Day 10:Cambodia :Banteay Srey ,Leper King,Kbal Spean ,Phnom Kulen ,Banteay Samre,Ton le Sap Lake,Apsara Dance Show

Day 10:Cambodia :Banteay Srey ,Leper King,Kbal Spean ,Phnom Kulen ,Banteay Samre,Ton le Sap Lake,Apsara Dance Show

We left around 7 am  as we had a long day  and this was our last day of the tour.

We first went to do the 10 minutes Balloon ride, the helium balloon rises  120 meters above the ground. It costs 15$ per adult. We can view Angkor Wat from above at a distance. The whole view was very good and worth it.

Next we visited the rows of elephants that form the terrace of Elephants, terrace from where the King Jayavarman surveyed  his army.



We also visited the Terrace of the Leper Kings, where there is a statue of Yana-King of Death, generally referred to as Yama by Hindus. It is located in the corner of the Royal Square of Angkor Thom. The statue was called the "Leper King" because discoloration and moss growing on it was reminiscent of a person with leprosy, and also because it fit in with a Cambodian legend of an Angkorian king Yasovarman I who had leprosy.




Below the terrace is a  U-shaped structure is thought by some to have been used as a royal cremation site. Here Naga, Nagi,  Yama are carved in stone for many meters.

We then visited the Kbal Spean River. This river is very important spiritually, historically, and culturally (in terms of agriculture) because it flows down to Angkor Wat and into the Siem Reap River, which in turn flows into Tonle Sap, the largest lake in Cambodia. Kbal Spean, also known as the River of a Thousand Lingas has many  Lingas (Shiva Form ) and other Gods like Vishnu, Lakshmi carve don its beds. We watched all the Lingas as the river flows over it. This place is on the Phnom Kulen mountain range, name means "mountain of the lychees". Phnom Kulen is considered a holy mountain in Cambodia, of special religious significance to Hindus and Buddhists who come to the mountain in pilgrimage.




Near these mountains is Preah Ang Thom, a 16th-century Buddhist monastery notable for the giant reclining Buddha, the country's largest Buddha statue. We visited the temple, the temple also had some  musical troupe playing some  music. There was Vishnu and Shiva statue too here. The Buddha statue is placed high on a huge boulder from the ground.



We then visited the  Waterfalls nearby. This was a beautiful place with many tourists.

We had lunch at Rom Chong Angkor restaurant  .One of the tourist  restaurants. They serve good vegetarian food. Tried the Khmer curry served in coconut shell with the coconut flesh still in.
Please read my review here.

Banteay Srey :

Banteay Srei is built largely of red sandstone, a medium that allows  the elaborate decorative wall carvings which are still observable today. The temple's modern name, Bantãy Srĕi—citadel of the women, or citadel of beauty—is probably related to the intricacy of the bas relief carvings found on the walls and the tiny dimensions of the buildings themselves. Some have speculated that it relates to the many devatas carved into the walls of the buildings.

There is a carving of Śiva  seated on the summit of Mount Kailāsa. He is looking to his left at the god of love-  Kāma, who is aiming an arrow at him. Umā sits to Śiva's right; he is handing her a chain of beads. The slopes of the mountain are crowded with other beings, again arranged in a strict hierarchy from top to bottom. Just under Śiva sits a group of bearded wise men and ascetics, under whom the second tier is occupied by the mythological beings with the heads of animals and the bodies of humans; the lowest tier belongs the common people, who mingle sociably with tame deer and a large gentle bull. According to the legend, Kāma fired an arrow at Śiva in order to cause Śiva to take an interest in Umā. Śiva, however, was greatly angered by this provocation, and punished Kāma by gazing upon him with his third eye, frying Kāma to cinders.

Banteay Samre is built in Angkor Wat style. There are two libraries, and two concentric gallery enclosures surround the ensemble. Banteay Samré is approached by a 200 metre long raised causeway from the main road. There is the body remains of the infant of the Kind Preserved in one of the shrines.

Finally we went for a boat ride to Ton le Sap Lake. This lake was really quite. There are floating restaurants and villages on the lake. We visited a crocodile farm in one of the floating restaurant.



There are churches, shops on the lake and most of them are Vietnamese.

We later also watched a traditional Cambodian Dance show at Koulen II Restaurant. The show had many small segments depicting  many local life .It is called Apsara Dance Show. 

Then we  had dinner and returned to hotel.

Day 11:

After Breakfast, we walked near the flowing river for few day pictures.



 Then we had lunch at the same Indian restaurant .Packed our bags and checked out and left for the airport.