The Carey's in Siem Reap, Cambodia 10/2013

I have to admit, I had no clue where Cambodia was when Chris suggested this destination.  I never thought I would have some of the opportunities I have experienced when embarking on this adventure.  While Cambodia was not high on my bucket list, it proved me so wrong.  I knew it would be an inland vacation with no beaches and a lot of temples.   I have to admit, I could not imagine myself walking through temples for three days.... but I was so wrong.  

Going into the trip and thanks to the airplane map this is what I knew by the time I landed in Siem Reap.   
Cambodia is  bordered by Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.  The official religion is Buddhism... but this was an easy guess when landing and seeing the enormous Budda at the airport.  

Much like other countries we have visited in Asia the outdoor fruit and vegetable stands are abundant but this woman caught my eye.  Watching her carry her produce on her head while adding to it with each stand she shopped at.

What better way to see a country then by renting a four wheeler and going into heart of their world.  I would have to say this was one of my most favorite adventures we have taken.  Not just because of the ruggedness of riding the bikes, but because it brought us all closest to seeing their culture and the way most of the locals live.

This was by far our favorite experience on our trip...  It was eye opening to see the back country, rice paddies and the home/lifestyle of how a large chunk of Cambodians live.   I don’t think when we took these pictures we knew just how much this ride would impact us.  We had two all terrain vehicles with the kids riding on the back of each.  

As we drove down various paths, we realized that these were actually their roads and that their living was quite inclusive of wild life.  I think we all can agree that we noticed immediately how friendly everyone was as we passed by with our guide.  Excitedly waving and smiling as if we were our own parade.

We went during their rainy season and while we only got caught in a few down pours, it was very apparent that the land was overly saturated and some homes were either flooded or the lucky ones had built theirs up on stilts.

The local kids made good use of the flooding waters... Much braver then I ever would be!!

This was the main sign for the local school.  

From the moment we arrived in Asia, I have always been so impressed with the locals ability to ride a bike with multiple people. 

At a rest stop from riding, Ayden immediately hooked up with some kids playing.  What was so amazing is that there were no toys nor was there a playground... you would have thought with the laughter they were all at an amusement park.

The next couple of days we set out to sight see at the temples.  Within Siem Reap Province there are many temples most within the boundaries of the Angor Archaeological Park near Siem Reap City.  The temple sites represent the ruins of the ancient Angkorian capital city of the Khmer Empire (9th -13th Century AD)

Armed with a map and our trusted guide “Sokpee” we set out on day 2 to see the temples.

Ta Prohm Temple

The first temple we visited was at Ta Promh, made famous as the setting for the movie Tomb Raider.  Ta Prohm was constructed in the mid 12th to early 13th Century by King Jayavarman VII.  This sprawling complex is only partially cleared of jungle overgrowth.  It was intentionally left partially unrestored with massive fig and silk cotton trees growing from the towers and corridors.  This really gives it a jungle feel and some great photo opportunities as well.  

Ta Prohm Temple

If this tree root doesn’t give illustration to just how old these temples are, I don’t know what does... the trees and their roots were wrapped throughout the temple.  

Angkor Thom Temple

Angkor Thom also called “Big Angkor” is a 3 KM square walled and moated royal city and was the last capital of the Angkorian empire.  After Jayavarman VII recaptured the Angkorian capital from the Cham invaders in 1181, he began a massive construction campaign across the empire making Angkor Thom his new capital City.  

This is really a massive complex with 4 gates, one at each point of the compass, that includes several temples.  The kids really enjoyed exploring within Angkor Thom.

The Temples were all open to the public to explore and were in various states of restoration.  The kids were able to hike all over and climb the stairs thoughout the temples which made for a great adventure.

The stairs to most of the temples were VERY steep.  

While we were within the gates of Angor Thom we got to visit with some monkeys by the side of the road.  As we were driving from one temple site to another our guide Sokpee stopped the van so the kids could feed some wild monkeys along the side of the road.  These monkeys were very quick to know when one of the kids had a piece of fruit for them and didn’t hesitate to go after it.

We were also treated to a parade of elephants passing by while we were out exploring the Temples

Bayon Temple

Bayon temple is known as the “Temple of Faces”.  The giant stone faces of Bayon have become one of the most recognizable images connected with khmer art and architecture.  There are 37 standing towers, most but not all sporting four carved faces oriented toward the cardinal points.  Who the faces might represent is a matter of debate but it has been argued that it may by Loksvara, Mahayana Budddhism’s compassionate Badhisattva, or perhaps a combination of Buddha and Jayavarman VII.  Bayon was Jayavarman VII’s state-temple and in many ways represents the pinnacle of his massive building campaign. 

I loved all of the faces carved in stone...  

Angor Wat

We finished up the Temple visits with the most famous temple of all Angor Wat.

Angor Wat is visually and architecturally breathtaking.  It is a massive three-tiered pyramid crowned by five lotus like towers rising 65 meters above ground level.  Angor Wat is considered the highlight of the visit to the temples of Angor.  It was constructed in the 13th century by King Suryavarman II in the form of a massive “temple mountain” dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu.  It served as his State Temple.  

It is surrounded by a moat and an exterior wall measuring 1,300 meters x 1,500 meters.  The temple itself is 1 KM square.  The walls of the temple are covered inside and out with intricate carvings.

Banteay Srei Temple

Banteay Srei Temple is a 10th century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.  It is renowned for its intricate decoration carved in pinkish sandstone that covers the walls.  Banteay Srei is built largely of red sandstone, a medium that lends itself to the elaborate decorative wall carvings which are still observable today. The buildings themselves are miniature in scale and is one of the more popular temples to explore. 

The kids definitely loved the Temples but had their fill after seeing the first few, but gave them all more stairs and nooks to explore.   

Cambodia is a gorgeous country...  and while the vacation was not our typical (Beach/Skiing) trip.  It is one trip that I know will stick with me for a lifetime.