The real heroes of Angkor Park

Early morning at by the moat of Angkor Wat. This Apsara maintenance crew is doing the vital cleaning of the moat.

This moat is a 1.5 km by 1.3 km rectangle, with a width between 190 to 200 meters. The max depth is 4 meters. It is enclosing the whole Angkor Wat and symbolizes the cosmic oceans surrounding the Hindu god’s home.

It provides a crucial foundational stability for the largest religious monuments in the world. The old Khmer excelled in hydraulic engineering, and the old Angkor core capital was a hydraulic city. Angkor Wat was built at the midpoint of the 630 years of the Khmer Empire. The construction clearly demonstrates how advance their technology and engineering had advanced.

Modern heroes
This is a small shoutout to the modern heroes of Angkor; the largest part of the approximately 3000 staff that maintains, secure and restore this world cultural heritage.

It is a monumental task, pun intended. The Angkor Archaeological Park is about 420 sq. kilometres large. There are over 70 larger temple sites, and more than 1000 smaller sites and remains in the extended park.

The Apsara (Authority for the Protection of the Site and Management of the Region of Angkor) is the organisation established to run this task. You meet them first at the Angkor ticket office, but that is only one of the 15 departments.

Say hi, please
First time I visited, the ticket office was a small shack in the middle of thick jungle. Now it is a stately building with all the facilities needed to cater to thousands of tourists a day.

And then you have these maintenance guys working everywhere.

Remember to greet them with a smile and maybe a Sampeah greeting when you meet them.

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Night at the beach

The city of Kampong Som, or Sihanoukville, is the largest city on the coast of Cambodia.

It is most known for being the main ferry and speedboat port for the transport going to the vacation islands along the coast.

Kampong Som was for a long time the only deep-sea harbour in Cambodia, and as such a hub for export and import. A new, dedicated deep sea harbour to the northeast has taken over that task.

The last ten years, there has been a massive urban development of the city, and modern resorts, hotels and entertainment centre has taken the place from the older industrial and trade city centre.

This photo was taken an evening after dinner, on a roadtrip that would take me to Bokor mountains, Kampot and Kep the next few days.

A really nice look into another part of the variations of the Kingdom of Wonder.

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Just a morning moment by Srah Srang Baray

This is one of the spots in Siem Reap good for both sunrise and sunset moments. The sunrise spot here is the laterite docks in front of the Banteay Kdei temple. From the docks to the temple gate there is a short walk.

Prasat Banteay Kdei, translated as ‘A Citadel of Chambers', but also known as "Citadel of Monks' cells” was built around 1200 CE. It was built a Buddhist temple during the reign on Jayavarman VII, the great god King himself being a Buddhist.
It is quite similar in design as the nearby more famous Ta Prohm. But more compact and with a lower profile.

It is one of the temples in Angkor that has been more or less in constant use from its construction up until modern times.

Visit Banteay Kdei is a suitable activity after enjoying the sunrise, and maybe a snack, drink or even breakfast nearby.

Joy and love sunset
The sunset is both pretty and peaceful from the other side. This is a popular spot for locals to enjoy sunset. Very often young couples meet here.

Srah Srang and Banteay Kdei are in the T-crossing where the roads for the small circle and grand circle meets. These circles are the recommended first visitors’ routes for the core Angkor Temples. Along the reservoir and temple on its north and southwest side there are a lot of cafes, restaurants and street food stalls. Snacks and drinks are sold until past sunset.

Srah Srang Baray measures 700 by 350 meter. There is a platform in the centre of the Baray, meaning there might have been a larger temple there originally. Now there is a small tower with a spire showing that location.

Srah Srang was modified by Jayavarman VII around 1200 CE. Partly to make it able to compensate for the failing East Baray reservoir. And to support the design of Banteay Kdei.

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“No food after midnight, no water, and stay away from bright light"

The monkeys at Phnom Bros temple are, like most temple monkeys throughout SEA, very used to humans. So much that they tend to be more domesticated than wild animals.

Cheeky troublemakers
These banana-crazed pig-tailed macaques are also quite the personalities, for good and bad. Keeping a distance, especially to their children, is highly recommended.

Unless you want trouble comparable to a mass attack of gremlins.

These monkeys are small, but they are strong and have sharp teeth. So, there is no use try picking a fight expecting to win.

Small gene pools
Another challenge for these monkeys is the few members in some of the local group. That is causing problems with inbreeding due to small gene pools.

First time I visited Phnom Bros there were some extreme examples of what happens when inbreeding Habsburger-style happens. To use a European example of what happens when science is lacking.

Three years later this inbreeding problem was mostly gone. And the monkey numbers were visibly larger. The Khmer caretakers of these animals are smarter than the Habsburgers. They make sure the monkeys are healthier, playing their part in these important cultural heritage sites.

I like that the monkeys also add some personality when visiting. Like the pose of Stripey here.

The Khmer female advantage
Phnom Bros and Phnom Srei are twin temples between Kampong Cham and Kampong Thom. They play an important role in the cultural history of Cambodia when it comes to engagements.

And why it is the man who must seek the lady and her family’s approval of engagement and marriage at the lady's home.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2021/04/27/the-brother-and-sister-pagodas-2/

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Inside this great collection of green is the remains of one of the oldest temples in Angkor Park

A colourful memory from that time I had lunch near Prasat Kôk Svay Pream. I had visited four temples in old Hariharalaya/Roluos group covering 400 years of architecture. Finally found this well covered, very old pre-Khmer empire temple site.

Nearly a 100 year older than Khmer Empire
Prasat Kôk Svay Pream, ប្រាសាទគោកស្វាយព្រាហ្មណ៍ in Khmer, is mostly covered by vegetation.

Only some small remains of a brick wall, an entrance gate and a lingam basin are relatively easy to be found. In front there of this is an entrance platform facing eastwards. The thick growth of green trees, palms and thick foliage including thorn bushes covers the rest of the site. It looks like it has been a moat of sort around the elevated area where this temple remains are.

When Prasat Kôk Svay Pream first was rediscovered, three lintels where found. They show the bridging of architecture and design from Sambor Prei Kouk of Chenla kingdom to Prei Khmeng and Kulen of early Khmer during the 700s CE.

The Chenla kingdom was the last Khmer kingdom before the Khmer empire was declared in 802 CE. Its capital was near Kampong Thom.

It is a nice and peaceful place, and not a lot of visitors. Or locals. Some friendly cows, though. Always lovely with something bovine out in the countryside.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2024/09/20/lunch-at-prasat-kok-svay-pream/

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Prasat Bei – Trio of one out of four

Prasat Bei – ប្រាសាទបី – means three temples. On top of a small laterite platform of 10 x 24 meter there are these three towers, where the central one is fairly complete and in order. This temple tower rises 10 meter high.

The two flanking temple towers are not in that good condition, and the north one closest to the city moat around Angkor Thom was probably never properly finished. There are still some lintels with carvings left to see.

This is the largest in a quartet of temple sites on the west side of the Southern gate to Angkor Thom. Just to the east and west of this temple is the rather rudimentary remains of Sâk Krâop Temple I and II. Closer to the main road into Angkor Thom is Prasat Bay Kaek East – ប្រាសាទថ្មបាយក្អែក.

Among the earliest Angkor Thom temples
The temple was built for the Hindu god Shiva during the reign of Yasovarman I early in the 900s. This great King was the god king who moved the Khmer capital from Hariharalaya to Yaśodharapura, the area where we today find most of the most famous constructions and temples of Angkor Empire. The first central location of the new capital was built on the nearby Phnom Bakheng.

This temple is 1,5 kilometre north of Angkor Wat. It is worth visiting to get an idea of the design of the first Angkor imperial capital and its temples.

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That time I came to a fork in the road, and someone else choose the track most travelled. I felt obliged to choose the other one.

The area in and around Angkor Park and Siem Reap are excellent for off road biking and exploration. It is a healthy and green way to enjoy the marvels of the Khmer Empire, its origin and its later development.

Finding things not seen
I was on my way to find a couple of more secretive temples and old sites. I was trying to do that by a direct route via Bayon and Angkor Thom and north out of the Grand circle. This trip took me into dirt tracks not travelled by many.

Among things I did find were stuff like a river not supposed to be there. Some bridge and road maintenance. And a bunch of locals tending to rice fields, surprised by the pink skin visitor. But politely and smiling returning greetings of hello and well wishes for a good day.

As Khmer so often do.

It is, as always, important to respect the local’s privacy and integrity. Acting as a respectful, polite and responsible good guest in their home area are of the outmost importance. And of course, be a sensible traveller leaving only bike tracks and footprints and take only photos. Including not biking or walking into any private area or destroying any crop.

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Hunting red bananas in the woods

The red bananas from Kulen mountains are a treat and a sweet surprise. They are easily available visiting the sacred mountain and cradle of the Khmer civilization.

Along the hillside road to the Kulen sites, including Preah Ang Thom with Cambodia’s largest reclining buddha, the thousand lingams river and the waterfall in these holy mountains, there are market stalls. Here the locals are selling veggies and fruit, as well as food, drinks and miscellanies like flip flops, hats and krama scarf.

Chek!
These red bananas, “chek leak” in Khmer looks and taste great and is a must-have among the produce offered. The Chek Leak is a bit more expensive than the more ordinary bananas, chek, in Cambodia. Expect prices up to 5 USD a kilo.

For the banana lover, Cambodia is where to make out big time. There are at least 27 different chek/banana versions available in different sizes and colours, and they are often very inexpensive. They vary from the immediately snackable to the savoury plantain version best known for different cooked dishes in various cuisines around the globe.

You may even find a typical Cavendish banana in Cambodia, if that is your craving.

It all ads into the extensive list of fresh fruit easily available for people living or travel in the Kingdom of Wonder.

Open markets are affluent on the road to Kulen Mountain, attracting a lot of different customers. It is an hour-hour and a half drive from Siem Reap, depending on traffic.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2021/01/09/reclining-at-the-craddle-of-khmer-empire-3/

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