Third day of the Angkor Sumer Holiday – A Greater Hope

This is Banteay Srie,

a nearly untouched, undamaged highly decorated group of temples.

We have never been to this place before since it is a little out of our way during the normal tour of Angkor Wat we have always skipped it.

After this short stop we moved on towards our destination. The Kbal Spean Mountain with waterfalls and carvings in the river.

They recently made this road drivable. It is one way you are allowed to go up in the morning and return after noon.

By the way when we entered this area there are signs posted that this area is still has land minds and not to wonder off the trails.

The river was kind of full making it difficult to see the carvings.

This area has what is called a ling basically they believed it would make the water fertile a thousand years ago. The amazing thing it to see something survive in a flowing river that long. At some point it will be gone.

Shortly after the river we parked and went up some stairs to a rock with a Buddha carved on the top.

Lots of stairs lead up to the carved rock and had a lot of people worshiping idols.

It was like little mountain village or something.

We sat around to catch our breath and see who would make the final climb up another set of stairs.

Up the front.

A thousand years ago some guy climbed way up here, out in the middle of no where and decided he would carve a relining Buddha on the top of this rock. I think it was quite a feat back then.

The little structure is new to protect the carving.

The view was nice I think we were about the highest point around.

Which gets weird later as there are massive waterfalls on what seems to be the highest mountain.

Our kids on the way down

During a short bathroom break I had a lot of fun trying to catch a photo of this butterfly. This was one of the nicest pictures I got.

We wondered around for a long time in and out of rocks around trees and over hills for what seemed and hour.

Witchcraft ever present in Cambodia

A weird crack has a spring that flows up though it. The locals pray to Buddha and use the water as they believe it has power.

More wondering.

I was taking a picture of the tree over the rock before I saw the monkey.

These are called Elephant ears I believe.

They Cambodia believe in eating the knots and twists from the trees and vines. It to holds power I am not sure if it is to heal or something else. Maybe you eat it when you have knots in your tummy?

Finally we can hear water and we see a moss covered temple. It is lush and green every where

This is the top of the first water fall and you cross a swinging bridge.

Mind you I was originally prepared to be disappointed.

Well it was not to bad, the kids would have fun for the day,

But then to the south of this waterfall about 100 feet away or so was this little drop.

You don’t really want to slip down that.

Really nice waterfall maybe 40 to 50 feet high. Far from disappointing.

Light lunch, a bit salty but I eat it anyway.

Wut was my trooper She was taking photos a lot with me and climbed to the bottom to look at the waterfall with me. Seconds before this picture she fell in a pool of water behind me.

End of the day road was open for return and we had to get back. We had to catch our bus back to Phnom Penh.

This was such a nice house out in the middle of no where. Maybe the mayors house.

I liked my banana pictures. There was such nice colors.

Road trip back home

The valley was so beautiful, but you’ll notice it is filled with extremely poor houses. These people have nothing. You think they would be great crops out here but you’ll have to remember back that the area is mined still. It prevents them from using their land to it’s full potential.

Once we got back into the city there is the river lined with the shacks of the poor.

Siem Reap is so pretty and still people are so poor.

This was the garbage collecting crew out on the water in front of a net a cross the river.

Down stream it is pretty again.

On the way home it is a 6 hour ride of poverty. The other times I have come it was brown, brown, brown it is the first time I have come when it was green.