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The Ponhea Yat stupa at Wat Phnom

Ponhea Yat was the last ruler of the Khmer empire and the first king ruling the kingdom of Kampuchea/Cambodia from Phnom Penh.

The old Khmer capital in Angkor Thom was abanded in 1431 CE. The smaller kingdom needed an easier defendable city, closer to trade routes and waterways. This new Cambodian Kingdom was a Buddhist kingdom and the Hindu god king status disappeared with the Empire.

City of many names
After Ponhea Yat had completed the new royal palace, he gave the new capital the short name Krong Chaktomuk Serei Mongkol, ‘City of the Brahma’s Faces’. It refers to the four rivers that meets and flows in the capital area.

The full name of the kings capital was “Krong Chaktomuk Mongkol Sakal Kampuchea Thipadei Serei Theakreak Bavar Intabat Borei Roat Reach Seima Moha Nokor”. That is translated loosely to “The place of four rivers that gives the happiness and success of Khmer Kingdom, the highest leader as well as impregnable city of the God Indra of the great kingdom”

Several stupas
The main large and lesser smaller stupas contains the remains of the king and members of his royal family. His remains are kept prominently in this stupa behind the main pagoda in Wat Phnom. This is the central, artificial sacred hill on the southwest riverside of Tonlé Sap being the namesake and origin of the capital city.

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Photo shows a white stupa from a low angle. The quadratic foundation for the circular tower has four levels, and in each corner there is a light reddish guard statue, the three lowest of a Khmer lion statue that gradually gets small for each level. The top level has a human guard with a sword. To the left of the main stupa there is a smaller stupa containing the ashes of one of the king’s family members. In the background there is a large twin level roofed temple. The end of the roof arches has a Khmer style dragon decoration. It is a sunny day, from a cloudless sky. Cambodia is as safe, comfortable and kind as ever. Angkor and Siem Reap warmly welcomes visitors as the home of several cultural world heritage sites and good food.

No free lunch.
But the view and surroundings are worth paying for.

Along the road to Tonlé Sap Lake, Cambodia, the rice fields, open farmland and wetland give a splendid outlook. It makes for a very relaxing area to have lunch. Several places along the road have these sheds with straw roofs. They offer cool shade, fresh air, Khmer food and drinks - and hammocks.

In the background to the left here is Phnom Krom, or Kraom/Krom hill. This sacred hill marks the normal highest water mark for the Tonlé Sap north towards Siem Reap at the end of green season.

The east side of the hilltop is a popular spot for younger Khmer and Khmer families for evening picnics. Along the road up to the hilltop, there are plenty of small places offering picnic mats and street food and drinks. The view from those places is partly sunset over Tonle Sap, and mostly peaceful sunset over the farmland and rice fields.

The hill tops temple trio
Phnom Krom is one of the spots near Siem Reap where both sunrise and sunsets can be enjoyed. It has a modern wat, temple and monastery, on the northwest top slope. That is on the right side of the hill in this photo. There are remains of a trio tower temple, Prasat Phnom Krom, in Mebon style at the west top point of the hill.

Prasat Phnom Krom is the southernmost of three hilltop temples built at the same time around year 900 CE. The two others are Phnom Bakheng and Phnom Bok. These three hills form a sacred triangle encapsulating core parts of Angkor Park and Siem Reap city.

It is a 30 minute bike ride out of Siem Reap.

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Photo shows a small artificial lake surrounded by rice fields. In the front there are three simple wooden sheds placed on pillars out in the lake with small wooden bridges from a track along a green covered dyke. The sheds have straw roofs. There is a floor with room for a small group within each shed- In the background several similar sheds are placed with access from the dykes. In the far background to the left there is a larger hill. Some forest marks the border of the lake and rice fields. It is a sunny day, and the sky is deep blue with some light white clouds creating a lively effect. Cambodia is as safe, comfortable and kind as ever. Angkor and Siem Reap welcomes visitors. Enjoy your visit to the Kingdom of Wonder.

Sharing a bird’s view

A Royal Golden lion sharing a bird’s view on Tonle Sap and Mekong river meeting, in front of the Royal Square and Royal Castle in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

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Photo shows the view from a golden guarding lion statue in Khmer art style, looking out on a water river view being the meeting water makes of the rivers Mekong and Tonle Sap. There are different kinds of river boats spread out in busy traffic. A single dove is visible in the sight direction flying by with a similar view. In the background the northern riverside is visible in a distance it Is a sunny day, with clear blue sky with some clouds in the horizon.

That evening with a deep red sunset over Tonle Sap in the chill season in winter.

The rapid sunrises and sunsets are among the interesting and fascinating aspects of visiting Cambodia. The Angkor area have several spots for lovers of a great scenic sunsets. This spot is just one of them.

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🎶🎶#bikingintheangkorwonderland 🎶🎶

Photo shows the late stages of sunset over a darkening landscape of mixed lakes and rice paddocks, with a large lake in the background. The sky and cloud formations goes from shades of red from deep to brownish, and the sky changes into cold blue skies and clouds upwards from the horizon. A deep red spot of sun in the lower right sky its mirrored into a deep red small lake on the ground.

That end of rainy season time when Tonle Sap reached all the way north to Phnom Krom. And small boats took over from motorcycles as transport.

#siemreap #phnomkrom #countryside #tonlesaplake #tonle #sap #floating #villagelife #bluesky #rainyseason 🎶🎶 #bikingintheangkorwonderland 🎶🎶

#Tonl%C3%A9

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