Angkor : Bakong, Preah Koh and Lolei

A few kilometers to the east of Siem Reap, three temples, Preah Ko, Bakong and Lolei are leftovers from the first Khmer capital of the 9th century. 

 Preah Koh

Shiva's bull

Bakong

tired tourists

Lolei, built in 893 AD, has an active modern wat associated. 

with a school

what are these? the local ossuary? 

on the road back to Siem Reap

chicken transport ...

The Cambodian version of a "food truck" - 

Snacks on the way through the countryside: fried grasshoppers , crispy crickets, crunchy maggots, chili beetles  ... 

Enjoy!

Angkor : Banteay Kdei and Ta Nei

This is about two smaller temples within the Angkor complex: Ta Nei in the jungle and Banteay Kdei close to the beautiful reservoir Srah Srang east of Angkor. 

Ta Nei temple was built by the famous Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century and dedicated to Buddha. It is quite overgrown. Though close to Angkor Wat we did not see too many visitors even during the christmas high season.

Banteay Kdei is another work by the great builder Jayavarman VII in the late 12th/early 13th century. It was constructed as a Buddhist temple. 

 Lichen, mosses and algae make those marvellous colours on the  laterite and sand stone surfaces.

Past this temple the peaceful and elegant water reservoir Srah Srang from the 10th century still holding water is a good place for an idyllic rest.

on their way to school in the early morning

even cows need a bath sometimes

Angkor : Banteay Srei

monkey guardians protecting the temple

Banteay Srei, 40 min east of Angkor by car, is a very beautiful temple of warm reddish sandstone and delicate carvings still in very good condition. It is the prettiest of all temples and was dedicated to Shiva when it was built in the 10th century. 

Shiva dancing with Parvati on his arm

Nowadays it is also named "citadel of the women", possibly because of its many beautiful apsara reliefs and the pink-orange colour of the warm sandstone in the morning sun.