Angkor Wat – what a way to start our adventure!

Angkor Wat – what a way to start our adventure!
Siem Reap, Cambodia

Siem Reap, Cambodia


On Saturday afternoon, we arrived in Siem Reap, Cambodia. We had survived the three plane rides in pretty good shape, although ‘tired’ only begins to describe it! We checked into the Tara Angkor Hotel – very nice – had a quick shower, followed by dinner, followed by assuming a prone position on the bed and going to sleep! Yay!

Sunday was a BUSY day – our real first day of touring! We started out with a short bus ride to Ta Prohm, a Hindu temple that has been left largely as it was found, overgrown with jungle vines and very large trees. We learned that the jungle will overtake any building or complex within TEN years if not kept constantly at bay. At this temple, a tree (a version of the fig) that started growing on the roof eventually brought the building down. So, ultimately it is nature, rather than man (even throughout centuries of warfare) that brings these ancient buildings down.

Then we drove just down the road to Angkor Wat, the 12th century Buddhist temple that is the enduring symbol of Cambodia. Let me mention here that over the many centuries, each Siamese king indicated which religion HE followed (Hindu or Buddhist) and built temples that featured either the Buddha or various Hindu gods. But regardless of the monarch’s choice, the people have always been allowed to do as they please and religious tolerance abounds. Currently, most modern Thai people are Buddhist, but the Hindu influence is pervasive.

Angkor Wat is three levels high, with the highest level reserved for the Buddha and the priests. It is a VERY steep climb to get there and not for the faint of heart. We climbed up and walked around the top. Views were not great because the day was very overcast with pollution mostly. And then we had to wait in for a long time as the many folks who were also up there queued up for the descent. The bas relief around the main building’s inner wall is over 600m long and tells tales of mythology and history. All these sandstone blocks were mounted first and then carved – the detail is incredible and still vibrant.

The afternoon was devoted to Angkor Thom, the area where the Bayon Temple is located. This lovely temple is/was Hindu. After our guide showed us around, we walked to a small temple across the street and presented gifts to the local monks, who chanted a blessing. See the picture for more description here.

By late afternoon, we (who had only arrived the previous day) were pretty pooped. But we gamely carried on and went out for dinner. Cambodian food is delicious. I have so many photos of food, but too many to post here. Just imagine deliciousness and you’re almost there.