siem reap day 4

Title: Siem Reap Episode Four
Starring: Sylviaorange, Lucyriver and Wee
Camera: Lucyriver and Sylviaorange
Director: Lucyriver

The picture that you are viewing now is sunrise in Srah Srang. Yes, we made it to see the sunrise in Srah Srang due to our persistent in engaging Pilot to bring us there.

We were a little sceptical that Pilot might not show up as when we wanted to inform him yesterday, he had gone home and we just left a message for him through the guesthouse.

However, when we stepped out in the darkness, there he was waiting for us with his tuk tuk. We were rather 'pai sei' in 'forcing' him to bring us to see sunrise. Nevertheless, he was still all smiles when he saw us.

There were not many people at Srah Srang compared to Angkor Wat. We were sitting at the platform waiting for the sun to emerge. And it looked like we were not the early one as there were already children there vendoring their goods.

A little girl with a bit curly hair, speaking good English, approached us, trying to persuade us to buy from her. We just kept quiet. But Lucyriver couldn't help smiling to her. She was a real stubborn thing, pestering us to reveal our origin.

Then, she told us we wouldn't be able to see sunrise from where we were sitting now as it was blocked by trees at the platform. It enlightened us that we were focusing at the wrong direction. The sun was supposed to rise from the left of the lake. We quickly moved away to a more strategic place.

As the sun was coming out soon, we had totally forgotten about the girl. We were standing at the platform ready with our camera when suddenly the girl was beside Lucyriver and without warning she hooked a bracelet to Lucyriver thumb, saying it was for Lucyriver.

We tried to return it, saying that we will not buy anything from her but she refused to take it back, saying that the bracelet is for good luck, she still has more of them. Gosh, fainted. She even said if Lucyriver returned it that means Lucyriver do not like her. Double fainted.

Although blocked by trees, the sunrise was still awe-inspiring. When the sun casted its light on the water, the lake was bathed in golden colours.

The 'good luck' bracelet.

We left Srah Srang happily with our sunrise photos. Pilot suggested that we visit the four nearby small temples before going back to the guesthouse for breakfast. Along the way, we stopped at food stalls at the roadside to buy some local food.

This is banana rolled in rice, wrapped in banana leaves and grilled over the charcoal - like pulut or panggang. It tasted just good - thanks to we were hungry at that time.

We ate our banana rice at East Mebon. It was still too early therefore nobody was in sight except us. We had the temple-mountain all to ourselves.

The same lalangs from Pre Rup also grow there, swaying softly in the morning breeze. The matured lalangs are clothed in deep purple while the young ones in green.
Sprouting out of the sand.

Our second temple is Ta Som. Pilot especially reminded us to walk till the end to the east gate(gopura) to see a tree. As we walked out of the gopura, there isn't any special thing, we mused to ourselves. Only when we turned back to look at the gopura, that our breath were taken away. A huge tree growing from the top of it, claiming the gopura as his.


Our third temple is Neak Pean. It is a totally different temple compared to the temples that we had visited.

The first thing that caught our eyes was the temple in the middle of the pool. Plus, the horse statue, Balaha (info from a guidebook) saving drowning sailors.


Our last temple for this morning is Preah Khan. We crossed a moat flanked by stupas. Not forgetting the lotus ponds on both sides. Standing at the entrance was a headless figure the size of a giant human.




On the way back, we passed by Bayon. Pilot stopped at the roadside to let sylviaorange capture this stunning corner view.

The bamboo rice with read beans and grilled banana. The rice is normal meanwhile the banana is like chewing an eraser.

After breakfast we went to the Old Market to purchase some souvenirs. In the building, there are stalls selling all kinds of decorated souvenirs, jewelleries, clothes, silks and etc. We bought some scarves and magnets.

The wet market is just beside the souvenir stalls, selling dried/processed fish, sausages and dried goods. Deeper into the building are vegetables, delicacies and other grocery stuffs. We saw some sweets and biscuits but unable to buy them as some sellers do not speak English.

We went back to the guesthouse to get ready for our final temple at 1500.

Angkor Wat is totally different in the morning and evening. In the evening, we saw a clearer massive temple. Finally, we had the chance to explore her inside. We had to race with other tourists crossing the moat leading to the temple.

Angkor Wat became more real and massive as we approached her nearer and nearer until we couldn't believe we were really standing in front of her.

This boy did a dance after he touched Lucyriver Mickey umbrella.

Angkor Wat houses about 2000 apsaras (the dancing celestials) in every corner. We had the mission of finding the only one, the smiling apsara who is showing her teeth.

Every apsara that we met on the wall was unique in its own. She could be solo, on her own, or two best friends clutching each other hands or a group of best friends with different poses, expressions and even hairstyles.

Just the apsaras were enough to get us hooked for the first hour of the visit. It's just too pity we didn't get to meet the smiling one.

Unfortunately, the towers were closed for restoration and we couldn't make it to the top. What a great view from the top that we had missed.

This monkey will pose for anyone as long as you have a camera with you.

We later proceeded to the gallery of stories on the wall(the bas-reliefs) of the four walls. A non-crossing line was there so it allows only seeing, no touching. But don't just look at the wall, look up to the ceiling too.

Each wall has its own stories. Therefore if you are not planning to hire a guide to explain to you, then do research online and read first about the galleries, which lucyriver had not done and regretted. Luckily, sylviaorange and wee did know what the stories are all about. We weren't really that clueless. Even if we were clueless, we still could make up our own stories of it.

The east gallery 'The Churning of the Milky Sea' was closed for restoration. Instead a banner of the reliefs was splayed across outside the wall. Well, a 2D view is better than no view.

From left; chicken pancake, fried prawn and fried spring rolls.