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Ancient Nomad
PART 3: Back on the road - South East Asia.
 

 flag   Route Map    Angkor Wat, Cambodia   »  January 6, 2011

Next place - Bantey Kdei. Only a few minutes apart from the last one. According to the information, it has been built between the end of the 12th Century and the beginning of 13th.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → First a gate resembling the famous Bayon faces motive.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → I am not sure if all of them, but all the gates I have seen are similar - all with the carved faces.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → This is what you see after the gates. Nice settings amongst the trees.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → The building itself. It doesn't look that impressive from the outside, but such places hide real treasures sometimes.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → Seeing these roofs is already like finding a treasure. Thinking of the usual roof tiles, which are made from clay, these each individually carved from stone are quite amazing.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → Looking at parts of it, it's like looking a WW2 bunker in a way. It must have been amazing to be the first explorer to see it, and enter. Especially, that these Khmer culture relics are a thousand years older.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → And there it is, the hidden treasure. There is a Buddha statue inside, and I haven't seen such a colorful display in any of the Angkor temples so far. Can you see the sitting woman? Some of the temples are still 'alive' today, not only with tourists, but practicing monks. They don't live there, but they take care of the place, clean, and sometimes meditate.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → After passing through there are some ancient Greece, or Rome, structures with pillars.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → The other side of the temple looks like a garden. Nice to hang around.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → The pillars have carvings, often depicting dancers. Dance seems to had played a very important role in the old Khmer culture and religion.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → Another dancers motive.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → Walking around the temple, nicely decorated walls.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → The structure is supported by wooden beans in places.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → A look throught the passages between different parts of the temple..

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → Besides the images of usually naked female dancers, another common thing at the temples are displays representing female and male symbols. This one is represents female. I was told that this is connected to fertility. So it seems like some of the temples were built specifically in connection to the fertility subject, and the carvings represent dancing and rituals asking the Gods for their blessings.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → Another interesting part of this temple, more pillars.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → Finally, you pass through and come out on the other side of the complex. And surprisingly, it's actually quite a large temple. Not tall at all, but you walk through quite a long passage all the way through.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → The growing tree is quite impressive, and the first such tree I think so far. But there will be more, more impressive. And very soon, at the next temple.

Siem Reap - Cambodia

Photo:  Bantey Kdei, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → The last look at Bantey Kdei. Very pictoresque.

Off to another location.
Continued on the:    Next Page 

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2011
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2010
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