I rented a more operational motorbike than the day before and took a trip back to Angkor for day 2 of temple touring. The first stop was Sra Srang, the former royal bathing pond. It wasn’t much of a temple, although there are unique stone carved steps and platforms down into the water on the West side, and a white stone monolith in the middle of the pond.
Following Sra Srang, I crossed the street and entered Banteay Kdei Temple. “Banteay Kdei” translates to, “A Citadel of Chambers", also known as "Citadel of Monks' cells.” I enjoyed the layout of this temple, along with all other temples that weren’t overly crowded and set with a regimented “visit route.” My favorite temples were those you could wander and explore the countless routes and rooms, and Banteay Kdei fits the category. If you’re short on time though, this temple can be skipped so the others can be prioritized.
Next, I went to Ta Prohm Temple, nicknamed the “Tomb Raider” temple. This forest temple is famous for the massive tree roots enveloping the remaining stones. I was blown away by how massive some of these trees and roots were, and their ability to take root and grow around the stone to survive. This is a must-see temple for any visits to Angkor.
The final temple of the day I visited was Ta Keo, a temple mountain built entirely of sandstone. Along the walk through the woods to the temple, I witnessed a small monkey crossing the road and walking alongside me. I took a short stroll through wooded trail to the temple, where a long series of very narrow and tall steps awaited. Once climbed, there is a serene Buddha shrine in the central room atop the temple. Here, I made a donation and spent some moments in silent meditation before making my departure.
Once back in Siem Reap, I stopped at Banlle Vegetarian Restaurant, a place recommended in the Lonely Planet Southeast Asia travel book that’s been incredible useful. At this point in the day, I had worked up an appetite from all the temple exploring, so I justified ordering two entrees for myself. I ordered a pad thai with tofu and amok soup with rice, with a cucumber lime ginger juice to drink. The food was phenomenal and the drink very tasty. The greenery and garden atmosphere of Banlle made enjoying the delicious meal even easier. I highly recommend this place for those seeking a tasteful healthy meal in Siem Reap.
Later back at Funky Village hostel, I hung out with some traveler friends by the pool briefly. It didn’t take long for the exhaustion of a satisfying day kick in and for my private room’s bed to call for me.