Back to the temples

As I have three days off in a row, I have realised that I can go back to the temples, to see new ones, to have another look at some things I really liked and maybe see some things I've missed the first time round. So today I went to Angkor Wat to have another look at the bas reliefs which are quite incredible. Here's a dragon for Sam

 

Of course, when you have a really good look (like a lot of places) the pictures all depict battles and defeated enemies in praise of the current (successful) leader. In this case Suryavarman's overthrow of the traditional enemy - the Champa.

Out of all the devatas (goddesses) at Angkor only two show their teeth when they smile. I couldn't find the other one amongst the thousands that decorate the temple grounds. I hope that Antonia and Abi like this one.

And some rather splendid warriors for Oliver and Matt.

There were a lot of people there, not just the tourists, because it was the Water Festival holiday so Cambodians were visiting too. This is a very foreshortened view from the main temple complex across the causeway to the entrance arch. It was a fantastic sight - how must it have looked with the ancient ceremonials?

 

 

Then a quick stop at Bayon at Angkor Thom for the amazing faces and bas reliefs of everyday life.

 

After lunch we (me and Mr J) headed out of the ruined west gate to discover that the bridge was almost washed out, with plastic covered sandbags and some small branches laid down to provide a road surface. It seemed passable with a bit of luck as can be seen from these two with their stack of coconuts.

We ended up wrestling the tuk tuk across the sticks in the same way but made it through to the West Baray where it was very much a holiday mood with the boys in the water with their old tyre.

 

Again like the UK on Bank Holiday, it was raining but that hadn't deterred the fast food sellers. If they don't work then they don't earn any money - these two ladies were selling bananas wrapped in leaves cooked on a small charcoal griddle. The lady on the right is wearing the Cambodian traditional multipurpose scarf called the krama. There were many people in their local dress to be seen today.

 

Of the other group - the woman on the left was preparing salad by grating green mango which is put, with other vegetables, into a sweet (palm sugar) and sour (lime and lemon) sauce which permeates through as the vegetables soften. Then comes a small barbeque on which the next lady is cooking small sausages, then prepared fruit - mango and pineapple in plastic bags. I tried some tamarind which is a bit like a broad bean although you eat the spicy outer and throw away the seeds.

The Baray is huge, as you can see, and forms part of the Angkor construction with a similar one, now abandoned and largely silted, up to the East. It was the responsibility of the King to provide temples and water. Some went further and build hospitals. Because of all the rain we have had the level was up to the dam. Normally at this time of year a beach would have been revealed as the waters subsided so everyone would have been relaxing there.

 

 

 

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