Angkor Wat Cambodia

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Siem Reap Cambodia: : On the fast express boat up the river from Phnom Penh, a long five hour journey.

Siem Reap Cambodia: A statue sitting in the middle of a traffic circle on the way back from the airport heading into town.

Siem Reap Cambodia: Last picture I took of my second Tuk Tuk driver at the area where the boats pick up passengers for the lake trips.

Siem Reap Cambodia: View from the window of my room at the Salina Hotel.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Moving on to Bayon temple we came to the partially restored entrance through the wall. The road leading up to the tunnel has many statues on either side lining the way.

Siem Reap Cambodia: Interesting sign given the refugee problems Australians are having in their own country.

Siem Reap Cambodia: This sign suggested people here are concerned with social issues.

Siem Reap Cambodia: Some of the motos showing how many people they can get on a single seat. The table in the foreground contains sea creatures in their shells that appear to be alive, but drying in the sun???

Siem Reap Cambodia: Motos, motos everywhere, yet most avoid bumping into one another.

Siem Reap Cambodia: Some of the motos (motorcycles) are used for light hauling.

Siem Reap Cambodia: One of the many Tuk Tuk taxis running around town. Rides are about fifty cents to most places in town.

Siem Reap Cambodia: Some of the motos showing how they manage to get many people on a single seat.

Siem Reap Cambodia: Two wheels are usually enough for most transportation needs...

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: One of the motos showing how three girls can ride for the same price as one.

Siem Reap Cambodia: I've seen as many as five people on a single seat!

Siem Reap Cambodia: Some are motorized; some are not.

Siem Reap Cambodia: Picture I took at the area where the boats pick up passengers for the lake trips.

Siem Reap Cambodia: Produce delivery "truck." The low power motor gets excellent mileage.

Siem Reap Cambodia: During our departure from Siem Reap this young lady insisted her fried spiders were better that the other girl's... oh, so tasty. Yum.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Another view of the water buffalo munching on some tasty plants under the water along the road that runs around the periphery of the park.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Here the restoration is clearly in progress.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: A water lift at a tree farm within the park compound.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: This seven headed cobra motif is commonly seen all over Cambodia.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: One of the side temples near the entrance.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: In and around the main complex.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: In and around the main complex.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: The main moat is extensive.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Mr. Kheang, my first Tuk Tuk driver into the temple park. "Smile" I said and then snapped his picture before he could compose himself.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: This area outside Bayon temple is being restored.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Inscriptions on an interior wall.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: After studying the inscriptions myself for several minutes, other tourists got curious and also took a look.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Another typical bas-relief decoration. These characters seem to have negro features.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Notice those three spikes in her hat... wonder if the inspiration for the spiked hair fashions started here.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: The main temple room.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Inside the inner walls.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Another view of the walkway around the inside of the inner wall.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Another view outside the inner wall.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Another view inside Bayon temple.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Look closely and you will see several of the giant heads adorning these buildings at Bayon Temple.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: One of the giant heads adorning the buildings at Bayon Temple.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Several of the giant heads adorning the buildings at Bayon Temple.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: One of the giant heads adorning the buildings at Bayon Temple. Tourist sits in the shade of a stone window.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: A couple of the giant heads adorning the buildings at Bayon Temple.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: The woman tourist looks like she could have been used as a model for some of the giant heads adorning the buildings at Bayon Temple.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: The attendant tried to get every visitor to take some smoking incense sticks... and make a donation, I presume. None did as I watched.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Another of the minor temples.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: That is a tree root growing over and around these thousand year old walls.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Another shot of the roots choking huge stone blocks.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Another shot of vines and roots choking huge stone blocks.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: This is the entrance to the Ta Phrom temple. It is still showing the effects of time with vines and roots choking huge stone blocks.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: This hap hazard spider web caught my attention; unlike any I've seen before out in the open like this. I expect the little arachnid to spin a spiral like all the others I've seen.

Angkor temple complex Cambodia: A telephoto shot of a giant head carved on a temple wall.

1 November 2002

Hello from Siam Reap,

Arriving by fast Express Hydrofoil boat from Phnom Penh down the Toule Sap River we were met at the dock by hotel staff about noon after the five hour trip up the choppy waterway. Siem Reap is the small town closest to the world famous Angkor Wat archeological preserve, a World Heritage site. This short five night stay in Siam Reap which provides access to these amazing ruins gave me much too little time to explore. I will be back at some point in the future without such a tight schedule. I did take lots of pictures, though. Take a look at this 4-minute introductory YouTube video of the monument and this 3-D YouTube fly-through.

DRAFT: Elaborate an anecdote about name: See 'em weep. "The name Siem Reap means the 'Defeat of Siam' —today’s Thailand —and refers to a century-old bloodbath, commemorated in stone in the celebrated bas relief carvings of the monuments." While everyone spends time in Siem Reap, it is the archeological ruins that attracts the crowds. The town itself is charming, however and deserves more attention.

Peace

Fred L Bellomy

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: My first views of the impressive entrance to the actual temple Angkor. The place is surrounded by a moat.

Angkor Wat temple complex: aerial view borrowed for orientation.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: My first views of the impressive entrance to the actual temple Angkor. The place is surrounded by this moat.

Siem Reap Cambodia: A statue sitting in the middle of a traffic circle on the way back from the airport heading into town.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: An order of Buddhist monks continue to actively use various parts of the complex. Here is a Hindu? statue draped in orange... or is it? Notice the many arms... might be a Buddhist bodhisattva?

Siem Reap Cambodia: Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh.

Siem Reap Cambodia: Feather dusters on their way to market.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Moving on to Bayon temple we came to the partially restored entrance through the wall. The road leading up to the tunnel has many statues like this lining the way.

Phnom Penh again: Leaving Siem Reap our last stop for a "happy hour" dumped us in a crowd of food sellers offering fried frogs and here fried spiders... I kid you not.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: My second Tuk Tuk driver while we were in the park.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Father and son take a nap in the shade.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: A house near where I took the picture of the father and son taking a nap in the shade.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Excavation and restoration continue at the main Angkor Wat temple.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Another view of the excavation and restoration at the main Angkor Wat temple.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Excavation and restoration continue at the main Angkor Wat temple.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: More restoration work continues at the main Angkor Wat temple.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Newly quaried blocks for the restoration are similar to originals that are now weathered.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: I am struck how similar are these staple cavities to ones I have seen in ancient Greek and Roman ruins and at Machu Pichu in Peru. Is it possible that a nearly identical engineering solution to securing large stone blocks together could have occurred without human technology transfer?

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Another view of the stone cavities which were filled with a molten metal in ancient Europe to hold blocks together.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: However, here the cavities are filled not with molten metal, but carefully fitted stone pieces.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Excavation and restoration work viewed from the moat.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: One of the many vendors which charmed us each time we stopped at a new temple site. They would stick to us like glue until the next load of tourists arrived.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: This is a group of stupas at an actual "working" Buddhist temple located on the grounds of Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Another view of a group of stupas at an actual "working" Buddhist temple located on the grounds of Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Looking at the main temple wall exterior from outside another wall inside the moat.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: This is typical of the forested area within the walls of the main temple complex.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: A few water buffalo having lunch along the road that runs around the periphery of the park.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Another shot of the water buffalo grazing along the road that runs around the periphery of the park.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: A water lift at a tree farm within the park compound.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Look closely and you can see the blue plastic pipe segments which dump their load of water into the channel at the top.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Part of the bas relief mural at Bayon temple showing a great battle.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Part of the bas relief mural at Bayon Temple showing a great battle.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Like a piece from a giant Lego set, blocks of stone lay lined up waiting for reassembly at some future time.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: At one of the minor outlying temples.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: This is the entrance to the Ta Phrom temple. It is still showing the effects of time with vines and roots choking huge stone blocks.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Dancing girls in bas-relief... at least I assume they are girls.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Maidens cavorting.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Well preserved bas relief on a wall at Bayon Temple.

END

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Welcome sign at the entrance to the park.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: The back of my first Tuk Tuk driver's head as we headed out of Siem Reap up to the registration area where I bought a four day pass for $40. To make sure we didn't resell any unused days they took our picture and laminated it into the ticket.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: There it is, the Angkor Wat temple. It is impossible to be anything but impressed by its magnitude.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: My first views of the impressive entrance to the actual temple Angkor. Here the hoards of tourists must walk the causeway across the moat to get into the actual ruins themselves. And this is a view out of the gate building looking toward the temple itself.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: And this is a view out of the gate building looking along the walls which surround the temple.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Around the grounds of the main temple structures.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: An order of Buddhist monks continue to actively use various parts of the complex. Here is a statue of a Buddha draped in yellow.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: At the Bayon temple just north of Angkor Wat itself we came upon the partially restored entrance. The road leading up to the tunnel has many statues like this on either side lining the way.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: One of the beasties guarding a side entrance to the main temple complex.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: My first views of the impressive entrance to the actual temple Angkor. Here the hoards of tourists must walk the caseway across the moat to get into the actual ruins themselves.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Part of the main wall around the temple.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Sign at the main crossroads near the entrance to the park. Notice the 28km destination; this is a big park!

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: On the side of the sign piller at the main crossroads near the entrance to the park.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Another side of the sign at the main crossroads near the entrance to the park.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: A view from my seat in the Tuk Tuk (called that for the sound the engine makes).

Angkor temple complex Cambodia: This temple has giant stone elephants guarding the corners of the structure.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: This is the rear entrance to the main temple.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Detail of the wall around the temple.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: At one of the minor temples near Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Close up of the previous structure.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Closer yet.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: In and around the main complex. Here is that seven headed cobra thingy again with a couple tourists for size comparison.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Mr. Kheang, my first Tuk Tuk driver into the temple park. "Smile" I said and waited to snap this picture.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Viewed off to the side, this is the entrance to the main temple.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: This is a beast guarding a side entrance to the main temple.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: A particularly nice bas-relief still in excellent condition after a thousand years.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: More wall decorations: a small one, a big one.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Deep inside the temple complex.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: This view looks up at the main temple room sitting on top of the whole structure.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Some people climbed these steep stairs to get to the top. The angle up exceeds 45 degrees!

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: A view inside the inner walls.

Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia: Excavation and restoration continue at the main Angkor Wat temple.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Bayon Temple complex is covered with these giant heads.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: A particularly good example of the giant heads adorning the buildings at Bayon Temple.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Looking down into a passageway at Bayon Temple.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: One of the giant heads adorning the buildings at Bayon Temple.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Another view of the heads at Bayon Temple.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Minor temple.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Prominent feature of another miner outlying temple complex.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: The walls are a thousand years old. It is showing the effects of time with vines and roots choking huge stone blocks.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: This is the entrance to the Ta Phrom temple. It is still showing the effects of time with vines and roots choking huge stone blocks.

Angkor temple complex in Cambodia: Good bye sign at the exit from the park.