1 August 2023
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on Siem Reap. Slowly we can feel our town starting to come to life again. Almost as if it is taking it’s first deep breath, after being on life support for the past 2 years.
With Siem Reap taking this fresh breath, we too are feeling refreshed and excited to witness the rebirth of this beautiful town, we call home.
With renewed energy we took out yesterday to walk around town. It was wonderful to see so many new places ready with open doors, to welcome back the tourists.
Along the way, we strolled through the grounds of the Wat Damnak Pagoda.
Wat Damnak Pagoda is the largest pagoda in Siem Reap. It is a haven of peace and a place of worship for the devout Buddhists.
This pagoda is also a training and education center. One of the buildings even houses an extensive library.
The gardens are well maintained and the pond area is very inviting with its shady trees.
There were quite a few people enjoying the shade and the tranquil, peaceful surroundings.
Richard took a seat in a shady spot to be present in the moment, while I snapped away, taking a few photographs of the temple buildings, the shrines and the surrounding gardens, trying to capture the beauty and tranquility of this charming place.
Shrines are spaces where Buddhists can make offerings. These offerings demonstrate special appreciation to the Buddha. Offerings usually include flowers, to symbolize that things don’t stay the same – they are always changing.
It is hard to believe that this peaceful place was under the Khmer Rouge reign of terror in the 1970s and served as a military base. The thought of this peaceful pagoda being used for war is very saddening.
We were reminded once again of how blessed we are to have these pagoda’s within walking distance of our home.
We made a promise to ourselves to pack a picnic and visit this particular pagoda again. Next time we will also pop into the library.
Hot and sweaty after our long walk, we decided to cool off near the famous “Pub Street” and enjoy a nice cold beverage.
We will be sure to share our next adventure with you all. Stay tuned.
