This day’s itinerary was to visit some temples outside the Ankgor Wat region, and board Vietnam Airlines for Hanoi. Slept in that morning because I’ve been getting up before sunrise for the past couple days. The temple I was visiting was situated roughly two hours out from Siem Reap by tuk-tuk. In my opinion this was the best choice of transportation because it gave me more of an opportunity to interact with the rural part of Cambodia. The trip was long but enjoyable nonetheless. I was able to hang out the side to smile and wave to the locals and the response was always positive, although there were a couple of strange looks and odd faces. I passed by so many schools and orphanages, but had no time to visit them because I was running late already. Travel time, breaks, and temple viewing had already consumed 5 hours of the day.
Beng Mealea, meaning “flower in water,” meant exactly that when referencing its design. The temple was constructed over a bed of water, and was one of the first structures built for the sovereign about a century before Angkor Wat. A lot of structures within resemble the early evolution of Angkor art and etching designs. The temple felt a little like Ta Prohm, with the forest was fusing with the temple and trees pushing out the stones and vines, engulfing any bit of sun the structure had left. Projects to restore the structure were not as in full swing as they were at Angkor Wat. It was situated too far away for tourists and just 10 years ago, the Cambodian government was able to drive off the Khmer Rouge from the temple. The Khmer Rouge was a gang in Cambodia that tortured and killed anyone who opposed or disagreed with their actions. The temple at the time was their home, but by 1998 they were driven off by the government and the area was cleared of all land mines. It was nice to see a temple which had not undergone a full salon treatment yet. One of the photos was taken in a dark cave and I got my guide to stand in the light.
