history and loose myself in the peace and tranquility of such beauty. Hopefully with a week to play with I’ll end up with enough of both! I decided to visit them by a different form of transport - moto, tuc-tuc and bicycle...

Take a moment at the top to appreciate the very fact of being here
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The temples speak for themselves and I don’t have enough space on this blog to really do the temples or my photos justice – and everyone will be bored senseless if I put them all up anyway – so photos are just a taster. For those who don’t know the Angkor period lasts from about 945 to 1400s with most impressive activity as far as I can tell between 1100s and 1300s. Notable moments have been…

the temples are breath-taking

Preah Khan
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Angkor Wat – wasn’t supposed to go till another day, but passing it on my first day – a tuc-tuc day – I noticed a distinct lack of Korean tourist busses so seized the moment and dived in– utterly lovely to have the place virtually to myself. It is amazing – the largest religious building in the world apparently – lovely bas reliefs, some really scary steps to the summit, generous sense of space. Given visiting here had been the genesis of my traveling idea, I took a moment at the top and thanked everyone and everything – including me – for being able to be here. Overwhelmed again Pyres? Yup.

one of the few remaining statues
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Kbal Splean – a 45 minute walk up into the forest to discover delicate 1000 year old carvings in the rocky river bed. Then took another moment on a rock listening to the water gurgle past before a slow contemplative descent. A moto day as this one is a while out of town.

Bayon – making a last minute decision to avoid Angkor Wat at sunrise, I went to the temple of the many faces instead. I think there were 3 other people there! It was beautiful as I arrived in the dark (5am) and watched the faces emerge from the moonlight into the daylight.

girl at temple
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Banteay Samre – virtually templed out, I just took some time to be here – ok and practice taking pictures of myself – traveling on my own, I'd better learn or I'll be decidedly absent from all my pics!