Of Monuments and Mai Tais

As I write this, I'm sipping a Mai Tai in a resort in Siem Reap, Cambodia, fifteen minutes away from Angkor Wat.  I tell you this, dear friends and family, not to make you jealous but to help paint a better picture of what a day today has been.

My lovely room at the Golden Banana with a balcony overlooking the pool. Aaaahhhhh.

We got up bright and early to catch a boat from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap.  It was five and a half hours, but I managed to sleep for three of them.  And when we arrived, our tuk tuk driver was waiting for us with a sign reading "Mr. Roman," ready to whisk us off to the Golden Banana to begin the next chapter of our Cambodian adventure.

It's too early for Kyle and Roman to be completely put together.

Heading north.

Tuk tuk = motorcylce-drawn carriage.

I've been put in charge of the daily itinerary, researching and being our guide through the forests, temples and cities of Angkor.  (Here, I'm referring to the larger site as Angkor and the temple as Angkor Wat, just to avoid any more confusion than I'm sure there already is.)  Angkor has monumental architecture dating from the eighth to the thirteenth centuries CE, all with Indic characteristics but each with little quirks that make it somehow unique. 

This map will be your best friend for the next four posts.
Learn it. Love it. Live it.

Today, we went along the northern side of the central area, then down to Bayon within the city of Angkor Thom.  Let's start with Ta Som, a relatively small temple with face towers, three concentric enclosures, and (once long ago) a moat.

FACE TOWERRRRR! These represent Brahma, with his four faces.

We got there mid-afternoon, so the light was soft and glowy.

Roman posing as an apsara, a celestial dancer commonly found in bas-reliefs. You'll see a good example down under Bayon.

I <3 RUINS.

Dvarapala (temple guardian).

We then tuk-tuk-ed our way west to the island temple of Neak Pean, the only one of its kind in Angkor.  Its modern name means "entwined serpents," but according to a stele at Preah Kahn (which we were unable to visit as it closed while we were driving by), its Khmer name means "The Fortune of the Kingdom."  We were fortunate enough to be visiting in one of the two months a year in which water surrounds the island and fills the four small ponds flanking it on all sides.  The water in the central pond made it particularly impressive, a Khmer jewel, and really helped weave the illusion of traveling into the past.

The main temple, reflecting in the pond.

Chillaxin' pond-side.

On the bottom right is a statue of Balaha, a mythical flying horse, who is here rescuing tradesmen from an island inhabited by an ogress.

One of the smaller flanking ponds...the water here's not quite so magical.

And finally, in place of Preah Kahn, we were swept away by our tuk tuk driver to Bayon.  Unfortunately, I was not expecting to visit that site today and was thus ill-prepared, so this will be mostly pictures and little corresponding information.  I know it was a state temple in the late twelfth century CE with a very complex plan and many amazing bas-reliefs of everyday Khmer life and its history.  Let us begin with our tuk tuk ride up to the main gate.

Impressive view from the east entrace, with very few people so late in the day.

The apsara, or celestial dancer, whom Roman was trying to emulate...I think he shouldn't quit his day job.

Devata, a female deity whose image is carved in sundry styles on temples throughout Angkor. When not flanked by dvarapalas, doorways frequently have a pair of these lovely ladies enhancing them.

Bas-relief, bitches! :)

Battle scene.

Part of an elephant procession.

More FACE TOWERS!!!

One of the "Libraries," not  used for storing books but rather as shrines. These are also a common feature of temple complexes at Angkor.

Corbelled vaulting!

We then had to call it quits as our light was failing, so we headed back to town for some dinner, drinks and more shopping.  I tried the local Angkor Beer (I prefer Tiger Beer) and picked up an adventurous straw hat for the rest of our excursions.

Tiger's clearly the heavy-weight. I'm only drinking these beers to procure bottlecaps for Cassie's collection...That's my story and I'm sticking to it. ;)

Fold-up fan hat? Not so much.

Now that's more like it for a Texas girl. :D

Today's highlight is a sense symphony.  Eating the sweetest pineapple in the world while climbing up to Bayon.  Hearing local melodies sing through the air in a cinematic overture while strolling towards Neak Pean.  Smelling jasmine winding its way on the wind while riding to Ta Som.  And of course, I can't forget tasting my Mai Tai on my tongue while tying a ribbon on today.