Siem Reap

Siem Reap was a five hour bus ride from Phnom Penh. It is the gateway to the Angkor region of Cambodia, which contains the most spectacular ruins of the ancient Khmer civilization. Angkor has many significant distinctions: at its height it was the largest city in the pre-industrial world; it contains over one thousand temples; and it contains the world's largest single religious monument--Angkor Wat.

ANGKOR WAT

The largest and most famous of all temples in Angkor. It was built in the early 12th century as a hindu temple, but was later converted into a buddhist temple. In the 1860's the French stumbled upon the ruins of Angkor Wat covered in thick jungle. The temple required intensive structural repairs, so the French dismantled Angkor Wat into over a million pieces to be reassembled with added structural integrity. Unfortunately Angkor Wat's reconstruction was disrupted by the rise of the Khmer Rouge, and the temple layed in pieces during the entire regieme. Years later the French managed to rebuild the temple despite the loss of the deconstrution records during the Khmer Rouge chaos.

Angkor Wat was the first temple we visited in Siem Reap. We arrived in time to see the sunrise.

Let's just say we weren't the only ones at Angkor Wat before dawn

Angkor Wat

One of the Wat's towers

The walls are decorated with reliefs

A corridor in the Wat

Angkor Wat is constantly undergoing maintenance

A view of the Angkor Wat complex from its highest point

PRASAT BAYON

The Bayon is the center of the ancient Khmer capital of Angkor Thom. It was built by King Jayavarman VII as the official state temple. The Bayon is stands out from the other temples at Angkor for its 216 giant stone faces that decorate the temple's towers. Historians are uncertain if the faces are that of the King.

Prasat Bayon

So many faces

I see a resemblance

TA PROHM

One of the most popular temples to visit in Angkor, mainly because it was where Tomb Raider was filmed. Unlike Angkor Wat and the Bayon, Ta Prohm has not undergone any reconstruction since its abandonment. The site is overgrown with trees, many taking root on the temple walls.

One of the entrances to Ta Prohm

Trees have no respect for temples

Ruins

Modern day tomb raiders

BANTEAY KDEI

The last temple on our long day of temple-seeing in Siem Reap. Banteay Kdei was the least impressive of the Wats we saw in Angkor, and its walls had been infiltrated by Cambodian souvineer salespeople.