Robin's Adventures

Angkor Thom, which means "great city," was a walled city built by King Jayavarman VII in the 11th century. Near the center of the city is the spiritual center, Bayon Temple, which has many large towers with faces on them. Nearby is the Terrace of Elephants, an 1,150 foot long terrace used by the king to review returning troops or to hold public ceremonies.

We spent many hours wandering through the ruins and took lots of photos. These have been carefully screened and our favorites are in this video for you to enjoy.

Ta Prahm, which means "monastery of the king," was one of the temples built by Jayavarman VII when he built Angkor Thom. The temple was built to honor his parents.

The intrusion of the jungle and the growth of tree roots over and through temple walls was what made this temple so interesting for us to explore.

Enjoy the video of our favorite Ta Prohm photos.

Banteay Srei, or the Citadel of Women, was constructed in the 10th century of a red sandstone that allows for detailed intricate carvings. The buildings are also somewhat smaller than the normal Angkor buildings.

One of the carvings that caught our eye in many of the Angkor temples was of a mythical creature called Kala. Kala means"glorious face," and it is an apt, but ironic, description. Kala's face is very fierce and monster-like, with a large mouth and many fangs. According to the myth, Kala devoured his own body, starting at his tail, and all that remains is his head and arms.

The lotus flower is very meaningful in Buddhist and Hindu beliefs as a symbol of purity and beauty. We stopped at a lotus farm to check it out.

The simple home of the farmer's family was a single large room with no furniture. The kids were huddled together, like kids everywhere, playing a video game on a phone. We walked out on a narrow strip of land with water on each side so we could get a good look at the plants.

Plant roots spread out in the river bottom and the leaves float at the surface. The flower has an amazing ability to regulate its own temperature. A lotus plant can, under the right conditions, survive for 1000 years.

Much poetry has been written as people contemplate the meaning of a drop of water moved by the wind as it sits on a lotus leaf. Check out the video and then ponder an answer that is meaningful to you.

Tonle Sap Lake is the largest freshwater lake in south-east Asia. The water level rises during the rainy season and falls during the dry season. There are many fishing villages that live in floating homes on the lake or in homes on stilts near the lake. We had a relaxing boat ride on the lake which included a visit to the village.

The fishing village consists of a large number of floating house grouped together in one general location. There is a floating store, a church, and a school. While we were there, we saw a group of young children in a small boat rowing to school.