Angkor Grand Tour Circuit

This next large batch of pics of from the Angkor grand tour circuit, (only those that I haven't been to before). Also I've been playing with the film simulation plugin again, they make look odd, or better, or something.

I caught this one as we were going through the middle of Angkor Thom:

Some monks visiting Baphoun

Angkor Thom North Gate

Much like the other gates. The only one I haven't visited is the east gate which I might try and get to on my way out of Siem Reap.

The gate.

From the moat next to the gate.

The tuk tuk driver kept waving me over and insisted I take a photo of these guys. Luckily their appendages were strategically placed.

Preah Khan

This is one of the larger temples in Angkor that I hadn't been to yet. Lots of stuff to look at here, this was one of the better sites that didn't have that overly restored feeling.

The walkway to the temple. No I don't need a guidebook. Or a cold coconut. Or a cold drink. Or whatever else it is you're selling.

Looking at the moat.

Reassembled bit of temple, waiting to go above the entry again (so maybe it does have a restored feeling)

Interesting architectural feature which I forget the word for.

Asparas!

Bricked in door.

Bit'o'temple.

The vietcong were here, so I heard a tourguide say.

A relief on a wall, notice the large scratched out images...

More odd architecture.

Moldy.

There's that guy again!

Similar to some of the reliefs that surrounded Angkor Wat, haven't seen it anywhere else.

Another Aspara.. Or maybe not, I only just learnt the word.

More relief.

Templetree(tm)!

Multi story building. Don't see that very often.

Doorway.

Oh hey, another doorway.

Tree.

Collapsed!

This all looks like it's assembled, what are the blocks on the ground for?

A.... something I don't know the name of. The book is out of arms reach and I don't know what to search for.

Rock garden.

Neak Pean

The pictures made this one look like a good small temple. There's a long wooden walkway over the lake that surrounds it, and you get to the center and find this:

Well that's as close as they let you...

Here's a tree.

After some lunch it was off to...

Ta Som

The gate.

Couple of cracks though this one. It'll buff right out though.

Lots of restoration going on in this one. There's the reassembled bit of temple on the left, and a worker not working in the doorway.

Tree over the south gate. Taken while being pestered by a girl wanting me to buy something.

Outside this gate too there's nowhere else really to go, but once you get out, ambush! People sitting in a large circle around the gate so you can't see them from inside, all wanting to sell you cold coconut or cold drink.

Path. (this is inside the wall)

More reliefs.

Asparas!

Fake window carving, and others..

Restoration work.

East Mebon

East Mebon is in the East Baray, and over in the west there is a West Mebon in a West Baray. The Barays are two big man made lakes but the eastern one is now dry and has a road to East Mebon. The western lake has water in it so you have to take a boat out to West Mebon.

East Mebon is made out of bricks, more like the Thai temples than Khmer.

Temple!

See, bricks.

More bricks.

Carvings in brick. I'm not sure what the holes are for. In the larger block temples they seem to have them on restored bits. Sometimes there will be a metal staple between two brick holes to keep them together. But on this temple, not sure.

One of the corner towers.

Another mostly ruined one.

More ruined.

Elephant, surveying the lands.

More elephant.

Semi full temple view.

Next...

Banteay Samre

Temple entrance.

Columns.

Inside the central part of the temple.

The center.

More columns.

Tree.

Decaying wall.

Pre Rup

Another brick temple just near East Mebon.

A large brass statue would have lived in that hole apparently.

Looking back down.

Forest and temple.

The center tower.

Sinha!

Hmm. Interesting style here...

And finally...

Prasat Kravan

Not a big temple.

Close arty styles.

Inside the center tower.

Inscription in the doorway. Apparently the text refers to several different reigns and would have been completed at different times. But likely it was copied several times since then and replaced.

And that's it for that days touring. I had one more day in just a couple of temples to the east and some evening photos from Angkor Wat which I'm going though now.