Cambodia: Short Getaway to Siam Reap Part 10 (Cambodian Cultural Village)

Day 4 in Siam Reap

After having our exotic lunch at Pub Street, we continued our tour to Cambodian Cultural Village. We were told that there will be nice cultural shows. So glad that we have our tour guide with us. If not, I don't think any of us can understand the shows. Shows were performed in Cambodian language and it's a big challenge to understand. 

The entrance ticket with the programme timetable at the back.

The cultural village is not just about shows. It has a lot of things to see also. Miniature Royal Palace, miniature sleeping buddha, miniature floating village, etc.... 

Hello Royal Palace!

It is nice to see the miniature version as I have no chance to see the real one in Phnom Penh. Even the miniature version showed a large compound. I wonder how big it would be in real. 

Tourist photo. =)

Dion and me with the gold palace.

With the miniature sleeping buddha. 

This is one of the show that we watched. The first show. Cambodian traditional dance I guess?

It is something like our Malay traditional dance. Pretty much similar.

Took a photo with the performers in their traditional clothes. Thanks for the shows!

Cambodia: Short Getaway to Siam Reap Part 9 (Tonle Sap, Artisans Angkor, Cambodian Barbeque)

Day 4 in Siam Reap

On the 4th day of our trip, we continued with our 3-days tour with the tour guide to Tonle Sap. Tonle Sap and floating village seems to be a must-visit tourist spot when you are in Siam Reap, Cambodia. 

Tonle Sap ("Great Lake") refers to a seasonally inundated freshwater lake, the Tonle Sap Lake and an attached river, the 120km long Tonle Sap River, that connects the lake to the Mekong. They form the central part of a complex hydrological system, situated in the 12,876 sq km Cambodian floodplain covered with a mosaic of natural and agricultural habitats that Mekong replenishes with water and sediments annually. The central plain formation is the result of millions of years of Mekong alluvial deposition and discharge. As one of the world's most varied and productive ecosystems the region has always been of central importance for Cambodia's food provision. Either directly or indirectly it affects the livelihood of large numbers of a predominantly rural population to this day. (click here for more information from Wikipedia)

On the boat at Tonle Sap Lake, going towards the floating market.

Floating village

There's a boat with 2 kids holding a snake. We tried to capture photo because we find it interesting. Then, the boat rowed towards us and asked for money. We can actually carry the snake and snap photos on our boat. Friend tried it but I just paid $1 as I took a photo of the small boy. Pity them too, have to earn a living under hot sun.

Then, we were stopped at a house at floating village, where we can rest and enjoy the view.

There are lots of crocodile, I would said is a farm, where they are being caged. Not sure what are these crocodiles for, maybe just as tourist attraction site?

Turning back to the platform and I saw these! *scream*

Dried crocodiles! O-M-G. So those that I've seen in the photo above, will become dried crocodile? 

These kids sitting on these huge metal bowls, kinda cute.

Of course, they are the same as the kids with snake. They will ask for money if you wanna take photos with them. 

Me with Tonle Sap & Floating village

Last shot before leaving back to town.

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Then, we went to Artisans Angkor to check out how people do crafting. 

The lady arranging gold leaves to become a picture. 

The man doing wood crafting.

Elephant crafting in the making. This is very nice. 

Cambodia: Short Getaway to Siam Reap Part 8 (Sunset at Angkor Wat and Road 60)

Day 3 in Siam Reap

After rushing down from The River of a Thousand Lingas, we reached Angkor Wat just on time for sunset. Tour guide knew that it would be jammed at the main entrance and hence he brought us to the other entrance, which is located at the back of Angkor Wat. Surprisingly, the view here is as nice as main entrance. There's a lake right before the entrance and there are some buildings at the back too.

With the building at the back of Angkor Wat. I guessed it is some sort of temple, too? 

Angkor Wat with the Sunset

Me with the sunset. ^_^

About 10 minutes walk, we reached the walkway that we walked on the first day. 

There are really a lot of people waiting for sunset view.

One of my favourite photos at Angkor Wat. 

Ignore my sweaty look. Love the reflection of Angkor Wat.

The Reflection

"Who.... is that girl I see....." Time for a song.. XD

Another photo before leaving Angkor Wat. 

They close at 6pm and we were chased out. XD

Look at my cute photoboom! =D

Oh! Not to forget, there will be a lot of children trying to sell souvenirs to you. 

It is a bit hard to reject kids and the price that they offered are quite reasonable. So, this is me busy buying souvenir from the cute kid. 

To me, sunset at Angkor Wat is something not to be missed if you happened to visit Siam Reap, Cambodia. It is much nicer than sunrise because you can see the reflection of Angkor Wat clearly. I enjoyed my visit here. =D

And hence this ends our temple tour. Before getting back to our villa, we requested the tour guide to bring us to the local night market -- Road 60, trying our luck to find some nice local food and tarantula. We got some barbeque chicken and fish as dinner at the market. The night market is huge but dark. Here, you can see how Cambodian people hang out. They have a really simple life. Sitting by the roadside and enjoy their dinner could be their night out. Not like us, cafe hopping, nice restaurant, etc..... Something to reflect on.

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.

Cambodia: Short Getaway to Siam Reap Part 6 (Night Market, Pub Street, Angkor What?, The Blue Pumpkin)

Day 2 in Siam Reap

After the tour to Angkor Wat, we went back to the villa to clean up and prepared for dinner. Another friend arrived when we were busy preparing. Great timing! Just nice for dinner together at night market. =) 

Spotted a local dessert (aka kuih) stall at the night market.

Aunty putting shredded coconut on top of the white dessert (kuih)

This is served on top of a leaf. It looks like our Malaysian kuih.
It tastes great too as it is served with lots of coconut. =)

Happy face with the coconut dessert ^_^

Then, we proceeded to another food stall for proper food.

Fish Amok again (left) and Brinjal served with minced pork (Right)

The food is nice but we ordered too little to be shared. So, second round is needed.

While walking to pub street, we stopped by at an alcohol stall which sells special drink. Coconut, Pineapple, Coffee, etc etc... 

Night market

After that, we walked to pub street which is just few minutes away from the night market. 

Pub Street is a must-visit place as it is really happening at night!

The decoration of pub street.

We decided to try out one of the pub at pub street. And this pub's name attracted us -- Angkor What?