Angkor Wat?

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Before I start, let me first of all state that Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples are utterly amazing. Architecturally, and Structurally they are more impressive than any of the other ancient sites I've seen.

However............The problem with Angkor Wat is that it is so damned easy to get too! Unlike Tikal, where you have to trek through the jungle, or Macchu Picchu where you have to stagger up mountains for 3 days (or get an expensive train like I did), to get to Angkor is much simpler. All you do is jump in a tuk-tuk from the middle of Siem Riep, and you're there in ten minutes!

This ease of access means that there are thousands of tourists who pack the site every day, and where there's a tourist, there are at least 5 small doe-eyed children trying to sell anything from postcards, to books, to bracelets. All of them trying to look more sorrowful than the other. Add to them the hordes of street vendors, cars, tuk-tuks, land-mine victim bands, beggars, little old ladies selling incense and ice cream vans, and it can become a bit of a circus! You have to take a fistful of one dollar bills and be prepared to buy a load of rubbish you'll never need. For what its worth, amongst other things I bought ten bracelets off a little girl, and a $6 book from a little boy who promised me that it was actually worth $95!

Don't get me wrong, the site is great, but I'd prefer it if it was just a little bit more secret, secluded, and spiritual, and less like feeling like a source of money to be drained any which way possible. There was even one Angkor official, I met at the top of a huge pyramid, who proceeded to drag me around the temple, before asking me for money for his local school. What can you do? And he works at Angkor Wat! I tried to give him some Cambodain currency (being in Cambodia and all), but for some reason he would only accept Thai money, which luckily for him I had!

The way to do Angkor is to procure a tuk-tuk driver for the day, which will cost you about $12. He picks you up at 5am, and then you join the mad tuk-tuk dash to Angkor wat for sunrise. Entrance to the site costs you $20. After sunrise, he takes you to various other temples on the site until you've either fallen asleep, or your legs don't work anymore. 'Wat fatigue' usually sets in around 11.30, (for those of you who don't know - a "Wat" is a temple), then he drops you back at your hotel where you collapse into bed.............Exhausted!

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Photos

Tim and Elephant
He's eating my arm.
Ok, not strictly at Angkor Wat, but I thought it was an amusing pic!

Sunrise over Angkor Wat
number 1. I took a few, and I can't decide which one I likedbest, so here are a few!

Sunrise over Angkor Wat
number 3

Sunrise over Angkor Wat
number 4

Sunrise over Angkor Wat
number 5

People taking photos
There were literally a couple of thousand people there taking photos.....

And a horse.......
That didn't want his "moment" to be interrupted and got angry with some Japanese who tried to take their photo with him.

Yoga
Looks quite "arty" this one doesn't it? A woman doing yoga in front of Angkor Wat at sunrise?
What you can't see however is the Japanese TV crew filming her, who were stood next to me!! Rather spoilt it a bit...........

People and lake
Why take a picture of the lake??

Tim and Angkor
How cool is he?

Angkor
Steps up to the inner part of Angkor Wat. You have to climb up the steps, and believe me, they are VERY steep, no rails, and chunks of them have eroded away up the years. Was actually quite scary geting up there, but you've got to do it haven't you!

Head on bridge
He's having a "moment" and taking the view in!

Syxx and Bayon
This is Syxx, my Aussie travelling partner in front of Bayon. She's got a love for vegemite and baked beans. Whilst in Vietnam she found a place that served 'Bacon, eggs, and beans' She was so excited, until her plate turned up..............The beans were long and green! Well, she couldn't complain because it didn't say the beans were 'baked beans' on the menu!

Tim and Bayon
Look at that, gorgeous isn't it?? And the temple's not bad either! ;0)

Tim and woman
This woman drags you over to her when you enter the temple. She hands you 3 incense sticks, then charges you one dollar. You take a photo, in order to get your money's worth, but then she charges you another dollar! Women........

Comments

[louise jackson]

8 days and counting!
i'm liking the cheeky commentary on the photos ;) See you next week - i really can't wait to get out there!!