Monday, November 9, 2009
Monks in the temple
Now In Cambodia
After a wonderful time in Luang Prabang ( can't wait to go back ) we are now back in Siem Reap, near Angkor Wat where we last visited in March this year. Our flight here with Laos Airlines was pretty awful, on a noisy smaller plane ( 60 odd people )
We are staying again at the Golden Banana Hotel which we like very much.
The young staff looking after us are absolutely gorgeous... and i mean gorgeous.. like drop dead type GORGEOUS !!!!.
They are so helpful and sweet to us.
We stay here until Thursday morning then catch a bus to Pnom Phen ( 4-5 hours) after that we go to a beach place called Kep.
This morning we went on taxi tour to Banteay Srei temple about 40 kms from our hotel. It is called the women's temple. why? I don't know yet. It was a very pleasant drive through lush green countryside and this small temple complex was beautiful although not overwhelming like Angkor Wat or others. It was worth the visit.
Banteay Srei (or Banteay Srey) is a 10th century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Located in the area of Angkor in Cambodia, at 13.5989 N, 103.9628 E, it lies near the hill of Phnom Dei, 25 km (15 miles) north-east of the main group of temples that once belonged to the medieval capitals of Yasodharapura and Angkor Thom.[1] Banteay Srei is built largely of red sandstone, a medium that lends itself to the elaborate decorative wall carvings which are still observable today. The buildings themselves are miniature in scale, unusually so when measured by the standards of Angkorian construction. These factors have made the temple extremely popular with tourists, and have led to its being widely praised as a "precious gem", or the "jewel of Khmer art.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banteay_Srei
We are staying again at the Golden Banana Hotel which we like very much.
The young staff looking after us are absolutely gorgeous... and i mean gorgeous.. like drop dead type GORGEOUS !!!!.
They are so helpful and sweet to us.
We stay here until Thursday morning then catch a bus to Pnom Phen ( 4-5 hours) after that we go to a beach place called Kep.
This morning we went on taxi tour to Banteay Srei temple about 40 kms from our hotel. It is called the women's temple. why? I don't know yet. It was a very pleasant drive through lush green countryside and this small temple complex was beautiful although not overwhelming like Angkor Wat or others. It was worth the visit.
Banteay Srei (or Banteay Srey) is a 10th century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Located in the area of Angkor in Cambodia, at 13.5989 N, 103.9628 E, it lies near the hill of Phnom Dei, 25 km (15 miles) north-east of the main group of temples that once belonged to the medieval capitals of Yasodharapura and Angkor Thom.[1] Banteay Srei is built largely of red sandstone, a medium that lends itself to the elaborate decorative wall carvings which are still observable today. The buildings themselves are miniature in scale, unusually so when measured by the standards of Angkorian construction. These factors have made the temple extremely popular with tourists, and have led to its being widely praised as a "precious gem", or the "jewel of Khmer art.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banteay_Srei
Friday, November 6, 2009
Luang Prabang We Love It
This is our last day here, we have found this town to be one of the loveliest of places we have ever visited.
The wonderful ambience,the beautifully kept streetscapes, the superb ancient temples, the gorgeous river side setting with mountains in the background, the yummy food, the lovely people, the cool evenings and mornings,the monks procession, the Buddha caves, the royal palace, the peace of not having many vehicles, lovely guest houses and small hotels, the charming laneways..........the flowers......
Well. what more can we say, you must come here soon.
The wonderful ambience,the beautifully kept streetscapes, the superb ancient temples, the gorgeous river side setting with mountains in the background, the yummy food, the lovely people, the cool evenings and mornings,the monks procession, the Buddha caves, the royal palace, the peace of not having many vehicles, lovely guest houses and small hotels, the charming laneways..........the flowers......
Well. what more can we say, you must come here soon.
Some shots from our stay in Luang Prabang
Our car awaits to drive us to the airport, a $20 splurge, a five minute drive one way.
View from hotel restaurant
Street gardens
Lanes connecting streets in town are beautifully planted
Euphorbias ar very commonly used here
Temple in Royal palace grounds
Royal palace museum
Ancient Buddhist Wat
Many Buddhas
Even more Buddhas
Our next house....gorgeous !!
View from restaurant where we had lunch on Mekong River
We are coming back in November 2010 for an extended stay before it gets too touristed, and before we can no longer afford to travel
Tum tum is yum yum !!!!
We have had some beautiful food here in Luang Prabang, beautiful restaurants in lush tropical settings.
Last night we went to the TUM TUM CHENG restaurant which also has a cooking school.
What we had:
Other food we have sampled.
Last night we went to the TUM TUM CHENG restaurant which also has a cooking school.
What we had:
- River weed crackers with sesame seeds
- TUM TUM secret soup ( chicken & pumpkin coconut & spices ) YUM YUM !!!
- Lemon Grass Pork
- Fish cooked in banana leaf with coconut & spices
Other food we have sampled.
- Wild mushroom warm salad with spices.
- Buffalo Laos sausages
- Crispy spring rolls
- Laos fish cakes
- Duck Curry
- Beef larp
- various noodle soups for lunch
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Our First Destination... Luangphrabang, Laos
After our flight from Sydney to Bangkok we are staying in a hotel near the international airport, it's called the Queens garen resort. It isn't expensive, looks like a three star, we had no urge to stay in Bangkok city central again having been there many times before.
Luang Prabang is an outstanding example of the fusion of traditional architecture and Lao urban structures with those built by the European colonial authorities in the 19th and 20th centuries. Its unique, remarkably well-preserved townscape illustrates a key stage in the blending of these two distinct cultural traditions.
From UNESCO website
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