Feb 21

Ron was still having bowel trouble so we thought about postponing our tour. But after 3 imodiums and 5 peptos we decided to give it a try. So off on the tuk tuk at 8:30. Our first stop was Preah Khan a temple built in the 12th century for King Jayavarman VII to honor his father. It was the centre of an organisation, with almost 100,000 officials and servants. The temple has a basic plan of successive rectangular galleries around a Buddhist shrine. Preah Khan has been left largely unrestored, with numerous trees and other vegetation growing among the ruins. Next stop Neak Pean known as "The entwined serpents" It is an artificial island with a Buddhist temple on a circular island in Preah Khan Baray. Ta Som is a small temple built at the end of the 12th century for King Jayavarman VII. The King dedicated the temple to his father Dharanindravarman II who was King of the Khmer Empire from 1150 to 1160. The temple consists of a single shrine located on one level and surrounded by enclosure laterite walls.  East Mebon is a 10th Century temple built during the reign of King Rajendravarman. It stands on what was an artificial island at the center of the now dry East Baray reservoir. Pre Rup is a Hindu temple built as the state temple of Khmer king Rajendravarman and dedicated in 961 or early 962. It is a temple mountain of combined brick, laterite and sandstone construction. Ta Prohm is said to be "The ultimate Indiana Jones fantasy."  Ta Prohm is cloaked in shadows, its crumbling towers and walls locked in the slow muscular embrace of vast root systems.  We were finished and back at the hotel by 2:30. First a swim then some relaxation. Ron was feeling fine but was a little dubious about eating. I walked to the market and got him some ginger ale, crackers and bananas for dinner 😍