Left for Sisophon early in the morning bidding goodbye to battambang and my good old driver. I decided to go on another adventure to the north and explore a little traveled temple set in the northwest based around Banteay Chhmar. Only de-mined in 2007, only Preah Vihear is as newly opened to visitors. The bus ride short by my standards now, only about 2 hours getting me in a little past 10am. I barely made it to Sisophon because no one tells you when your stop is and if I didn't get up and ask I wouldn't have made it. Getting off, its a small place with no real travelers scene. I start walking planning on doing the temple the next morning and look for a room. I get a bit away before a few approach selling there pitch for the temple. The only english speaking guy is the one with the toyota camry, the most pricy option. I get into negotiations and after knocking almost $15 off for really decent reasons, like the weather was cloudy and it was 10am so if I waited until morning I could get 3 more hours for the same rate. It took a bit but eventually it went over and we were off. To be honest I was happy to have an english speaking driver and A/c rather than another longer dusty moto ride. It ended up only taking a bit over an hour to get there since the car was easier, which was great. The road was still rough as hell but we got there in realitive comfort and it went by fast being able to chat. Before going in, we eat at a roadside place across the way to quell my stomache.

     Just arriving I could tell by the moat that this place was gigantic. The outer wall surrounded by an even bigger moat seemed to me to rival Angkor itself in size, although probably more like Angkor Thom. Either way, what I was going into was hugh. The first thing you notice coming in are the gods and demons from the churning of milk, only a few remain. The backround behind them was stunning, and since the weather had somehow went from dark clouds to sunshine and blue skies pictures where easy. Down the long dirt path passing small buildings just sitting in open fields looking lonely, I eventually get to whats left of the entrance. A buddha sits under a nice white canopy to the left obviously modern with a few people taking wedding photo's in front.

     The entrance is massive although serious crumbling, with vast areas of stone to either side ready for restoration. The bars still are on some windows, asparas still line some walls, and really everything out front gives me the feel of a rather massive set of rubble not unlike what I've seen many other places. I get up for a closer look to realize that my expectations are may need to be re-thought since the entire outer wall was a giant gallery relief just like the bayon. Massive carvings lined the entore walls that remained standing, and this wall could have easily been a half mile long maybe longer and technically an inner wall. I walked the ront before entering taking in the front, the sides would have to wait for a walkaround later.

     Entering through a crumbling doorway, I duck under to reveal what immediately feels like Beng Melea on a much more massive scale. Green over grows stone everywhere. Piles of stone lay at the feet of anything from columns to giant entryways, making anything a challenge to get to. I look around to see lakes of water, buildings turned to rubble, the sheer volume of space is too much to take in. I pass beautiful pieces of stone on the ground covered in grass, pillars covered in detail... I look around over in the distance to see wall after wall, perhaps 4 full enclosures along with the outer wall and moat. I start to get really excited here and move to the side and debate going along the outer wall to get a real feel of the size but change my mind and head into the center.

     Following a sort of straight path jumping from stone to stone, I come across a large doorway with an amazing carving with a four headed figure that couldn't have had a clearing of more than 3ft. I was obvious that the rest was buried underneath, a real tell of just how much lay hidden. A small wooden bridge goes underneath to assist, the only man made structure here to help me along. I duck under and find that the remains of some amazing buildings where the entire top layer of stone above the windows are carved with beautiful aspara's. This place was starting to show me some of the most amazing detail and interesting carving I had seen yet. Soon after getting through I could see in the distance a most amazing site. I could barely make out what I was certain was a wall of monster like carvings, a full body of what I had come to call " My Pet Monster " from the lintels. I couldn't get across due to a literal field of stone but I made it a promise that I would get there eventually.

    Looking straight ahead, for the first time I could make out the center, a mass of towers jetting out from the rubble. A face could be made out in the distance telling me I had come to a mini-bayon, another of Jayavarman VII masterpieces and a marvel to my eye. It all made sense now though, the interesting buddhist carving that seemed like nothing else I'd seen. My eye was fixed now with a clear goal. I wanted to get into those towers, get close to my mini-bayon and really dive into this place. The only problem was the stone field in my way, every step a virtual disaster as the stones shift and every step gets you closer to your goal and to harm. It didn't take long for just one such slip to happen, which really could have been ugly if it were not for one key placed hand stopping the head from hitting anything. My foot was lodged in between stones and after wiggling it out and seeing only scratches, I kept going. To get my bearings, I started to the sides to get to my creatures before once again taking on my new nemesis.

    After getting to side seeing some local children hoping along, the first people I'd seen here, they gave me my path to follow and I did my best although at times had to improvise. Getting there though proved to be beyond wonderful. The side was not very well lit but the statues were exactly as I knew they would. A winged my pet monster beast, probably a version a Vishnu's ride, the garuda. I studied the long base of them with arms raised seeming to look as if they were holding up the once great building that lay above now in ruins. Both sides of this complex was almost perfect in symetry and another one of there lay just to the other side o the center path. Two very long trips over stones fields I did reach the other side to find a much better lit version in all its glory. Fully intact for the most part, I find almost a dozen in great shape lit by yellow light filtered through the trees. One is most stunning, the face in amazing condition and an absolute marvel. I stare at it for a while just amazed at my luck to find this here, and just how different it was from everything else.

     After heading away from my great statues, I head deeper down the center towards the great towers. The adventurous feeling from hoping rock to rock is so amazing. Like a child again, mentally saying OK if I can just get to here... Phew got it! OK now just put this foot here and then here and maybe I can... It was just incredible. Getting closer I slowly start see the forest reveal itself behind me as the sun breaks through the trees. Things start to reveal themselves, the tops of towers reveal lotus flowers, still intact hallway walls buried in stone reveal how it must have looked back then. The giant outer wall, moat, and inner wall after inner wall that could be walked through to any entrance, all leading deeper into the spaces between walls where more buildings could be found culminating at the center.

    Eventually making it to the heart of the massive complex, I can finally clearly see the wonderful faces on the towers. I just dive in, not really sure which one I went to first. It was just a great dash all over, going inside one tower to stare through holes in the rock, climbing up some other piles to get better views, really lost in the moment here for so much of the time a really exact timeline is hard to make but thats really whats so great about my time there.

    I spent alot of time here, going through the middle of walls, checking out all the towers and walls, looking at each lintel and towers as if it were the first that I'd seen. This place was perfect for me, and another place that surprised me and sparked a new hidden place that hadn't been tapped yet. There just seems to be a never ending supply of newer places that can keep my interest alive. I get a real feel of the layout in the center, with multiple towers in the center followed by a gallery wall that could be walked through and had a tower at each of its corners. After vast amounts of time here I see a intact doorway leading out to the left side. I decided now to go check out the sides and see the center from a different view. The outer wall here also had some gallery reliefs but nothing like what awaited just along the back wall. Directly at the end of where I would have came if I marched straight through, at the back, lay the single most interesting piece I'd seen to date. The wall was carved with two giant Avolkitesvara's, buddhist mythology figure depicted with massive amounts of arms. The two remaining had 16 and 32 arms. The larger one was most impressive, surrounded by other figures that just were given almost no value by the massive statue with so many arms...

    After seeing so much of the left side and now looking at the center again from the back I decided to go from the back to the center again in the mass of towers and then work my way to the right side and to the outer wall. I did just that with not much trouble, taking in the maze of walls, vast amounts of green, and at the end a wall with only the supporting columns remaining, the stones that filled the gaps on the ground nearby. I wanted to go out through the center so made my way back in passing a most interesting face tower. While I think all the others are an image of Jayavarman VII himself as god-king, this single face was clearly that if the buddha's, long earlobes and clearly different features. It was really interesting to me as it proves the others are of something other than the buddha, giving in my mind more weight to the other being the case. Just before heading out of the massive center, I see the DANGER sign on the rocks warning of climbing. A little late for me, but I would have done it anyway...

    I make my way out the same way I came, jumping over rocks and having a grand old time at it. I pass some more giant lizards some maybe 10in long, barley out long enough to photo... Except for this guy who kept his head out bravely. Since I was trying to get one the entire time clearly, even if just the head it was a good way to end my time at this place.

    Making my way from Banteay Chhmar to a nearby temple called Ta Prohm, one of about 12 that are around Banteay Chhmar. I laughed a bit a seeing another Ta Prohm since I'd seen a place by the same name in Siem Reap, but I guess theres only so many names. It was situated maybe 2 minutes away tucked behind and rather in the center of a tiny village. Cows walked the temple grounds right along with me belonging to nearby homes. Recalling this place I'm going to go backwords acting as I entered from the opposite side I did because where I did just doesn't lend to being put into words well.

     From the back, the moat of Ta Prohm is clearly visible as is the very nice face tower sitting in the center of the near island. Giant C shaped moats dot each side, and small strips of land at the top and bottom entrances were the only way across. Interestingly, this arrangement let the outer wall actually be outside the moat which was very different. I also found it amazing that a place this small would have so much great work done around it. The entire site is in view in the picture below except for a single building behind it. The amount of care that went into such a small place tells a great deal. 

    Getting closer you can see the tower out of the cover of the trees, revealing the four faces that have come to be the tell tale sign of the work of Jayavarman VII, my hero :-P. Walking around, sitting down on the ledge nearby and watching the sun filter through onto the faces, I really like this small place, it feels like a tower sitting on an island all alone.

    The center of the tower is similar to most, with a view to the sky made from fallen stone at the top. the entryways are near collapse and only wooden beams hold them in place. The opposite side contains a mass of stone once part of an attached building probably making up the entryway. Nothing remains now but ruins, but it doesn't matter what side your on, the main tower looks great from any angle.

    Following the mass of stone that you have to climb over, you reach a small base for a structures entryway which was actually the first thing I saw coming in. You can't see the moat, the tower, nothing but stone and it just didn't make for a good way to present it. So I saw it one you way, anyone reading another, but to be honest its better presented this way :-)

     On my way out back to the very dirty camry after all our riding, we pass a group of cambodians having a grand old time on the steps of a classic countryside stilted home. I'm told through translation that they were inviting me for a drink, and it just would have seemed to rude to brush away all there smiles. Just people from the rural parts trying to interact and be friendly towards the unlikely visitor. So I sat for maybe 10 minutes taking a shot of rice whisky ( If they said it was pure gasoline I would have believed them ) and chatted a bit before making the way to the final stop of the day, Banteay Torp.

     Banteay Torp was maybe 20 minutes drive away, down a road that spit from the one we took getting here. It was my last stop and although there are more here it was a similar case as with Koh Ker. The cost to get out here is high, which really makes it hard to do back to back days. Also the smaller sights are little known and some even uncleared of mines aside from small paths. It's definitely a similar case and if I ever want to see the tiny sites around these far away places it will mean on a second trip to cambodia. Pulling into Banteay Torp, I'm immediately taken away by the sheer size of the tower that sat at the entrance. Possibly the largest that I'd seen, I was eager to get in there on the terrace slightly above the ground to explore. 

     I started exploring to the side where the moat could be seen through just piles of stone. One of the five or six towers here was in this mess, all but completely ruined. It was hard to tell exactly how many there were because of the mass of stone but five is probably more likely. I made my way under entryways hanging by just stone laying on tree, past another tower and into is massive church like archway.

     On the other side, with the setting sun hitting one side of the tower directly I could see a perfect view of the tower that still stood so high. I really think its the tallest I've seen but maybe its just an illusion. Either way, this finger like tower jets straight to the sky soaring in blue with all that remains of it. It was really something, and the feel of this place is really unequaled in a certain way. The towers surrounding the one in center are semi crumbling in all different heights have created an absolute mountain of stone at the base of the center around the center tower. An absolute mountain of stone boulders, allowing you to climb if brave enough to amazing heights on the towers. This is something I have never before been able to do. Through another tower and out the other side to reveal the green growth on tis side following my cambodian driver and his brother as they make it look so easy hoping along, I eventually make it up on a ledge of the tower overlooking the surrounds. Sitting here with wind blowing and just laying back in the center of these massive towers, sun setting in the back, I could really feel an atmosphere here.

    
    I make my way across to the back of the tower I loved so much coming in to find out its actually only half with two sides completely gone revealing the inside. What shocked me is that looking down there was maybe 10ft more of this tower buried, making it actually taller that it appears not the other way around. I sit on a pile of rick near the base made by the stone mountain. The view of the sun was clear from here, and I sat for a bit before we began heading to the last tower with best view of the sun.

    Once again we climb, this time me a bit closer but still miles behind there speed. He jokes that for cambodians its very easy as there on there feet all there lives mostly. I get up, turn around and very carefully sit as there really is nothing stopping me from a god awful plunge to my doom i I slip. Sitting down its clear to see the clouds have swallowed the sun this time around, but the glow thorough is still worth sitting a bit for.

    Making my way back down, I walk slowly trying to get some photo's of these massive towers in the darker light. The main three come in clear view back at the car. A truly great site, and once again have Jayavarman VII to thank, although this time he built over an earlier site taking someones OK site and turning it into a great one.

    Leaving, down the road that lead to the road we came we pass by a very large body of water I'm told may have been the reservoir for the are of temples here. It was gorgeous in this light, but the picture just doesn't seem to do justice.

    On the way back, the night ended on a rather not so great note as the driver had to stop somewhere which led to an angry series of never ending phone calls all the way back and blah blah blah... Some good old cambodian drama. Back in town settled in to my guesthouse for the night I could do nothing but laugh and go eat next door. After eating I rested a bit in the room and then went downstairs to the lobby and pointed to the wall with the poster of bus times and prices and got a ticket to my next stop. Another bus in the AM....