Angkor Wat (lesser temples)

This morning I started my discovery of Angkor Wat.  I decided upon doing two days of touring, as the grounds of Angkor Wat are so vast, and there are so many temples to see.  Angkor Wat is what everyone calls the entire premises, but it is actually one of the many temples that you can explore.

One of the many stone carvings in the walls of the temples.  This one was found at Banteay Srei, or the Citadel of women inspires throught its exquistiely detailed carving. The carving is done in pink sandstone.  The complex was founded in 10th century.

 Angkor is the ancient capital of the great Khmer empire. Angkor is one of the most magnificent wonders of the world and a site of immense archaeological significance. It is located in dense jungle on the hot and torpid plains of western Cambodia. The remains of Angkor occupy 200 square km.  The old wooden houses and palaces that were originally documented to be on the premises are long since decayed centuires ago, but the stunning array of stone temples remain. Set between two baray (water reserviors), Angkor contains 70 temples, tombs, and other anicnet ruins. Among them is Angkor Wat, the worlds single largest religious complex (which I will visit tomorrow).   Today I visited Ta prohm, the famous site of the movie Tomb Raider (it is the place with all the silk trees growing over and on the ancient temples), Pre Rup, East Mebon, Preah Neak Prean, and Preah Khan... to name a few.

There were some Japanese tourist who hired 3 Cambodian women dressed in traditional clothing to pose for a photoshoot amongst the temples.  I joined in the opportunity to get some really cool shots of these women.  This site is Preah Khan. Named for the sacred sword owned by its 9th century king. This site functioned as a monastery and religious college.  The complex is over 141 acres and surrounded by 3 km long laterite wall.  One of the main highlights of this temple is the Hall of Dancers.  This temple also has great trees whose creeping roots cover and in places pierce the laterite and sandstone structures. 

A monk "giving" (aka selling) good fortune bracelets amongst the ruins at Preah Khan

One of my favorite shots of the day. These faces were so mysterious looking at Preah Khan

Buddha faces that could be seen at the top of one of the entrance gates

One of the famous silk trees growing amongst the ruins at Ta Prohm, where the movie Tomb Raider was filmed.  This is the most evocative and mysterious of all the temples in Angkor.   Ta Prohm means Ancestor of Brahma, which was originally a Buddhist monastery. At its peak it owned more than 3000 villages, and was maintained by 80 000 attendants, including 18 high priests and over 600 temple dancers.  During the restoration process of Ta Prohm little of the dense jungle was cut down, and as a result the roots of the giant banyan tress can be seen growing and creeping all over the sandstone rocks. 

Postcard?

Laura Croft/Angelina Jolie?  Nope, just a sunfried Canadian tourist.

Monks seen walking around Pre Rup temple

I was stunned by the beauty and the magic of the temples I had seen today.  Ta Prohm was my favorite.   I am going to be rising very early tomorrow to be at Angkor Wat for Sunrise.  Apparently it is a must do!  I cannot wait. This site is supposed to be even more grand than what I had seen today.  I cannot imagine this is possible.