Angkor Wat

A Long Journey to a Desired Destination

A long journey is definitely an

understatement.  We were halfway

around the world and exhausted.

Our day started before dawn in

Kuala Lumpur, get ready, bags 

downstairs to meet the driver, 

speeding along an empty highway

through endless palm fields to

an airport that was bustling with

people when the world should 

still be asleep.  No one was on the 

road coming in, where did all these

people come from?  Did they sleep 

here?  Grab a donut and some juice,

wheels up with the sun and we 

were off to Cambodia.

The airport in Cambodia looks

like a tropical resort hotel.  The

plane dropped us off outside the

door like we were getting out of a

taxi.  You then enter a room that

has a large curved desk filled with

officials in uniforms with more

epaulettes and braids than a high school

marching band.  You then pay $20 US

per person to get a visa and wait for

your name to be called.  It is so

official looking at first it feels a

bit frightening, they look like

Cambodia's Supreme Court, you think

will they let me in?  When I was called

up to the desk I was asked if I had 2

children, I said yes, and then was asked,

only 2?  I guess that isn't enough

in Cambodia.

We met our driver and headed to

our hotel oasis right in the middle

of Siem Reap.

As always, in Cambodia and Thailand,

we were greeted with cool drinks

when we arrived.

We explored town a bit and

had some lunch.

Then it was time for a nap

while the water feature trickled

into the lotus filled pond.

A refreshing swim in the rooftop

pool and we were ready to explore.

I knew the temples were in the jungle

so I assumed it would be quite a ride

to get to them but after only 10 minutes

we were buying our passes.  Angkor Wat

is only 5 1/2 km from Siem Reap.

This is a man made moat that

surrounds the temple complex.

It is 1.5 km x 1.3 km, created by

hand, it represents the oceans

surrounding the earth.

Angkor Wat was built in the

12th century.  It was first used

as a Hindu shrine, then Buddhist.

It was a pilgrimage destination,

abondoned in 1432 and forgotten

for a few centuries.

On the approach to the main temple

you pass a library building.

As I was walking up to the main

temple I noticed a flash of the saffron

robes of a monk running along the

arcade with his arms outstretched.  An

expression of sheer joy, I understood,

I was happy to have made it here as well.

Angkor Wat is the world's largest

religious monument.  The size of the

complex can't be described in words or

captured in photos.  You must see it in

person to understand the immensity of

it.  How could this be built in a remote

jungle in the 12th century with hand

tools and elephants?

There are endless bas relief

friezes.  How many skilled artists

were there in a remote jungle in

the 12th century to carve all of this?

This is not a destination for someone

who is not in good physical shape. 

It is a bit overwhelming, the heat,

the physical exertion in the heat,

all the stairs and walking exhausts you.

There are lots of crumbling, steep

staircases to climb and then,

you must get down them as well.

There are endless high

thresholds to climb over.

Every once in a while you'll see

some color in a carving.  How long

ago was that paint put there?

You can't miss the flash of color

of the monk's robes against the

sandstone of the temples.

This young monk was playing

with some of the visiting children.

Kids are the same all over the world.

I'm always drawn to trees in art.

Exiting the main temple looking

back toward the main gate.

On our way out, we stopped at one

of the library buildings and sat out

on the ledge with our feet dangling

over the side, looking back at the main

 temple as day began to fade to night.

Exhausted, we followed the

monks out of the complex.

And waiting for us was our wonderful

driver, Hoeum.  If you are ever in need

of a driver in Siem Reap I would highly

recommend him.  As you can see from

the photos the temples are very dusty

and we would track dust into his van

at each stop but while we were touring

he would clean up so it was perfect when

we got back.  He would have moist towelettes

that he kept on ice so we could cool

down and wipe the dust from our

faces and hands.  Then he had iced water

for us to keep us hydrated.  He always

arrived an hour before our scheduled

departure in the morning and when we

asked him about it he told us if he was

late it would be his fault, very conscientous.

We said a sad goodbye to Hoeum at the

border at Poipet, he took good care of

us to the very end of our journey with

us.  He can be reached at country code

855 o12 799415.