Temples, museums, fine dining & the circus!

Friday, June 12, 2015
Krong Siem Reap, Siem Reap, Cambodia
We are getting an earlier start today to try to beat the heat. So by 7:30am we're off to our first sight, Banteay Srei temple (citadel of the women), a 30 minute drive through the Cambodian countryside. This actually ended up being one of our favourite temples! Smaller in scale but the only one made of pink sandstone with amazingly elaborate & intricate carvings. The benefit of it being low season is the limited number of tourists. Very peaceful.
Next we visited the Cambodian Land Mine Museum . Really excellent NGO started by a young Cambodian man. He has obtained international financing from Canada, the US and Australia to support their work in locating & deactivating land mines. The excellent guide (from New Hampshire!) tells the story of landmines in Cambodia, how they have impacted the country’s past, present and will continue to impact its future. The story is told through the story of Aki Ra, their founder, who was suppressed into the Khmer Rouge Army as a child soldier, and spent his youth fighting in the wars that ravaged his country for nearly 35 years. The Museum also hosts a Relief Facility for at-risk village children.
On to our last temple of the day - Preah Khan. It has been left largely unrestored, with numerous trees and other vegetation growing among the ruins.
Afternoon by the pool then supper at Kroya Restaurant - western food with a Cambodia. twist. One of the best meals so far!
A $2 tuk tuk ride to the Phare Cambodian Circus "Uniquely Cambodian, Daringly Modern". More than just a circus, Phare blends contortion, juggling, acrobatics, balancing and aerial arts with theatre, music and modern dance forms to tell uniquely Cambodian stories; historical, folk and modern. Started in 2013, they now have over 1,500 students from disadvantaged families attending their arts school (financed by the circus revenue). Incredible show with a hopeful message about the art scene in Cambodia as it revives itself in the post-war era.
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Comments

mom
2015-06-13

Some questions...are the intricate carvings out of the limestone or wood? What is a stupa?
The Museum of the landmines is chilling...reminder of that horrific war!
The jungle creeping into everything is also an indication of how the enemy could hide in that growth and ambush. Gives me the eeriest feelings!
The circus was a good relief for all leaving the you with better images!!!
Xx

Lara
2015-06-14

A stupa is Buddhist commemorative monument usually housing sacred Buddha (or other saintly person's) relics.
Those incredible cravings are all done in the sandstone! Amazing - one of our favorite temples for sure.
We've found Cambodia, although similar in some aspects to the other 3 countries, to be quite unique and distinctive. The history is all so recent (certainly in our lifetimes) that it is palpable. The people also have a very distinctive look. It has been an enlightening experience.

2025-02-17

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