Ta Phrom, Tonle Bati

We headed south out of Phnom Penh, around 35km to Tonle Bati. There are two 12th century temples there - Ta Phrom and Yeay Peau. We were about 20 mins out of town and we hit a fantastic traffic jam, it didn't really resemble anything that you'd see in the west, and no one really got particularly frustrated by being stuck in one place for 30 odd mins. There were no horns, or angry shouts, everyone just waited patiently for the blockage to shift. The problem turned out to be a big lorry that had decided to stop on the road, and block one lane, he didn't even realise that he'd created a massive jam.

We sat there amazed to be honest, there was so much to look at, so many faces and things going on around us. Traffic changed direction and we were driving on the lefthand side - all very funny. I have tried to capture the moment with photos but i don't think you ever really can.

It wasn't really too long until we were on our way again and we got to Ta Phrom. It's a beautifully kept temple, with lovely gardens, and few tourists. It's the same age as Angkor and has the same charm but fewer people. There are still a fair few children that try their best to get a few dollars for flowers or drinks but nothing like the main temples. We wandered around and took it all in. It had a great atmosphere and was really worth the drive.
Tonle Bati lake is adjacent to the temple and adds to the setting and the feel of the place.

I took quite a few photos of this place that came out really well, if you have the time it's worth a look but i couldn't fit too many on the site.

http://picasaweb.google.com/JStancombe/TonleBati35KmSouthOfPhnomPenh