Banteay Srei is the name of the last temple we’ve seen in Cambodia. Again, it is a pleasant surprise to find that it has a different character again compared with those we’ve seen before. This temple is smaller, but the sandstone is a desert orange and the whole place is covered in the most intricate carvings we’ve seen.
Before getting to Banteay Srei we visit a place called Kdal Spean which bears a mention. A long uphill walk including some rocky scrambles leads to a burbling stream. On the stream bed more than a thousand phalluses have been carved out of the sandstone, apparently to purify (!) the water before it flows through the Angkor complex another 40kms downstream. It should be noted that these phalluses are ‘linga’ and thus symbolise the god Shiva. In fact the carvings aren’t the impudent
Banteay Srei was refreshing, as touts had clearly been banned from hassling tourists who kept to the route away from the souvenir village. The incessant whine of “You wan’ cold drink mistaaaah?” and “You wan’ silk scarf mistaaaah? Only four dollar… only two dollar… one dollar… two for one dollar mistaaaah?” had been getting to us over the last couple of days. Getting an eightfold price reduction without even trying to haggle (or showing the slightest interest for that matter) was amusing at least.
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