Today we went to Banteay Srei which is about an hour drive from Siem Reap and then back to the mega monster, super touristed, main attraction of Ankgor Wat.
While Ankgor Wat is amazing and impressive, the smaller Banteay Srei is utterly worth the drive and should not be missed. I don't know if we were just lucky, or if the longer drive dissuades people from going to the small site, but there were very few people there so the vibe was serene.
Bantaey Srei is a Hindu temple constructed in 967 A.D. dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The name means “Citadel of Women” and it is the only temple not built for a king. People and guidebooks will tell you that it is one of the best preserved spots with some of the loveliest carvings and that's all true but I'm not sure if it was the quiet, the distance or the day, but it was the only place that felt spiritual and calming to me.
While Ankgor Wat is amazing and impressive, the smaller Banteay Srei is utterly worth the drive and should not be missed. I don't know if we were just lucky, or if the longer drive dissuades people from going to the small site, but there were very few people there so the vibe was serene.
Bantaey Srei is a Hindu temple constructed in 967 A.D. dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The name means “Citadel of Women” and it is the only temple not built for a king. People and guidebooks will tell you that it is one of the best preserved spots with some of the loveliest carvings and that's all true but I'm not sure if it was the quiet, the distance or the day, but it was the only place that felt spiritual and calming to me.
We wandered and gawked around this site for a long time and then, as we were walking out, I saw this tree and fell in love. The picture doesn't have the same impact as seeing her in person but she really did look like a woman dancing with her arms in the air and head thrown back.. at least to me. I want to make her in metal but there is always the fight in me that says "It's perfect the way it is. There is no reason to try to mimic or duplicate it as you will only be disappointed." We'll see who wins that fight at a later date.
The other thing that happened here was that in the parking lot we were approached, as expected, by bunches of little kids (really little) selling stuff but this time I just started crying. I'm not sure if it was because they were speaking English and I could understand them... or if it was the fact that they actively showed their disappointment and displeasure when/if we didn't buy anything or .... if.... I was just in an open state of mind... or if.... all that that poverty, all that struggle that I've seen over and over again, the intensity of which seems greater here due to the high number of land mine victims and extremely young children, smacked me upside the head harder than ever before.
I had to walk away and leave Peter to interact with them. It took me a couple of hours to pull myself out of that state but it lingers still.
I had to walk away and leave Peter to interact with them. It took me a couple of hours to pull myself out of that state but it lingers still.