Khmer culture...For a start!

Crossing from Bangkok to Siem Rep was a gruelling 12hours trip...having to face some corrupts officers, beggars kids and extreme poverty in the entrance to Cambodia, plus 4 hours drive on an african like dusty dirt road in the middle of desolated dry rice field...

We are begginning the less easy part of our trip, in very poor and disorganised countries...

Siem Rep probably doesn't sound familier to you...but Angkor Wat will...

We are now in the craddle of Khmer culture, which has produced one of the most visited and most beautiful temples of the world; Angkor Wat.

But before creating Angkor, in the 12th century, the Khmer produced a lot of other beautiful temples, which are squattered around the countryside.

As most of you Romain, you won't be surprised that he is taking me on a very thorough Chronological tour of the temples (Quite a bit of backtracking involved...)...by bike!!!

I'm lucky, though, because it is really so hot that we have to stop for a break during the hot hours, so we're only pedalling from 5.30 to 11am, then from 4.00pm to beer time...

But I won't complain, because it's flat here, and biking means we get to the temples before all the crowds (you cannot imagine...during peak time (from 10am to 6pm) it looks like lemmings are crawling all over the temples!!!).

We have been doing that for 2 days and we are only on the 10th century...I will have to wait 2 more days before I can actually see Angkor Wat!!

But once again, I won't complain because we have a 7 days pass, which is more than enough to see it all...and I think once we've seen Angkor, we will be a bit "blasés".

So here's a few pictures of the breathtaking sites we saw...

Bakong, 9th century, 13km biking one way...

But worth every pedal!!!

My unconsensual guide, with is "Guide book of Angkor Wat"

Climbing up the 10cmwide, 80cm high (ie; morethan steep!) steps of Bakheng

The intricated carvings of the "gapura" (entrance monument)

Bantey Srei (10th Century)

On this one we saw a huge difference in the style of carving...

One of the carving representing Shiva and his 3headed elephant disgorging a sea of milk to destroy whichever demon it was...

One friendly group of Cambodian Tourists...One of them "dared"to ask me to be on a picture with her, and everyone of them wanted to be on the picture with me...I am now on about 15 pics in Cambodia!!! See...I'm big in South East Asia

We have plenty more nice pics...but I'm afraid you will get bored with 9th and 10th century Khmer art...

Promise, for a change I'll upload some 11th centry Khmer art tomorrow!!!

07:01 - 7/04/2007 - Ajouter un commentaire