Cambodia: Short Getaway to Siam Reap Part 7 (Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Banteay Srei, The River of a Thousand Lingas)

Day 3 in Siam Reap

Day 3 of the trip. We have more temples to explore today! And, all of us had our elephant temple pants on! Feel so tourist. Haha.. I was quite excited because we went to Banteay Srei -- the pink temple! =D Will be separating Day 3 into 2 parts because there are too many photos to share. 

First stop: Preah Khan

Preah Khan is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia, built in the 12th century for King Jayavarman VII to honor his father. It is located northeast of Angkor Thom and just west of the Jayatataka baray. The temple is flat in design, with a basic plan of successive rectangular galleries around a Buddhist sanctuary complicated by Hindu satellite temples and numerous later additions. Preah Khan has been left largely unrestored, with numerous trees and other vegetation growing about the ruins. (information from Wikipedia -- click here to read more on Preah Khan)

At the entrance.

The 4th enclosure wall -- bears 5 m garudas holding nagas. Buddha images in the niches above were destroyed in the anti-Buddhist reaction of Jayavarman VIII.

With carved lintel as background

Stupa with direct sunlight

Looks like a natural candlelight. =)

Next Stop: Neak Pean Temple

After visiting the first temple, I've been sweating a lot. And then, we were being brought to the second temple -- Neak Pean Temple. 

The walkway towards the temple doesn't have nice scenery beside.

 I never thought the temple would be so nice.

Neak Pean ("The entwined serpents") at Angkor, Cambodia is an artificial island with a Buddhist temple on a circular island in Preah Khan Baray built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII. It is the "Mebon" of the Preah Khan baray. Neak Pean was originally designed for medical purposes (the ancients believed that going into these pools would balance the elements in the bather, thus curing disease; it is one of the many hospitals that Jayavarman VII built. It is based on the ancient Hindu belief of balance. Four connected pools represent Water, Earth, Fire and Wind. Each is connected to the central water source, the main tank, by a stone conduit "presided over by one of Four Great Animals namely Elephant, Bull, Horse, and Lion, corresponding to the north, east, south, and west quarters. (information from Wikipedia -- click here to read more about Neak Pean Temple)

Temple in the middle of the pool. Something different =)

Worth visiting.

Next Stop: Banteay Srei (or Banteay Srey)

It is a 10th century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Located in the area of Angkor in Cambodia. It lies near the hill of Phnom Dei, 25km north-east of the main group of temples that once belonged to the medieval capitals of Yasodharapura and Angkor Thom. Banteay Srei is built largely of red sandstones. The buildings themselves are miniature in scale, unusually so when measured by the standards of Angkorian construction. (For more information, please click here for my reference from Wikipedia)

Under the sun, Banteay Srei Temple is pink.