Kingdom of Cambodia

Flying into Siem Reap's Angkor International Airport, we caught a taxi into the heart of town. The early morning sun coupled with the red dust kicked up by passing motorists cast a warm golden glow on the chilled air, hinting of past glories and present riches of the Khmer people. A scared land filled with hopes.

We settled down into Red Lodge where our friendly host helped arrange day trips to the hidden temples of which Angkor is the most famed. During those 5 days we visited Bayon Temple, Ta Prohm, Wat Athvea, The Roluos Group, Preah Khan, Kbal Spean, Banteay Srei, Angkor Wat and Beng Mealea. Beng Mealea intrigued and inspired me the most and is definitely worth the car rental and trip out.

From Siem Reap, we traveled down to the Tonlé Sap lake and caught an 8 hour boat ride through the Bird Sanctuary & Biosphere of Prek Toal and down the Sangker River. Poverty is highly visible here, a most humbling ride.

We finally reached the French Colonial-era Town of Battambang and from here caught a bus to Phnom Penh, putting up in the very comfortable Renakse Hotel, right beside the Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda.

If one is not too squirmish, a trip to the Tuol Sleng Museum is in order. Do make it a point to catch the Killing Fields which screens at the museum several times a day.


Cambodia 2006



Paintings at Psar Chaa market






The French boulevards







Red Lodge Siem Reap – Psar Chaa




Friendly neighbours








Bayon Temple
The many faces of Bayon































Ta Prohm
The Tomb Raider Temple





Heavenly apsara






Tomb Raider tree






A Gathering of Orange









Sunrise at Wat Athvea













The Roluos Group



Preah Ko













Bakong










Preah Khan
The Sacred Sword Temple







A Garuda




Hanging Loose






A Khmer Wedding




Kbal Spean
En Route to Kbal Spean – The carved riverbed of Linga









Seeing Red








Banteay Srei
Citadel of the Women























Angkor Wat
Capital of the Ancient Khmer Empire














Beng Mealea

Beng Mealea, Beng Mealea so still and dark
Sun passing over fallen walls
Tranquil moss covered courtyards
Only enough space to crawl

– Ode to Beng Mealea
by Willard Van De Bogart























Shadows bending into darkness
Dancing apsaras on lotus ponds
Towers looming in Kingly minds
Beng Mealea, Beng Mealea, a glory gone

























Sun sets on Siem Reap







Tonlé Sap
Dawn on Tonlé Sap Lake















Bird Sanctuary & Biosphere of Prek Toal













Travelling down the Sangker River























Battambang
French Colonial-era Charm in the Riverside Town of Battambang









Phnom Penh
The Last Leg





The dark-yellow Art Deco Psar Thmei – Central Market






Renakse Hotel










Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda






Tuol Sleng Museum













Pol Pot