We spent a couple of days in Cambodia's second city, i's a very small place which we did enjoy exploring. I've imported the pictures in the alphabetical order of the name I gave them so in a totally random order here they are.... This is a 1000y old Wat (Temple) - of which there are a few littering the landscape, mostly on the top of hills.
Note that the temple needs it's own spirit house for the accompanying ghosts to live.... these are everywhere and look like very elaborate bird tables.
This is a newer Wat in Battembang...... After the Kymere Rouge Cambodia seems to be embarking on a Wat building programme that seems to be akin to the cathedral building of the English middle ages.... everywhere you go is a brand new Wat or ones in the process of being built.
We hired a Tuk-tuk & driver to show us round - here's me enjoying the scenery and smiling when instructed by Liza.... hence the semi fixed grin.
Bamboo railway..... see video!
Our personal train
Another Budha in another Wat on top of a hill which we had to climb!
Budhas at Wat
Village below the old Wat from above
Typical Battembang house - on stilts as everywhere not on the hill is very prone to flooding.
Pepper harvest time.... hot hot hot!
More red hot chillis
A local with her palm leaf grasshopper - made to score sweet points so we would give them money.... this one worked.
Liza looks cool in our Tuk-tuk.... this was before we climbed hills to see wats.
Our lunchtime fruit of unknown name.... open with hammer..... stir contents and eat.... looks like mince pie, tastes like mince pie..... it's a mince pie fruit - we loved it but have no idea what it is called!
Whole mince pie fruit... we thought it was from the melon family at first.... defiantly not!
One between two is quite filling - I think Liza added brandy to her half.
Bamboo train
Bamboo train driver with accelerator stick
13y old girl who was our guide up a steep hill with a Wat on the top.... it's 35 oC and she needs jeans and a jumper - we are two red pools of sweat
Bamboo train off the track waiting for one to come the other way.
Liza enjoys a LEO beer.... zoom in to see it's got a picture of a Leopard!
Steep steps in 35oC to see a Wat....What!
The view from the top!
Another view from the top which Liza knows is well worth while!
Battembang bus stop - view from our hotel room.
Detail from a Wat
More detail
View of the new Wat from the top of the hill where the old Wat is!
View of the old Wat from the new Wat
Not really sure what this is but it decorated a roundabout.
A picture of another Wat.
Now it's off to see the worlds biggest religious building...Angkor Wat!.... but first the journey.
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How divine to see your faces! And what on earth is a Wat? Temple type thingie? Do they have people that take care of them, do they live nearby? Are there ceremonies and ministers leading people in discordant harmonies to sing and take collection? They looks so fancy compared to where real living people live.... I think they should swap houses with their deities....But that's just my silly Western point of view from a third world country....
ReplyDeleteWat?
ReplyDeleteBest photos yet - just love the bamboo train - I want a go! And ditto Mel - great to see your delightful mugs at last :) Will ask Pato what the mince pie fruit is...