After the nice cool and enjoyable Phnom Kulen (and lunch at an overpriced temple food stall), it was back to the Angkor area to do the Grand Tour. Like the Mini Tour, it starts off at Angkor Thom, but after that goes on a wider loop of another set of temples, finishing back at Angkor Wat.
The additional temples are:
- Preah Khan
- Banteay Prei
- Neak Pean
- Ta Som
- East Mebon
- Pre Rup
- Sras Srang
Standout #1 was Neak Pean, which was a large square pond with a round sculpture island in the middle. Each side of the pond then had a slightly smaller square pond abutting it, with a short covered tunnel in between. Each spout fro the large pond to the smaller one was a different carving.
Standout #2 was either East Mebon or Pre Rup (not sure which) – a conventional temple, but still surrounded by jungle and with heaps of corridors – easy to get lost and a very long way through.
After completing Grand Tour, it was back to the guesthouse, goodbye to the tuktuk driver / guide, and dinner at Bruce the ABV reps house – still under construction, but very impressive.
Terraces
Brick temple and carvings, full of holes for some reason
You think the tree is behind the gate?
Hmmmm
Nope - it's on top
Deep carvings - usually ones on walls are somewhat shallow
Neak Pean central pond
Tunnel linking central pond to side pond
In the tunnel - lion spout and glowing moss
Many many doorways
Intact linga
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