Day 18 - Siem Reap, Cambodia - Part 1
Today was so filled with places to see and things to do that I have split it into two parts, the first includes a visit to Angkor Thom and the temple at Bayon. We also had a chance to have a visit to a local home for lunch. The second part includes the highlight visit to the world heritage site at Angkor Wat.
The city of Siem Reap has become a major tourist destination and the hotels are new and modern. This is where we had breakfast each morning.
The entire temple complex was lost to the jungle for centuries and the French found them and began clearing the area in the 19th century.
Here are scenes from the temple at Angkor Thom, built in the 12th century. They were in use for about 300 years and then lost to the jungle.
It is amazing who you run into at these places, you remember the Solomans don't you?
Local monks
These are bee's nests in the trees
Much of the jungle has been cleared away, but the trees, which grew from seeds dropped by birds, have been left due to the fact that if they were removed the structures will fall down.
Remember this from the movie, Temple of Doom?
Every toilet needs an instruction manual. Some local people have never seen a western style toilet before.
The temple at Banyon
Even the entrance walls are carved
Here is the entrance to the complex
Guards on duty
Here's a good way to disrupt traffic
Now for lunch at a local villager's home. We were greeted in the traditional fashion
We split into smaller groups, here we are with our host family
All of the homes are built on stilts, the cooking and bathing is done on the ground level.
