Page 69 - Asia 2021 Catalog

the South Gate, and continuing towards the spectacular Bayon temple which, with its more than two
hundred enigmatic faces, represents the central building both in the
location and in the concept of the city itself. It is a masterpiece with a
surprising structure made up of 54 towers and which presents splendid
bas-reliefs representing daily life in the times of the kingdoms of Angkor
and in which more than ten thousand figures carved in stone have been
counted. Then you pass in front of the imposing Baphuon and continue to
the pyramid-shaped temple linked to the legend of the king and the snake,
the Pimeanakas, then the area where the royal palace was located and
ends with the splendid Terraces of the Elephants and the Leper King.
Lunch in a local restaurant and free dinner. Overnight.

Day 4: Siem Reap.
Breakfast at the hotel. Excursion to discover the Temple of Bantey Srey, or the citadel of women, famous
for its splendid bas-reliefs almost all carved in pink sandstone and
according to many, superior in delicacy and precision even to those
found inside Angkor Wat. The temple is located about 40 km from Siem
Reap and is reached among enchanting landscapes characterized by
rice fields and villages. We return to Siem Reap passing through the
Temple of Bantey Samre, so named in honor of the legend of the farmer
who became king. In the afternoon, visit part of the Grand Circuit of
Angkor, starting with the vast and majestic temple of Prae Khan, also
known as the temple of the Holy Sword, which served as a religious,
cultural center and, for a period, also as a royal residence. At the time of
its maximum development, more than ten thousand people resided there, including many of the important
teachers and the corps de ballet of the Apsara, the celestial dancers. We continue with the Neak Pean, the
only circular structure in memory of a mythical lake from which the four rivers of Hindu mythology arise. At
the time it was used as a place of purification through the waters. Then we head towards one of the most
suggestive and romantic temples, the Ta Phrom, totally immersed in the jungle and deliberately left in the
conditions in which it was found by French archaeologists around 1860, partially covered by vegetation, with
the roots of centuries-old trees that magically wrap the sculptures and the stone blocks of the galleries,
signing a union between history and the bursting force of nature itself. Lunch in a local restaurant

Day 5: Siem Reap.
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning dedicated to Angkor Wat, the masterpiece of all Khmer art, the most famous
and imposing temple, considered one of the wonders of the world. It is a
structure that dazzles in its spectacularity, an example of extraordinary
architectural wisdom, decorated with extremely refined sculptures and
bas-reliefs, through which the main scenes of Indian epics are masterfully
described. Departure in the direction of Phnom Krom to visit Tonlé Sap,
the largest lake in South East Asia. The pier is located about thirty minutes
by road from Siem Reap. The view of the Vietnamese floating village of
Chong Kneas is very suggestive and touching, located, according to the
period and depth of the water, along the banks of the canal river that leads
to the lake or near the lake itself. The Vietnamese community has in this
place its homes, shops and shops, small refreshment centers, public offices, fish farms, schools, churches,
all built on floating platforms that fluctuate according to the rhythms of the floods of the lake. You then enter
the Tonle Sap, so large that you cannot see the banks. The boat stops by turning off the engine to better
savor the silence of this "sea". Sailing near the mangroves you will visit a fish and crocodile farm before the
ritualrno.

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