Banteay Srei

I visited all of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Morocco while I was there. And I saw Ayuthuya and Sukhothai in Thailand. And Luang Prabang, Laos was one. But people don’t need to look at the UNESCO web site to have heard of Angkor. Angkor Wat is just the most well-known (and arguably, most spectacular) temple in the area – there are more than 100 monuments spread over 300 square miles. The Angkor era began in 802 and lasted through 39 kings, becoming the most powerful kingdom in Southeast Asia during its time. In the fifteenth century, it was abandoned to the jungle. The Khmers knew of the lost city, but the Western “discovery” of it in 1858 led to exploration and archeological work that continues to this day.


Kong, the taxi driver, took me to the farthest site on our day’s itinerary first; this is the one I might not have gotten to in a tuk-tuk (I did see people bicycling, too, but the distances were much greater than those in the Thai sites, and there was much more traffic to contend with, so more power to them). Banteay Srei was worth whatever extra I paid for the taxi. I loved it. Could it have been my favorite? Don’t make me choose!


The Rough Guide says it is unique amongst its Angkorian peers. “Its miniature proportions, unusual pinkish color and intricate ornamentation create a surreal effect, enhanced by its astonishing state of preservation.” It was stunning – but in looking at my pictures I don’t know if I captured it. I do know that the detail was incredible – I could see now why there are books just of the doorways of Angkor and just of the lintels of Angkor. It was also good to be here early in the morning before things got really crowded; it was so peaceful.


The peace ended right outside the gates though, when I was bombarded by people trying to sell me things or just begging for money – mostly women and children with a sad story, and I was unprepared and overwhelmed. Kong stayed in a parking area, leaving me to run the gantlet alone most of the time. I talked to him about it and he basically reinforced my instinct to keep my head down and keep moving and donate later, but it was hard. I wouldn’t have minded shopping at the stalls a bit but not with how aggressive they were. It made the inside of the temples all the more peaceful but I felt sad and determined to figure out a way to contribute. I told my sister that I think my niece would have a hard time with it – especially seeing poor kids – but that it would still be a great See the World trip.





I have so many pictures to share that I am going to break this one day into several entries.