Day Five – Banteay Srey

After breakfast at the hotel, the four of us (Carol had had to return to PP for business) along with our guide Vith went to Banteay Srey, a little jewel of a Khmer temple complex.

The site has arguably the best carvings of any Khmer temple. Every surface is covered in deep-carved elaborate designs. It is unlike anything I’d ever seen.

And it’s popular, very popular. Even first thing in the morning the crowds were thick, which a bit of a bother since the place is so small and the paths so tight in places.

It’s a very different experience than the grand vistas and towering facades of Angkor Wat or Bayon. The place is tiny, the doorways very low, and around every corner is another lavish spectacle of ornamentation.

And another.

And another…

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After leaving Banteay Srey, we stopped at the Cambodian Landmine Museum, which is dedicated to, you guessed it, all the nasty things that various armies have left all over the country during the last 40 years. It was a sobering little plac. You can see examples of the products of almost every country that manufactures large quantities of munitions. When you consider how small Cambodia is, it’s a wonder anybody’s left.

An important diorama. How many munitions can you spot before you step on them? Look carefully. There’s lots.

Next stop: Angkor Butterfly Centre