It was our final day in Siem Reap, and having said goodbye
to T we’d decided to explore the last few temples on foot – there were some
located reasonably close to each other, and they were also a little more out of
the way so quieter. However, first we needed to get out there, so we negotiated
(eventually) with another tuk-tuk driver to get to Prasat Kravan, the first
stop on our self-created tour. He tried valiantly to convince us we needed
transport for the whole day, and seemed utterly baffled when we said we’d walk – but
finally he accepted defeat and left us to enjoy the temple!
Prasat Kravan is a simple series of buildings, consisting of
five towers, though this time built in a line. It was built in 921 for Hindu
worship, and is situated away from the central royal temples. It is quite
striking in its simplicity – surrounded by forest though not drowned in it like
some of the larger temples, and there are some interesting carvings covering
the back walls of the five buildings, mostly showing Vishnu (one shows Vishnu
reclaiming the world from the demon king Bali in three steps: he asked for
enough space to meditate, saying he only needed to be able to pace three steps
in any direction, and upon agreement promptly grew to a giant size that could
step across the world in three steps. Clever guy.)
Prasat Kravan
Prasat Kravan
Prasat Kravan
Prasat Kravan is situated near two Sra Srang and Banteay Kdei, which we’d visited on day one, so we had a very pleasant walk past the enormous pool of Sra Srang on our way to Pre Rup.
Pre Rup was built soon after Prasat Kravan, and would once have been a grand building, composed of three levels and five central towers at the peak. Some of the outer walls are in a dire state, held up by scaffolding, but the complex is very impressive, especially for one of the earlier temples. It is also one of the best spots for a sunset, and apparently draws huge crowds from around 4.30pm – but we had a peaceful visit, with only a handful of visitors.
Pre Rup
Pre Rup
Pre Rup
Pre Rup
Pre Rup
Pre Rup
Pre Rup
Eastern Mebon
Our next planned destination was Ta Som, but on the way we
passed Eastern Mebon, and decided to take a quick look inside. Eastern Mebon is
actually very similar to Pre Rup, though on a smaller scale, and apparently
this temple was never finished – so maybe it was a prototype for Pre Rup! It
was originally at the centre of a reservoir, though this land is now dry.
Eastern Mebon is also looking a little worse for wear, but maybe copes better
than Pre Rup as it is a less popular destination… it does have some beautiful
elephant carvings around the outer wall that are in pretty good shape though.
Eastern Mebon
Eastern Mebon
Ta Som is another fairly ruined looking temple, though this
was built much later than the ones we’d already visited that day. It is in the
process of being restored though – and it is a much busier site, as it has a
distinctive feature amidst the crumbled stones – a strangling tree that seems
determined to devour the temple! It looks remarkable – the building fighting
stubbornly against the forces of nature though clearly struggling, and the fact
that it is still standing is perhaps a feat of its original engineering. After
a few quieter stops, it was a surprise to be pestered by people selling
everything from postcards to keyrings (plus the obligatory photocopied books
we’ve seen everywhere) but you had to admire the sales technique – there were
some very sweet kids no older than eight patiently arguing that it was a real
bargain for a dollar, only a dollar! (I should probably mention here that the
currency may be riel, but the majority of transactions in Cambodia take place
in US dollars, unless the price doesn’t easily divide into dollars and half
dollars.) They must have made a lot of money but it didn’t seem right having
the kids pushing such a hard sell – I just hope they get to go to school at
some point too.
Ta Som
Ta Som
Ta Som
We left Ta Som and convinced some persistent tuk-tuk drivers
that we really would be fine to walk down to our next stop, Preah Neak Pean.
The road was actually getting to be tougher going than expected, but mainly
because of the heat, and the fact that they were clearly not expecting anyone
to walk so there are no footpaths or pavements along the road (so you had to be
alert to wild tuk-tuks and cyclists!). Despite the heat, we began to notice it
was getting a bit damp – rain, just in time for our visit to a water temple! At
first it just seemed like a light shower, but then the inevitable tropical
deluge began as we were walking along the wooden walkway toward the temple area
(it is also partially surrounded by water). Running carefully along the
slippery walkway, we managed to get undercover by jumping over to a muddy ledge
with tree cover as the walkway reached the jungle, and waited there for the
worst of the rain to pass. Ten minutes or so later, the rain was gone but there
was water everywhere, and we were soaked anyway – and it was still hot!
Preah Neak Pean is at the centre of the watery expanse we’d
just crossed, and it is composed of a large central square pool surrounded on
each side by four smaller square pools. In the centre, there is a circular island.
These pools were used for ritual purification rituals, and it was built in the
12th century. It was nice to see something quite different to the
previous buildings, and of course our timing was perfect: water, water
everywhere!
Preah Neak Pean
Preah Neak Pean
Preah Neak Pean - After the Deluge!
The weather was a bit temperamental and the day was getting
long, so we made our final stop before sunset at Angkor Wat brief. Preah Khan
is a huge site and we just had time to pass through the centre, and it was a
shame really that this was our last stop (and that we were a bit templed out)
as it really was stunning, a network of corridors within the main temple, with
some unexpected and eye-catching collapsed nook and crannies as you passed
through. It was also surrounded by wide avenues so that the approach to the
temple was an experience in itself. Definitely one to visit properly if we ever
go back!
Preah Khan
Preah Khan
Preah Khan
Preah Khan
Preah Khan
Preah Khan
Preah Khan
Determined not to miss the start of a beautiful sunset, we
conceded to hire a tuk-tuk to Angkor Wat, where the sunset rush was beginning.
In both directions as it turned out, as there were as many people turning up
for the sunset as hurrying off to see it somewhere else, maybe Pre Rup. We
picked up a couple of drinks from outside the temple, and headed into the
grounds of Angkor Wat. We were drawn back to the library, partly because of the
threat of rain, but also because it was a great spot for a wide view of the
main temple complex, and that famous Angkor skyline. As the sun began to set, a
few others joined us, and it was a very peaceful place to sit quietly – and
even quite exciting when an epic rain shower hit close to sunset, making the
sky moody and dominant. We waited out the rain, and eventually left as the sun
hid behind the horizon. We negotiated a tuk-tuk back to town, surprised that
the price offered was the price we’d been prepared to pay, and figured that
everyone just wanted to get home with a fare as quickly as possible!! We did
feel a bit bad though as the guy we went with had just undercut his ‘friend’
for the fare – the competitive world of tuk-tuks!
After yet another dinner at the same restaurant, we stopped
in at the bar over the road for a couple of drinks (whatever was on the floor
felt slippy and crunchy underfoot – we were glad it was dark!). It had been an
amazing few days, seeing something quite impossible to comprehend – the history
of an ancient civilisation described through images and carvings, incredible
buildings, grand designs and unfinished treasures.
Angkor Wat at Sunset
Time now for one more treasure to become
finished – I had two days left of work, so the next few days would involve
finishing up (via a day stopover in Phnom Penh to break up the journey and
guarantee good wifi), saying goodbye to the world of work for a while, and
celebrating the dubious state of unemployment by becoming a beach bum for a few
days in Sihanoukville.
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