Exploring Indochina: Banteay Kdei & Ta Prohm

After watching the sun rise in Angkor Wat and visiting Angkor Thom earlier in the day, our energies were diminished so we asked to be taken to a restaurant for lunch. The tuk-tuk driver brought us to one of several restaurants facing Srah Srang. 

For lunch we had:

Fried Pork Sweet & Sour - $5.50 (really, that's the name on the menu)

Fried Rice - $5.50 (can't remember the exact name)

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After lunch, we were now ready to see more temples. 

Next up is Banteay Kdei (Citadel of Chambers or Citadel of Monk's Cells).

It evidently follows Bayon architectural style

 Landmine victims

Finely carved Apsaras 

Due to its faulty construction and poor quality of the sandstone used, the structure is unstable. Wooden beams had to be placed to support some corridors that are about to collapse. 

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Next, we headed to the popular temple Ta Prohm which most tourists know as "the temple in Tomb Raider". But really, it deserves a better reputation than that. If you have limited time to visit the Angkor temples, this is one you should not miss (the other three being Angkor Wat of course, Bayon, and Banteay Srei).

Ta Prohm had been neglected for centuries and when the French started to restore the temples of Angkor, they decided to leave most of it as is. 

Several headless Buddha statues which were either destroyed by the Hindus following Jayavarman VII's death or were smuggled and sold to wealthy collectors overseas.

Further into the temple, I was both glad and disappointed to see a crane, scaffolding, wooden walkways, and platforms due to ongoing restoration.  

Humongous roots 'hugging' the temple

Proof how Ta Prohm earned the moniker "Jungle Temple"

It's nice to know there's great effort to preserve the temple and I understand safety of the tourists is priority, but personally I would have preferred if there weren't any platforms in the 'photo op areas'.

 

One last look of Ta Prohm before we head back to Angkor Wat.

K