Morning moment of peace and fishing in a pond

This little pond near Kror Sang Rolerng village is surrounded by rice paddocks on three sides. The local school and road to Wat Athvear is on the fourth.

Wat Athvear is both an active monastery and an old, small temple build in early Bayon style. Like Preah Enkosei on the north side of Siem Reap City, this temple from the Khmer Imperial era is one of the closest temples to Siem Reap city proper.

This is a nice spot to see a compact version of a temple between 2 main eras of Khmer imperial architecture. Normally it is very peaceful to visit Wat Athvear.

#citylife #countryside #biking #bikingintheangkorhinterland #watathvear #temple #fishing #sunrise #kingdomofwonder #Cambodia #siemreap #visitsiemreap #visitcambodia #Angkoroffthebeatentrack #AOTBT #KrorSangRolerngvillage #phnomkraom #phnomkrom #rice #ricefield #ricepaddock #2022CE

Royal honour to the grandparents

Prasat Lolei, ប្រាសាទលលៃ, is the northernmost temple in the old capital of the Khmer empire Hariharalaya. Finished in 893CE, the temple group of four towers was dedicated to Shiva and to members of the royal family by king Yasovarman I.

The two tall brick temple towers were built in honour of the king’s grandparents. The two lower towers were for his parents. King Yasovarman I was not a big fan of his father’s plans of succession. He ended up making his own succession line and legitimized right to the throne via his grandmother’s family.

Last larger Hindu temple built in Hariharalaya
It was originally a temple on an island in a now dried out water reservoir called Indratataka Baray. This was the first Baray of many built by the imperial god kings of Angkor. A temple on an island surrounded by water is probably meant to symbolise Mount Meru, home of the gods in the Hindu pantheon.

Back then it was an Ashram nearby, today there is a modern pagoda and a monastery surrounding the classic site. The interior of the modern pagoda is worth a closer look.

This was the last large temple build by the god kings in Hariharalaya. Yasovarman I later moved the capital to Yaśodharapura centred around Phnom Bakheng, near Angkor Thom/Nokor Thom as it is known today.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2021/04/06/the-modern-prasat-lolei-a-colorful-cultural/

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Early morning enthusiasm in the forest
That time I had to share the bike track with two very enthusiastic youngsters in the Siem Reap countryside near Angkor Thom.

Culture and nature
Water buffaloes are still of some importance in agriculture in Cambodia. Traditionally used for ploughing the fields and carting heavy loads, those tasks are increasingly done by mechanised tractors and specialised machinery. But for milk, meat, fortune and for breeding they are popular and even exported.
These animals live well of ordinary grass and water plants. All easily accessible food with no need of industrialised special fodder. They return valuable quality fertiliser in return, and they are important in keeping and being a vital part of the cultural landscape.

Respect and distance
These buffaloes are domesticated livestock, and normally quite docile. But they are each still 2 pointy ends backed by 200 kilo+ of bones and muscles, so respectful distance is smart when encountering these animals unexpected.
Me, sitting on my bike in a crossroad in front of these two fellows, continued out of their track on my way after I had taken this shot. I saw these two rumbling on their way crossing the road behind me.
Hope they enjoyed this moment as much as me.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2023/04/10/physical-distancing-pre-covid-times/

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Morning with some warm sun rays at Prasat Kravan

This five-tower temple was built at the same time as the pyramid at Koh Ker. It gives a glimpse into the earliest city and capital sites of the Khmer Empire.

The red brick construction surrounded by a moat are stunning in its simplicity.

Inside the towers, there are large bas-reliefs of the Hindu god Vishnu and his partner Lakshmi. They are on the other hand grand examples of complex artwork.

Two of the towers still have a roof telling of an architectural style of early Angkor Empire. The side gates on all towers are sealed. But the east gates are open in all towers.

In front of the temple to the east there is a platform with some stairs. To the south there are a base structure for another building, presumably a library. Most of the area is green turf with some red brown gravel walk tracks.

The whole site is surrounded by a square moat. Parts of it still has water, but there are roads over land bridges east and west. Along the moat there are trees on the temple side, and forest on the other side on the east and south side.

Kravan is on both the main guided tours into Angkor Architectural Park. Having a roomy area in front of the moat on the west side, the temple is often used as a background for cultural performances and special events.

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Sunset at Preah Enkosei Temple
ប្រាសាទព្រះឥន្រ្ទកោសីយ៍, Siem Reap.

It is regarded as the ancient Khmer temple closest to modern Siem Reap city centre. Preah Enkosei is between the modern Wat Enkosei and the necropolis of this pagoda and monastery area.

Preah Enkosei was built as a three tower Hindu temple appx 950CE. The entrance Gopura is flanked by small lion guardian statues. The Gopura have an anteroom with a lingam and is placed on the remains of a laterite wall running partly around the perimeter. There are two "library"-building remains flanking the gate on the inside.

The southern tower is marked by a platform only. There are discussions going on if it was ever built, never finished or for other reasons demolished before modern excavations started.

This temple is close to Siem Reap River, and it is an excellent target for an easy afternoon stroll along the river. It should take appx 30-35 minutes’ walk from Siem Reap city centre.

Or 10 minutes by bike.

Visitors do not need Angkor Pass, but this is still a functioning wat and pagoda area. Please act respectful entering this holy place of worship.

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