Everything turns out differently... - or: The Temple Complexes of Angkor

We were unable to extend our visa for Cambodia. An extension is not a problem in itself. The passport must be sent to the immigration office in Phnom Penh, preferably through an agent, e.g., a travel agency. Two to three days later, the passport with the new visa comes back from the capital. Since the water festival is celebrated throughout Cambodia at the end of the rainy season, this year from November 4th to 6th, nothing can be done during this week.

Our visa expires on November 8th, and we would not expect our passports back from Phnom Penh until the 10th or even the 15th of November at the earliest. It feels too uncertain to possibly stay for several days without a valid visa in Cambodia. Instead, we have hastily booked a flight ticket from Siem Reap to Saigon for November 8th. If we wish, we can return at any time, because upon entering Cambodia, the visa is issued without fuss at the airport for 30 days.

We use the second week in Siem Reap to visit all the temple complexes around Angkor Wat. Tourists require an entrance ticket. Since we treated ourselves to a ticket for 7 entries right at the beginning (the entrance for 7 days costs hardly more than the 3-day ticket, 72 instead of 62 US dollars), we make full use of it: the names are Phnom Bakreng, Preah Kanh, Neak Poan, Ta Som, Pre Rup, Banteay Kdei, and Kravan. We also visit Angkor Wat itself two more times: once around sunset and a final time during the water festival, when half of Siem Reap seems to be pilgrimaging there.

The pictures from our tour around Angkor Wat are presented chronologically in this post. Particularly impressive is the eastern Baray, an artificially created water reservoir of 4 square kilometers. I already can’t assign all the pictures of the temples anymore. Each complex has its own charm, some are wide, some are tall. In view of the abundance of different impressions, it's hard for me to decide what to leave out. I hope the abundance doesn't overwhelm. If you feel like it, let the images affect you. Siem Reap and Angkor were worth every bit of the two weeks.