11. Siem Reap and the Bayon Temple

Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia, and is the gateway to Angkor region.

Siem Reap has colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market. In the city, there are traditional Apsara dance performances, craft shops, silk farms, rice-paddy countryside, fishing villages and a bird sanctuary near the Tonle Sap Lake.

Siem Reap today, being a popular tourist destination, has a large number of hotels and restaurants.The name Siem Reap means the 'Flat Defeat of Siam' — today’s Thailand — and refers to the centuries-old conflict between the Siamese and Khmer peoples.

ANGKOR - this magic place attracts crowds of tourists. We are here too - and this is our last stop on our short but intensive Cambodian itinerary.

We are staying here for two days. 

First, we are sightseeing the city and have the first contact with the wonder of architechture - the Bayon Temple. Our guide, the tuk-tuk driver - Mr Bean knows perfectly well where and what time of the day we should go in order  no to get stuck in traffic and get to see all what is important around here. Today, however, we missed the sunset. The sky was overcast.

The Bayon is a well-known and richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor. Built in the late 12th century or early 13th century as the official state temple of the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII, the Bayon stands at the centre of Jayavarman's capital, Angkor Thom. The temple has 54 towers and 216 sadly smiling faces of the Buddha. Apparently, they were images of the king.

A fascinating temple which dos not overwhelm, on the contrary, gives an impression of a friendly place; one may like it right away.