Angkor Wat
Trip Start
Nov 01, 2007
1
4
26
Trip End
Nov 20, 2007
Siem Reap,
Cambodia
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Today got rose early again at 4am so I could get ready in time to be out of the guesthouse an hour later to catch the sunrise at Angkor Wat. We took a bus to Angkor Wat and walked up to the temple, the biggest in the complex, to wait for sunrise. It was a truly awesome sight, the sun rising behind the temple so it was silhouetted against the sky; really stunning. After that, we all walked further along the grass by the temple for breakfast, shared with a whole bunch of monkeys - not that any of us wanted to share. The monkeys lived up to their reputation of being cheeky, stealing food and anything else they could get their paws on.
After breakfast, a walk again to meet our local tour leader, a guy called Hanna, who was great: witty, amusing, and incredibly knowledgeable about Angkor. We toured loads of the temples, though by no means all of them, and were walking for 5 hours straight before we stopped for lunch in one of the restaurants outside the temples. Then another couple of hours of temple looking followed.
The structures are architectural masterpieces and I'm still in awe of the architects and people who built these magnificent temples in praise of Hindu gods or Buddha. They told stories in bas relief of battles, kings, and gods. The temples have been taken over in part by nature and have also suffered some damage under the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot. However, none of this detracts from their magnificence, and in some cases, may even have enhanced their stunning beauty. Many of you will know one of the temples from the Angelina Jolie film, "Tomb Raider".
I walked and walked and my feet are now killing me. I took loads of photos so will be off in a moment to look at them to find out if any of them look good.
After a quick shower at my hotel, I joined some friends on a trip to find some of the bugs and critters that Cambodians love to eat. I wasn't disappointed! Deep-fried beetles and other crispy insects were on offer at the street-side stalls. A couple of the guys tried them but I don't think they went down too well. We had coffee at a western cafe that was pleasant for relaxing and people watching. I went for a walk in the local park afterwards and chatted with a Canadian guy, his Cambodian wife and his two cute little girls. Reminded me how much I miss James and Nathaniel.
More later.....
Comments
hello there
sounds as if you are having a fab time, wish i came with you!..........looking forward to reading more now i have sussed how to get onto this bit.....take care and keep taking the photo's
Luf Kelly