Knyom Soksabay Awkun: Day Three (morning): Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som & East Mebon

Friday, August 18, 2006

Day Three (morning): Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som & East Mebon

We started off slightly late on our third day after a tiring 2 days. For today's itinery, we will be visiting Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som and East Mebon before heading to Banteay Srei which is 37 km away from Siem Reap approx 1 hours journey by tuk-tuk.

Preah Khan

Entrance into Preah Khan

Preah Khan was a rather huge complex; apparently was some sort of a school or university in the olden days. The Buddhist carvings on the walls of this ruin was quite intricate and beautiful.

The backyard of Preah Khan... nice, spacious backyard

Preah Khan... the past revisited

This tree of life was obviously becoming a tree of destruction... one trunk had to be chopped down to alleviate the stress on the structure.

The tree of life... looks like a Brontosaurus climbing a wall

Beautiful and intricate carvings... dancing imps?

columns of walkways... back to the future!

a bell? or a tomb?

more carvings... squating imps?

The apsaras of Preah Khan

The front portion of Preah Khan

School / University building... looks like one of 'em Greek structures

The majestic walls surrounding Preah Khan... parts of which were in a state of disrepair and vulnerable to the Hanson intrusion.

Neak Pean

This is a small island temple surrounded by a reservoir and 4 ponds. Apparently, this ruin is most photogenic during the wet season when the surrounding pools are filled. It was the dry season when I went there. So we got to walk across the dry path to the island temple in the middle.

The island temple behind me

Neak Pean... pronounced as 'Knee-ak Pond'

there's a head in the hole... believe it!

The four heads in the four holes... one is that of Dumbo, apparently another is that of a horse... not sure about the other two tho'

Seven-headed Serpent encircling the island temple... turned to stone by Medusa

Ta Som

After Neak Pean, we made our way to Ta Som... which had an entrance crowned with 4 heads like Angkor Thom and tree of lifes over the structures like Ta Prohm; but on a smaller scale. But much of this place is in disrepair and under going massive renovation.

Ain't no entrance into Angkor Thom... it's Ta Som!

Look at the piling to form the roof... isn't it a wonder?

... looks like something from Ta Prohm... this tree seems to be crushing the gate...

I wonder where the people who constructed this structure (especially the roof) got the idea from... simply brilliant!

East Mebon

The stones and material used for construction of this temple was rather different from the previous ones we saw. It looks like one of them desert buildings... very picturesque I must say. Plus the surrounding was one of padi fields and palm trees. Imagine a desert in the midst of an oasis.