July

December 2007 Trip to Thailand and Cambodia

(click on thumbnails to view larger picture)

Monday December 24, 2007

Bangkok, Thailand - visit to the Grand Palace with its collection of palace buildings, golden stupes, wats and statues. Also a visit to Wat Pho - the largest of the wats in Bankok and famous for its 46 meter golden-plated reclining Buddha. In the afternoon, a longtail boat ride excursion along stilt villages.

Grand Palace			Restorer at work
Incense offering	Reclining Buddha - Wat Pho	Longtail boat ride - river village in Bangkok
Monitor lizard (middle)	View of Grand Palace

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Phnom Penh, Cambodia - morning flight from Bangkok to Phnom Penh - the capital of Cambodia. The city is famous for its tuk-tuks (a type of cycle taxi). We toured Toul Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21) , where from 1975 to 1979, about 17,000 people were tortured and interrogated. We later visited the "Killing Fields " of Choeun Ek (the memorial stupe is a huge glass tower filled with human skills as a grim reminder of the Pol Pot regime).

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Phnom Penh, Cambodia - In the morning we visited the Royal Palace and the National Museum. We then took an hour boat ride around the Mekong river viewing a local village. In the afternoon we flew to Siem Reap

view of Phnom Penh streets from Princess hotel	tuk-tuk (type of taxi)		Royal Palace		queens wardrobe at Royal Palace

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Siem Reap, Cambodia - In the morning we visited the Rolous Temple Group (Preah Ko, Bakong, Lolei - 850 - 893AD). In the afternoon we visited Bantaey Srei - 12-13th century, Preah Khan - 1100 AD, East Mebon - 10th century, and Pre Rup at sunset.

Bakong temple	Musicians ((land mine victims) at Temple	Musicians ((land mine victims) at Temple		Click here to play video of musicians	Bakong temple relief
Bakong	Bakong	Bakong temple relief	Lolei temple	Children at market area	Rice field
Rice	Rice farmer	Banteay Srei temple	Preah Khan temple	Preah Khan temple	Preah Khan temple

Friday , December 28, 2007

Siem Reap, Cambodia - In the morning we visited Ta Prohm (1186 AD), Banteay Kdei, and Angkor Wat (1113-1150 AD). In the afternoon we visited Ankor Thom (1190-1210 AD). In the evening we attended an Aspara dance show.

Ta Prohm temple (and following pictures)
Ta Prohm temple - from Angelina Jolie movie Tomb Raiders	Ta Prohm temple - from Angelina Jolie movie Tomb Raiders	Restorers working on temple		Banteay Kdei temple	Banteay Kdei temple relief
Angkor Wat	Local wedding at Angkor Wat	Statue of Buddha	Angkor Wat	Angkor Wat wall relief	Angkor Wat (following pictures)
Angkor Thom (following pictures)
	Aspara dance show (following pictures)