Over breakfast we said our final goodbyes to Diane and Lynette, the two cousins who have been travelling with us up the Mekong, and for the last 2 days in Siem Reap. We have the morning free as our pick up take us to the airport for our flight to Laos is not until 2.30pm. A late checkout at 2pm is organised, and Mike, Carole and I decide we will have one last look at the temples, as we have not seen one of the most recommended ones, Banteay Srei. It was built in the 10th century.
The easiest option is to get a hotel car to take us out there, about a one hour drive, and bring us back, so we hire him for half a day for $85. We end up with a very comfortable VW Toureg, with great air conditioning and a driver whose English was more than acceptable.
When we arrive at the temple, the crowds are growing , mainly Japanese groups. The temple is quite small, by comparison wth some of the others. Unlike most of the other temples it is not a Royal temple, but was built by one of the Kings counsellors, and is built of pink sandstone.
Rice fields near the entrance to the complex provide a pleasnt patch of green in an otherwise bare landscape
Entrance Gate
Despite the reduced scale, the intricacy of the carvings make this temple different from any other we have seen. It was well worth the visit.
On the way back to our hotel the driver recommended we also take a look at another temple which is on our way, and is of a much larger scale, it is called Pre Rup.
It is a very impressive site, with quite different construction techniques, using small clay brick for the construction of the towers. It was built in the 10th century and it is estimated the city would have occupied 1 square km including temple. It is a 3 level temple and the stairs to the 3rd level were very steep, but the view was worth it.
Not a bad load for a motor bike !
The driver is early to pick us up from the hotel, and we find ourselves at the airport 20 mins before the gate opens for our flight.
On the way to the airport, we are amazed at the number of large new hotels that are either under construction or recently completed, mostly by foreign investors. It seems totally out of proportion with the size of the airport, which is about the size of a regional airport in Australia. if all the tourists do come, it will certainly put a strian on the current airport.
Finally we check in, go to the departure lounge, and can't really understand most of the announcements, but hear some mention of Luang Prabang (our destination), so go to investigate. It turned out we were last to get on our flight, a 68 seater turbo prop ATR 72 (we'd never heard of them either ). Once on board, we left 25 minutes before the scheduled time for a one hour and 50 minute flight to Luang Prabang, in Laos.
Arrival at Luang Prabang was at about 6.30pm. The flight in showed we are now back in mountainous country after the very flat and dry countryside in Cambodia we had become used to.
Our arrival at Luang Prabang
Entering the even smaller International Terminal, we present our passports at immigration, only to be told we have to fill in a form. We are sent off to a counter with forms available, dutifully fill them out, and represent ourselves, only to be told we have filled out the wrong forms (there were no others). A new set of forms appear, we fill those out, and are eventually allowed in.
Our guide was waiting for us to take us to our hotel, and all is forgotten when we check in to the Luang Say Residence, a beautiful hotel, built in the colonial style.
The entrance to Luang Say Residence
Our room
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