Day 2 in Cambodia
On our second day in Cambodia, we explored 6 temples: Prasat Preah Khan, Prasat Perah Neak Pean, Prasat Ta Som, Eastern Mebon, Banteay Srei, and Prasat Pre Rup. We were able to fit six temples into our day because all of these are smaller compared to the ones we went visited on our first day. All of the temples were astonishing and beautiful in their own way, but my favorites were the Eastern Mebon and Banteay Srei temples.
The Eastern Mebon is a 10th century Hindu temple built by King Rajendravarman who dedicated this temple to his parents. At the time, this temple was in the middle of a reservoir, but now it has dried, making it accessible to all tourists by foot.
The first thing I noticed were the stone elephants at each corner of the temple. For Hindus, it is believed that elephants represent and symbolize many things such as peace, mental strength, power, luck, and prosperity.
As we walked through the temple, I noticed holes carved into certain stones. They are for storing gems! In one structure, there could be over thousands of holes to store gems, which were used as decorations for royalty. Now there are no actual gems left, but I like to imagine what it would’ve been like if there had been twinkling gems in the walls!
Banteay Srei was one of my favorite temples we visited in Cambodia because it is so unique for three reasons. First, it celebrates women! “Banteay Srei” means “Citadel of the Women” and is often referred to as “The Lady Temple.” Second, it is believed that the intricate carvings on the temple were done by women. These carvings are mind blowing; they looked impossible to do by hand and were unlike any others we had seen! Third, the temple was built using red sandstone that is now a pinkish color, differentiating it from all the others that were built from lava rocks and limestone.
All of the temples are spectacular. After two days, I’ve learned so much! Vannsak, our guide, was perfect. He was so friendly and kind to us! Make sure to ask for him if you ever visit Siem Reap. In my opinion, Angkor Wat is incredible and it should really be named a Wonder of the World. Come here and you’ll understand what I mean!