Yesterday was like eating the main course of Khmer temples. Now, appetite completely satiated, I was able to slow down and enjoy the intricacies of some smaller sites. Today, I visited Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som, East Mebon, Banteay Srei, Banteay Samre, and Pre Rup. Most of those sites lie along a popular touring loop known as the Grand Circuit, which was what my driver had planned for the day, but at Ta Som, I met Warren from Montana again and he suggested Banteay Srei and Banteay Samre. After some quick bargaining my driver and I agreed to add them to the day's itinerary.
The highlight of the day was Banteay Srei. The Khmers built their temples with two kinds of stones: laterite, which is very robust, and sandstone, which is more easily carved. The walls around Banteay Srei are constructed mostly of laterite, but are adorned at corners and doorways with exquisitely carved sandstone. Inside the outer wall lies a moat, which encircles the central towers, also carved out of sandstone. Each of the surviving figures shows a perfect attention to detail.
The drive to Banteay Srei was a nice ten kilometers further out into the countryside. There were tourists and refreshment stands along the way, but it was the closest I've been to Cambodians living outside of the cities. We saw a lot of small farms, some cattle, and a muddy field full of children trapping fish with baskets.
Tonight, I'm meeting Voun, my driver for a beer and tomorrow, I head back to Phnom Penh by boat to sort out my visa to Vietnam before the weekend. I'm still catching up with Flickr, a few images at a time.
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