Some similarities between the India and Cambodia are visible in faces, the language, state of the infrastructure and even cuisine. We reach Siem Riep, a little paradise for tourists. Hard-core backpackers might be disappointed. Fancy hip westernised cafes align the main streets of Siem Riep. Isn't it nice - a cheap getaway with similar quality of food and service. Where is Cambodia do I ask?
It is 15 minutes away - floating villages of Tonle Sap Lake are among the poorest populated areas in the region. One can argue about the ethic aspects of a tour to such a village but I found very interesting. We took a boat and floated around the lake at the sundown, visiting one school and a crocodile farm.
The next two days despite the 35C heat outside we diligently spent exploring Angkor, the remains of Khmer Empire. As they say there are over thousand of temples in the area, the opportunities are endless. One can spend at least a week exploring the main temples inside the park area. Even though I am not a history fan, I was fascinated by the colours, shades, shapes, sculptures, details and the setting. If not for the mass tourism in place, I would have named it the most sacred place I have been to. But we were lucky in the morning when our group of friends would be the only one making noise in the silence of the jungle. Breathtaking, indeed.
Here are the most famous (and visited) temples in Angkor:
Bayon - 51 temple towers with faces on each of the four sides keeping watch
Ta Prohm or how we called it "the tree temple", where Tomb Rider was filmed and the secret was out
Classic - sunrise over Angkor Wat, the architectual masterpiece in fine proportions
Sunset on the top of Bakheng Mountain
and many more temples...
The set of flickr is here.
