Siem Reap
Siem Reap was the national capital during the 12th century, when the Angkor reign was at its peak.
It is the gateway to the whole complex of Angkor temples, of which Angkor Wat is the best know, but by no means the biggest. The temples had been overgrown by the jungle, and lost to general knowledge.
To put it in perspective, this gives an idea of the size of the complex:
Side note: According to Vuttha, the Siem part of the names cames from ‘Siam’ in a time when Thailand controlled the area. I won’t go into the complexities. but various parts of Cambodia have changed hands over the centuries, through war and treaty. Reminds me of Europe.
Also found a book by Zhou Daguan – Chinese Envoy to Cambodia in 1296-97
Dinner – typical of the horrible food we have had to put up throught the trip.
Post dinner sitdown in the hotel corridor near our room
Time for bed to get ready for Angkor Wat in the morning (another early start)