Angkor

19th May 2010 The final day of our three day ticket to explore the temples of Angkor and we were heading much further out than we had on previous days. After a pleasant hour in a tuk-tuk passing through villages with their stilt houses we arrived at Banteay Srei. This particular temple is considered to be the jewel in the crown of Angkorian art. It is one of the smallest temples at Angkor, but cut from stone of a pinkish hue and with some of the finest stone carvings it is wonderfully well preserved. ...

16th May 2010 We had arranged with our new tuk-tuk driver to set off around 9am this morning and head out to explore some of the ancient temples of Angkor. Angkor is a region of Cambodia that served as the seat of the Khmer empire, which flourished from approximately the ninth century to the thirteenth century. The ruins of Angkor are located amid forests and farmland to the north of the Great Lake (Tonle Sap) and south of the Kulen Hills, near modern-day Siem Reap, and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temples of the Angkor area number over one thousand, ranging in scale from nondescript piles of brick rubble scattered through rice fields to the magnificent Angkor Wat, said to be the world’s largest single religious monument. ...

12th May 2010 My carriage? A small quad bike. Today we were doing a full day tour on these ATV (All Terrain Vehicles) and I hadn’t realised how vital they would be on Cambodia’s roads. We were picked up by tuk tuk and were soon being transported through the chaos of Phnom Penh during rush hour. Thirty minutes later we were out of the hustle and bustle of the centre and into the coutryside, and arriving at the Blazing Saddles HQ. ...