The Intricate Beauty of Banteay Srei Temple, Cambodia

[x_section style=”margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px; padding: 45px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=”” style=”margin: 0px auto 0px auto; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_column bg_color=”” type=”1/4″ style=”padding: 20px 20px 0px 20px; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 1px; “][x_text class=”center-text “]by Danny de la Cruz[/x_text][/x_column][x_column bg_color=”” type=”3/4″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_text]I could feel the hot sun pounding down on me. Sweat dripped from my temples as I quietly told myself that everyone was hot, not just me. At least I wasn’t wearing a long-sleeve, button down dress shirt with dress slacks like our guide even though I thought that he was probably used to this weather. He later said that the temperature was even hotter than normal. Even the water bottle I had grabbed from the van before I exited was already warm after just a few minutes of walking along the reddish, clay-colored path.

I wasn’t sure exactly which temple we were approaching next, but on day two of our Cambodian exploration of the major temples of Siem Reap, I had a feeling this was going to be different.

We had already explored Angkor Wat, Angkor Tom and Ta Prohm (the location where Angelina Jolie filmed Tomb Raider) the day prior. If you’re going to see any temples in Siem Reap, these are the “must see” on any travel list.

But as we approached the entrance to Banteay Srei, there was something different about these temples. There weren’t any towering peaks in the distance, just a doorway that was once part of an outer wall that framed our entry.

The entrance to Beanteay Srei.

The temples at Banteay Srei were significantly smaller in scale, more intimate. The intricacy carved into the roofs of each structure was stunning – almost wood-like in appearance. And, the beautiful hue of the hard, red sandstone which was carved to create these structures was unlike any other I had seen in any of the prior temples.

[/x_text][/x_column][/x_row][/x_section][x_section style=”margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=”” style=”margin: 0px auto 0px auto; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_column bg_color=”” type=”1/4″ style=”padding: 10px 10px 10px 10px; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 1px; “][x_creative_cta padding=”25px 25px 25px 25px” text=”Discover more on Cambodia” font_size=”26px” icon=”plane” icon_size=”28px” animation=”slide-top” link=”http://www.vraimagazine.com/category/all/travel/asia/cambodia/” color=”#dd3333″ bg_color=”#ffffff” bg_color_hover=”#ffffff”][x_recent_posts type=”post” count=”3″ offset=”1″ category=”cambodia” orientation=”vertical” no_image=”false” fade=”false”][/x_column][x_column bg_color=”” type=”3/4″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_share title=”Inspire someone to travel ” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” google_plus=”true” linkedin=”false” pinterest=”true” reddit=”true” email=”true”][x_text]Wandering around the complex was easy compared to the others from the prior day – there was no need to climb up on steep, crumbling stone steps – everything was at eye level and along relatively flat pathways.

Even though these temples don’t compare to the grandeur and scope of Angkor Wat, the intimacy from the scale and the intricacy in the beautiful details made this a stop I will never forget.

As we exited the grounds of the temple, our tour guide told us to stand on the remnants of an outer, stone wall and look back at Banteay Srei. This is what I saw.

We then followed the clay path back out to our van and along the way, saw a Cambodian woman cutting grass with what looked like to be a machete. And not far from her was a bicycle to carry her harvest to wherever she would need to go. I really wasn’t sure, but I just had to capture that final moment.

[/x_text][/x_column][/x_row][/x_section][x_section style=”margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=”” style=”margin: 0px auto 0px auto; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_column bg_color=”” type=”1/4″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “] [/x_column][x_column bg_color=”” type=”3/4″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_blockquote cite=”” type=”center”]Travel Tips [/x_blockquote][x_text]

• The heat in June/July is oppressive. “Lightweight everything” is key for surviving this type of weather if you’re not accustomed to it.
• For this trip, I purposely chose my Ray Ban Aviators – extremely lightweight, yet durable with polarized lenses. They have enough flex and bend to adapt to any outdoor situation.
• Wear clothing that breathes and allows the perspiration to evaporate quickly rather than weigh you down in heavy cotton textiles.
• I purchased a Tilley Hat to make sure my head, face and neck were well protected. The hat has a wide brim, is lightweight yet durable, retains its shape after being crammed into a suitcase after hours and hours of travel, is water proof to keep the rain off your face and neck and most important, it breathes so that your head stays cool. I even use it around the garden to protect me from the sun’s rays.
• And since so many of the roads I traveled in Cambodia, especially in all of the temples, were unpaved and/or dirt or stone paths, comfortable hiking shoes were key. Flip fops and sandals just won’t do for this type of terrain. Your ankles will thank you.
• In addition to sunscreen, bug spray is also important since I found myself in very rural, jungle-like areas in Cambodia.
• Finally, my brother found cooling towels for us to use. You wet the towels before placing them around your neck to stay cool during long hours of outdoor exploration. They are a little odd feeling at first, but the cooling properties as you’re trekking under the scorching sun definitely make a huge difference.

What other travel tips do you have for this type of adventure? I’d love to know![/x_text][/x_column][/x_row][/x_section][x_section style=”margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px; padding: 45px 0px 45px 0px; “][x_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=”” style=”margin: 0px auto 0px auto; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_column bg_color=”” type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_author title=”About the Author” author_id=””][/x_column][/x_row][/x_section]