Throwback to a giant puppet parade a few years ago.

One of the great yearly events in Siem Reap in February is the Great Puppet Parade. It is normally just after sunset on the 3rd Saturday.

The puppets in the parade are made and showed off by local school children and teenagers. The effort is organised by local NGOs. Supported by professional artists and designers the result is mind-blowing. Local businesses sponsor the activity and materials over several months.

Along with the puppets, there are live performances by artists and musicians. Showcasing what a vibrant art and culture scene the second largest city in Cambodia have. Siem Reap have a lot to offer in addition to the World Cultural Heritage site of Angkor Park.

The sunset parade along the riverside gathers close to 20 000 spectators.

After the parade, the puppets are exhibited in parks and at sponsors places for everyone to enjoy, even if they lost out on the parade itself.

This year the theme is Wildlife, celebrating Cambodia’s spectacular nature and fauna.

Earlier years this Apsara Dancer Lady in the photo showcased the ancient art of the Angkor Empire.


#art #puppetparade #culturalscene #visitsiemreap #vibrantcitylife #angkor #worldculturalheritage #architecture #archive #art #Asia #bike #bikefriendly #Buddhism #Cambodia #life #Empire #puppet #design #greentourism #Hinduism #history #imperial #khmer #siemreap #southeastasia #visitcambodia

The midway surprise Prasat Rorng Ramong

An early morning at Prasat Rorng Ramong. This small temple remain alone off the main road between Angkor Wat and the south moat of Angkor Thom. Enclosed by a narrow road and mostly hidden by trees. It may look insignificant and small, but it is larger than the entry track suggest. And well worth a closer look.

The temple has many names. Prasat Rorng Ramong, Rong Lmong, ប្រាសាទរោងរមុង and Rung Lmong. It is a Hindu temple not far from the entrance to the hill temple Phnom Bakheng.

It is built in the same style as Phnom Bakheng temple, with one tower foundation and walls in good condition, remains of a second tower but no traces of what was probably a third tower.

A small laterite causeway leads eastwards from the main remains. There are reported traces of a small moat around the temple, but it is dried out and most traces of it has disappeared.

A glimpse of the early, old capital
Rorng Ramong was built during the reign of Yasovarman I, the great king that moved the Khmer imperial capital from Hariharalaya. The god king/emperor founded the Yaśodharapura capital city near today’s Nokor Thom/Angkor Thom. This third Khmer imperial capital was centred on Bakheng Hill, in the early 900s CE.

This temple is significant because it gives a good idea of how these early temples was planned and build into the city structure.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2025/05/15/the-midway-surprise-prasat-rorng-ramong/

#ancientangkor #angkorwat #architecture #archive #art #Asia #ប្រាសាទ#រោងរមុង #biking #bikingintheangkorwonderland #bluesky #buddhism #Cambodia #khmercapitalcity #citylife #countryside #daytrip #Empire #greentourism #hinduism #history #imperial #Kampuchea #khmer #khmerempire #life #Pagoda #PrasatRamong #Prasat #RongLmong #PrasatRorng #Siem #Reab #SiemReap #site #siemreap #southeastasia #temple #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #worldculturalheritage

Smoking good Khmer BBQ street food

When you want to buy street food in Asia, you will not lack choices.

Like chicken, quail, sausage, pork, pineapple from this happy chef.

Trick is to follow a local chef and her fav street food joint. Or – the joint with the longest queue.

And your nose, of course.

You can feed yourself well and have left overs for lunch the next day for 5 USD. Or take away for when to visit Khmer friends for drinks and talks, a meal for a large group or family is around 10 USD.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2021/04/28/smoking-good-street-food-when-you-want-to-buy/


#2018CE #ancient #Angkor #angkorfood #chive #art #BBQ #Buddhism #Cambodia #life #countryside #day #trip #eating #Empire #foodie #greentourism #history #imperial #Kampuchea #Khmer #ladyfingers #squid #shrimps #crayfish #shellfish #localfood #Nikkor #Nikon #Pagoda #prawn #seafood #SiemReab #siemreap #southeastasia #stuengthmeyvillage #SvayDangkum #Commune #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #worldculturalheritage #food #foodie

An evening with comfort Khmer seafood BBQ

Who says things need to be complicated when produce has high quality?

Tiger shrimps, squids and veggies on the BBQ, freshly steamed local rice and one of M’me Khmer chefs own, home made dipping sauces.

And a beer.

That is great eating and comfort food and drinks. A great Saturday in Siem Reap, Cambodia.


For seafood lovers
Cambodia is a great country for seafood lovers. Or, I think the technical term is aquatic based protein.

In a typical, classical Khmer diet around 60 percent of the protein are shellfish and crayfish from river, lake or sea. All important part of Cambodias geography. Ad some fresh vegetables, and home made dipping sauces mixing salt, sweet, spicy, and umami flavours.

And flavourful steamed Khmer rice.

The Forbes Magazine recently advised people loving good food and unique experiences to travel to Cambodia. For the special cuisine with great flavours and no long queues.


https://www.forbes.com/sites/vickysmith/2026/01/16/visit-this-underrated-country-for-great-southeast-asian-food-without-the-crowds/


#2018CE #ancient #Angkor #angkorfood #chive #art #BBQ #Buddhism #Cambodia #life #countryside #day #trip #eating #Empire #foodie #greentourism #history #imperial #Kampuchea #Khmer #ladyfingers #squid #shrimps #crayfish #shellfish #localfood #Nikkor #Nikon #Pagoda #prawn #seafood #SiemReab #siemreap #southeastasia #stuengthmeyvillage #SvayDangkum #Commune #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #worldculturalheritage #food #foodie

You came to a split in the road….

…and the Apsara-crew took the road less travelled, because they make all the difference.

To manage, develop and maintain the vast human cultural treasure of the Angkor Park, the Apsara Authority was established back in 1995.

It has ha monumental task, literally speaking, taking care of the approximately 420 km2 area of the main Angkor Archaeological Park. It contains more than 70 larger temple sites, and over 1000 smaller sites and remains.

Important task and employer
Easy recognisable with their green uniforms, the Apsara Maintenance staff are making the visit into the Angkor Archaeological Park and sites possible, safe and accessible. It is a highly respected and important effort on behalf of Cambodia’s long and proud history, civilisation and culture. And of course, the common human historic value as a World Cultural Heritage site for the rest of us.

With over 3 000 employees, the Apsara Authority is the largest single employer in the Siem Reap province.

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Bringing food for mommy

A memory from my first visit to Angkor Wat. This couple, I guess brother and sister, had their priority and duty clear this early fall day in the green season of 2011CE.

It was bringing lunch to mommy, one of the Apsara maintenance staffers at Angkor Wat. Making sure the maintenance and operation of the 8th Wonder of the World was smoothly and efficient.

State Temple, tomb, now Wat
Angkor Wat was original a royal state temple built in honour of the Hindu god Vishnu in the mid-12th Century CE. It is a tomb for the God King Suryavarman II too.
As a usurper, he needed to show his right to the throne by building this enormous religious building. It is still the largest and probably the most famous religious buildings in our common human cultural heritage.

Later it was converted to a Buddhist temple and monastery for religious worship and learning, a “Wat”.

Classic combination
Angkor Wat represents two architectural styles for Hindu temples. We have the temple mountain as a reminder of the 5 sacred Meru mountain, home of the Hindu gods. And the later galleried temple.

The galleries are even more interesting than usual. In addition to honour the gods and religious rites, it is the history of the reign of a powerful emperor.

This is one of the temples in Angkor Park where it is highly advisable to have a guide on your first visit. The size is easier to understand when you have some knowledgeable to show the important highlights and the best photo spots.

#angkorwat #angkor #pond #sunrise #wat #temple #food #asiangirl #asian #boy #villagelife #morning #AngkorWat #Apsara #ancient #art #architecture #sculpture #archive #worldculturalheritage #hinduism #khmer #empire #buddhism #greentourism #Cambodia #citylife #countryside #daytrip #history #imperial #biking #Site #statetemple #khmerchildren #lunch #tiffin #carrier #Chanshrak #tiffincarrier #Nikon #D300 #NikonD300 #Nikkor #2011CE #Siem #Reap #siemreap #southeastasia #visitsiemreap #visitcambodia

Pointing out a treasure at mysterious West Prasat Top

Exploring Angkor Park is best in the early hours of the day. The temperature is pleasant, and the light is playful and challenging.

This little temple is one of the hidden treasures near the beaten track. But atill several hundred meters off it, by bike or walk.

This morning the sun pointed out a spot to the northeast. I did not find gold, but the remain of an old guardian statue.
A good start for a peaceful visit and some reflections on this small spot in ancient times.

Small mystery
West Prasat Top is in the area where you find several larger temples like Ta Keo, Ta Nei and Ta Prohm. They are all on the east side of Siem Reap River, a couple of kilometres away from the Victory Gate and Angkor Thom. It is close to Don Mao, another small temple near one of the old East Baray docks.

But the current single tower is of post Bayon style. Meaning it was built sometimes after 1200. And the stones used to build this temple may have been reused from older structures.

This is a mysterious temple not only for confusions regarding its origin. Some of the information about this temple mixes it up with the West Top Temple in Angkor Thom.

West Prasat Top’s tower was built on a laterite platform. The pink-sandstone columns and lintels contain some decorations from the 1100s. There are visible remains of stairs leading up to the temple both to the east and west. Parts of an enclosing wall are still there, and more fragments of statues and other carvings.

The tower itself was overgrown when I visited, but recently excavations and renovations has cleared it and cleaned it, and West Prasat Top is pretty in pink today.

#angkor #AOTBT #offthebeatentrack #colours #green #buddhism #angkorthom #1200CE 🎶🎶 #bikingintheangwonderland 🎶🎶 #temple #Park #visitsiemreap #visitcambodia #kingdomofwonder #architecture #art #KhmerEmpire #imperial #greentourism #angkorwat #siemreap #southeastasia #worldculturalheritage