Angkor Wat

Before visiting the temples of Angkor National Museum was highly recommended to us. In the museum you can learn much about the culture of the Khmer (the inhabitants of Cambodia) and the magnificent Angkor Empire. In the museum we spent a whole afternoon together with Britney to us on our “Tempeltour” prepare.

The temple Beng Mealea - swallowed by the jungle

On 2. April, we started the tour with the Temple Beng Mealea. He is one of the most mysterious temple, because the jungle has left him virtually “swallowed”. A large part of the temple has collapsed, but you can climb over the ruins and explore the whole temple adventurous way.

Great Temple Tour and landmine museum

The next day we started the great temple tour with our tuk tuk driver Savy. Most tourists make the first “small” Tour with the most famous temples. But we wanted to pick the best for last. First we visited the Pre Rup and then the so-called temple woman Banteay Srei. The Banteay Srei Although one of the smallest temple, but he has a lot of detailed and beautiful ornaments.
On the way to the next temple was the Land Mine Museum. The visit was very interesting and poignant. Still falling almost every day people the landmine victim. Cambodia is one of the most mined countries in the world. It is estimated, that there are 6 to 7 million landmines in Cambodia. The founder of the museum, Aki Ra, is about our age. When he was 10 years old his parents were of the Khmer Rouge (a guerrilla movement in Cambodia under the leadership of Pol Pot, the mid-70s, about. 2 million Cambodians fell victim) killed. Aki Ra was forced for the Vietnamese army to fight. He had also put many mines. Today he tries to rid Cambodia of mines. When he started it, He searched the area by foot and defused mines by hand. He now works with international assistance and appropriate safety standards. Besides the museum, it offers children of mine victims and children who are themselves fallen victim to a mine, a home and education.
After the museum we continued our tour and visited the following temples:

  • Preah Khan: a very large and beautiful temple complex, we liked with the best
  • Preah Neak Pean: a small temple surrounded by water
  • Take As: “Thumbnail simplified version” December Tempels Ta Prohm
  • East Mebon: Temple on an artificial island. The pond is now dry.
  • Pre Rup: Pyramid temple is regarded as the template for Ta Keo and Angkor Wat
  • Prasat Leak Neang

Before and sometimes also in the temples sell children and women Post, Bracelets, Books, Souvenirs and drinks. It is quite often approached and harassed to buy something. Some of them ran for quite a while afterwards to show their goods. This can already be very annoying, but it must be remembered, that they earn their livelihood. Dopey has to “soften” leave a bamboo mouth organ to Buy. Thus he had the whole day to play something.
When we arrived exhausted at our accommodation in the afternoon, we decided first a “Temple-break” appeal and make the small temple tour on the next day.

Small Temple Tour

Shortly after 4 am our alarm rang. We wanted the sunrise over Angkor Wat, the mother of all temples, do not miss. 4:30 AM there should be breakfast and 5 pm the tuk tuk driver was ordered. In theory, this sounds doable yes to everything and a good plan, but in practice it was very different. Unfortunately we have “Cambodia-time” not calculated. Shortly before 5 am went 'something going on to get baguettes for breakfast and even the tuk tuk was late for half an hour. Just do not get upset, this is just so… .
The dawn behind Angkor Wat We have thus unfortunately just missed, but we were able to shoot some nice pictures anyway.
Angkor Wat is the most powerful building in Cambodia and one of the largest temple complexes in the world. After Angkor Wat were following temple on our tour schedule:

  • Phnom Bakheng: a temple on a hill with great views, the mountain is very popular to see the sunset
  • Angkor Thom: old royal capital with beautiful entrance gates
  • Bayon: Temple in Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat next to the famous temple complex of Angkor, With meter-high towers of stone carved faces
  • Thommanom
  • Ta Keo
  • Ta Prohm: known for his streaky trees masonry and through the film “Tomb Raider”
  • Banteay Kdei
  • Prasat Kravan
  • Srah Srang: was used as a pool for ritual ablutions