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3 more days to Year 2010 backpack adventure! <3

From Neak Pean to Preah Khan took 5-10 minutes as they’re not far apart. Just as I finished eating one small packet of biscuit, we have reached the outer entrance of Preah Khan. Quickly we got down from the van and walked towards the majestic gate of Preah Khan.

As we walked on the bridge towards the gate archway, two ladies were seen cycling towards our direction. Siya stopped them and asked us if we want to try balut!

One of the lady began preparing balut for Siya while the other looked curiously. The lady probably felt pressured while preparing the balut as 7 DSLRs were aimed at her. Haha!

Siya then took a bite of the balut. We then bombarded him with thousands of questions like “what’s it taste like?” – like chicken egg, he said; “got feather onot?“, “the balut got bone?” and many more. We even asked him what’s that yellow and white thingy in the plate. Siya said, that’s the pillow for the duck to sleep. We  gave the !!!!!! look and he laughed at our expression.

Humorous indeed, our tour guide is.

The other lady just smiled politely while waiting for her friend. Probably she’s smiling at our ohhh and ahhh! Lol!

After Siya done with his food, he asked if anyone of us wanna try it? He encouraged us to take a bite, as it’s a local delicacy!

William decided to try first, and he told us that it was nothing peculiar. Just like an egg. Hearing that, out of sudden LeeMay and Ailing have the guts to try too. But they decided to share.

…and we laughed cause their expressions are totally priceless.

Sat recorded the whole ordeal. Lol.

Then we continued walking to the temple. Halfway walking, another lady in bicycle stopped cycling and asked in Khmer language to buy some food. Siya translated and then just out of curiosity, Sat and I bought one to try.

It tasted like our pulut udang, but the filling obviously isn’t prawn. Can’t recall what’s it called nor the filling. But I know it tastes nice!

By the time Sat and I finished our Cambodian pulut, we reached the inner entrance of Preah Khan.

The temple is so secluded that there was nobody else there but us. It was kinda scary yet adventurous!

Preah Khan may look grand and well-preserved while walking to way to the temple, but once stepped into the inner compound, the perception of grand, well-preserved temple vanished immediately.

The temple is in very poor state of repair. There are bricks slab everywhere. I had to mind my steps while walking through the temple. There are lots of ‘no entry’ sign. Some of the windows are closed with ‘bricks’. Some of the doorway are blocked with large brick slabs, signaling unsafe to enter.

Today, Preah Khan is surrounded and habituated by greenery. The roots of the parasite trees penetrated through the bricks and caused them to fell. However, the green managed to work its way; blending with the temple creating another type of beauty which will make you go wahhh.

The cravings are eroded by the harsh weather of Cambodia.

History has that the thieves of the temples ruined the beautiful cravings by slashing them and took away all the diamonds, precious stones that once long, long time ago decorated the walls of Preah Khan.

Siya mentioned that in the past, when the sun shone from the top to the walls adorned with the precious stones and diamonds, that air-well would be very brightened. I quickly imagined how it looks like centuries ago, with all the stones on its place and ‘created’ the brightened air-well in my mind.

Ah, it was indeed beautiful.

Though the temple is a Buddhist temple, we found a big linga statue there.

I then laughed at myself for thinking that only lingga can be found in Hindu temple as there are lots similarities between the Buddhism and Hinduism, especially in Angkor.

We found ourselves walking to this high raised enclosed corridor. Despite the blazing sun outside, the temperature in the corridor was lower by lots. It was so cool that I told Sat that I wanna stay there. And he said, okay. I’ll go first, bye!

Cis. Evil boyfie I have.

To be frank, I can’t recall what route we took in the temple, but I know after going through few cooling corridors, we came to this entrance again.

No, it’s not the same as the one we entered. We exited through another gate. Which was nearer to Angkor Wat.

It was shame to see the very nicely craved temple be in such bad condition. I believed many people are pouring in help to restore the temple back to its glory, but I guess it maybe too late as the plants have already intervened with the temple. But who knows, maybe it can be restored!!!

Our van picked us up and then brought us to our lunch place in Angkor.

to be continued…