Traveling in Southeast Asia

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Thursday, 16 February 2023 - Traveled from Siem Reap to Banteay Srei Temple, explored the 10th-century red sandstone Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva with its intricate carvings, admired depictions of Naga, Kala, and Siva Nataraja, observed devatas and elephants carved in stone, appreciated the small scale and fine detail of the complex, then flew to Bangkok later in the day.

The temple is about an hour from Siem Reap and had a very formal parking area and ticketing process which we had not encountered in the rest of Angkor Wat.

southeastasia2023 — A beautiful Lotus outside the temple complex.

southeastasia2023 — Banteay Srei is a 10th-century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The buildings themselves are miniature in scale, unusually so when measured by the standards of Angkorian construction.

The temple is extremely popular, and has led to its being widely praised as the "jewel of Khmer art."

southeastasia2023 — Banteay Srei is built of red sandstone, a medium that lends itself to the elaborate decorative wall carvings which have lasted for over 1,000 years.

southeastasia2023 — Beautiful entrance to the temple complex.

southeastasia2023 — The fan favorite - Naga - and these guys look especially fierce.

southeastasia2023 — The three-headed elephant is the mode of transport for the Hindu god Indra.

southeastasia2023 — The temple through the doorway of the main entrance.

southeastasia2023 — Banteay Srei with the ever present jungle in the background.

southeastasia2023 — Detailed carvings covered the temple buildings.

southeastasia2023 — A Cambodian script that no longer translates - the language was lost to time.

southeastasia2023 — Elephants over a god like figure.

southeastasia2023 — This carving is of a Kala, a mythical creature representative of time and of the god Siva.

southeastasia2023 — Siva Naá¹araja (Lord of Dance) is depicted on the eastern tower of the inner enclosure.

southeastasia2023 — One of two libraries in the small complex.

southeastasia2023 — Banteay Srei means "Citadel of the Women", and it is said that it must have been built by a woman, as the elaborate carvings are supposedly too fine for the hand of a man.

southeastasia2023 — Looking back out from the temple through the entrance.

southeastasia2023 — A statue positioned near the central temple building.

southeastasia2023 — More women (devatas) carved into stone.

southeastasia2023 — Odd lion on top of an elephant carving.

southeastasia2023 — Cal and Virginia Ann at Banteay Srei Temple.

southeastasia2023 — The temple building in the center of the complex.

southeastasia2023 — Fierce little guy on a building corner.

southeastasia2023 — Building of the inner courtyard.

southeastasia2023 — Sculpture outside the temple.

southeastasia2023 — A devata in a common pose.

southeastasia2023 — The Naga on a corner of one of the two libraries.

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