the Roluos Group: Lolei, Preah Ko, Bakong

We headed off after lunch - at 3pm it was still 34 degrees! Our target was a complex of three ruins to the southeast of Siem Reap, known as "the Roluos Group". These are relics of Hariharalaya, the first major capital of the Angkor era, and are in a similar style, predominantly brick with stone used for the door lintels and other decoratively carved elements.

Following our tuk-tuk driver's advice, we started with Lolei, which is the smallest of the three.

Fortunately there was a bit of cloud and it was cooling down, even if very slowly. Next up was Preah Ko.

And we finished at Bakong, where a central wat is surrounded by smaller towers. Richard made it to the top of this, with only a little bit of help at the top of each set of stairs where there's nothing to use as a hand hold, and we sat there watching the sunset. It's a pretty and atmospheric setting, with a monastery next door as well.

Back in Siem Reap, we had dinner in a fancy French restaurant in the tourist strip, at very reasonable prices. Labour costs are low and intense competition for spending by budget travellers must keep prices down.

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