Click on images below to enlarge:
|
 |
| Bayon (center of Angkor Thom)
|
|
|
|
|
| Approaching the Bayon, a temple in the center of Angkor Thom. Perhaps
excellent for its artistic ruins (e.g., the scattered stones and the
columns without roofs). Also note the statues by the stairs, and the
towers; we'll be seeing a lot more of these towers.
| Bayon.
| Bayon's ruins.
| Getting closer to the center of Bayon. Note the Buddha faces at the top
of the tower. (Two are visible in this picture.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Inside Bayon and its tons of weathered stone.
| The upper-most, inner-most level of Bayon. I took this picture for the
line of three Buddha faces on the left.
| My face, Buddha face, nose to nose.
| Try two.
Incidentally, taking this picture was our guide's idea, not mine.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Yet more Buddha faces. Excellent. (For once I got the
exposure and contrast right.)
| One of the many reliefs surrounding Bayon. This is the Chinese-contingent
of the Khmer army on the march, complete with elephants. (The Chinese people
can be identified in these reliefs by their topknots and small beards.)
| A guy with a turtle on a string, a turtle who decides to bite someone's
butt.
| A crocodile, and an army on a boat going to war.
|
|
|
|
|
| A zoo, or at least a series of animals.
| People relaxing on a boat and fishing.
| Stewing an animal, plus barbecuing over an open flame.
|
|
| More Roadside Angkor
|
|
|
|
|
| Our guide had us stop on the way out of the park to view the monkeys that
usually hang around the area.
| The same young monkey again.
| A monkey. Excellent.
| Ditto.
|
|
| Dinner at Samown Angkor Restaurant
|
|
|
|
|
| Samown Angkor Restaurant, where we had dinner, was next door to our hotel.
| Our set menu.
| "Deep-fried vegetable balls." Simultaneously sweet and salty balls of
unknown provenance, though I'm guessing a mushroom-tofu mix. Interesting.
I wasn't sure what I thought of them.
| "Sour soup with lemongrass flavors." Fragrant & herby. Definitely good.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| "Cambodian fried rice." This fried rice was really difference from most
other rice dishes. First, the rice was short grain. Second, the rice
just tasted different. We liked it. It had no grease, not even any that
appeared as it cooled.
| "Fried Chinese cabbage with black mushrooms."
| "Fried pork with cashew nut, tomato, and onion."
| "Amok fish served in green coconut." Though still good, it wasn't as
good as the amok fish we had at
lunch (seen in a
coconut). Maybe this is sweet? Maybe the soup/sauce tasted less
of coconut milk? In other news, the coconut, younger than lunch's,
had lots of sweet, buttery coconut flesh.
|
|
|
| "Fresh fruit platter." Dragon fruit and pineapple.
|
