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Tuesday 5 May Angkor Wat, Siem Reap It was time to re-visit the Big Three of Angkor today: Angkor Wat, Bayon and Ta Prohm temples. All vastly different, all with appeal of their own, and don't need words to enhance them. This is where photographs come into their own. First up, the timeless beauty of Angkor Wat. Restoration and conservation work have resulted in timber stairways being installed over the treacherous worn stone stairs throughout the complex. They are a big improvement, but not enough to save my knee from giving trouble I've never had before, so I'll have to be careful in the ruins for a while. Being a bit "off-colour", as my Dad used to say, meant I had to stay in the car while Dave renewed acquaintance with the stunning edifice of Bayon. It's impressive enough from outside the walls, but I was glad not to test my knee out any further. Onto Ta Prohm. Ta Prohm is unusual in several ways. It's a single storey construction, famous for the way fig trees have taken over the stone walls. Indeed, since the trees now partly hold the thing together, any reconstruction work is leaving the trees where they are. To remove them would mean the collapse of what is a really beautiful building. For those who doubt they'll ever make it here, Google has produced an on-line tour Angkor street view My not feeling so well meant a shortened day - back to the hotel to recover in the gentle embrace of air-conditioning. Next: off to some more remote temples - and their worship of male organs
below: photos from our day at Ta Phrom, Bayon and Angkor Wat |
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 right: Dave getting to know one of the many faces of Bayon |
above: restoration work on Angkor Wat |
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