We flew from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, a popular resort town which is the gateway to the Angkor region.

Our first visit was to Angkor Wat, the largest temple complex in the world, built aroun 1150 AD.

Lots of steep stairs everywhere.

A group photo.

There are intricate carvings everywhere. Some are the Apsara Dancers.

The next day we saw  Angkor Thom, former city with the Bayon (with all the faces) temple.

There was one temple with really narrow steep sandy steps–pretty cool.

We got to ride around the temple complex on an elephant.

 

At Ta Prohm, the trees have taken over the temple complex. Made famous by the movie Tomb Raider.

Our lunch included rice with red ants. They are popular because they taste tangy.

I took a tuktuk to church. Glad to see the familiar sign.

I walked around the Old Market. Lots of kinds of rice. People eating food in their shops. A wide variety of merchandise (mostly for locals, but some souvenir shops).

Everyone else had earlier flights, so I hired a tuktuk to take me to the ruins–including the far away ones–I spent 5 hours cruising through the countryside. It was very interesting.

Pre Rup–was brick style, with knee-high narrow steps

 

Banleay Srei–pink sandstone, smaller, intricate carvings, gorgeous, but 1 hour out of town:

Riding through the countryside.

East Mebon–rural, big elephant sculptures:

 

Ta Som–face towers:

Neak Pean–island temple, boardwalk to get there, horse sculpture .

Preah Khan–like Ta Prohm but bigger, trees encroaching, 2-story building

 

Fish pedicure for $2–kind of crazy and ticklish and included a can of soda.