Amazing Angkor Wat.

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The last couple of days have been really amazing, I left Bangkok by bus at 7.00 am on the 2nd heading for the Thai/Cambodian border crossing of Poipet, it was a comfortable five hour bus ride, and I met some really great people, who I spent the next couple of days with. The ride however from the Poipet, Thailand to Siem Reap, Cambodia was something a little different. It was about 30 people, bags and all, packet into a minibus for the six hour drive along an incredibly bumpy unmade road. Buy luckily I was next to a window and had the opportunity to see the entire countryside all the way to Siem Reap. It was really beautiful and I was amazed by how flat the landscade was, you literally could see for miles. I arrived in Siem Reap around 10:30 and after a few beers with the small community we had formed on the bus, I went to bed. But the next morning I was up at seven, overcome with excitement to see the vast Angkorian temple complex.

With Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples being Cambodia's principal tourist attraction, Siem Reap - the gateway to the temples - is in the middle of a tourist explosion, there is alot of building going up and will probably be added to all the luxuary package tours around the world, within a couple of years. But this dose not mean that the area is devoid of cultural authenticity, as there is much of that too.

I decided for a three day pass to the temples of Angkor. The first day I arrived around 9:00 am and made my way through Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Ta Phrom and Prasat Kravan. There are actually over 100 temples from the Angkor era in the vicinity. These were built between the 9th and 13th centuries, after which the Thais sacked the empire and the buildings disappeared under jungle. (From the early 13th century onwards, the rise of Theravada Buddhism also resulted in more wooden buildings, which were obviously less able to withstand the ravages of time.) The complex wasn't brought to the wider world's attention until the mid-19th century. But to satnd amonst these temples was awe inspiring, the intricacy of al the carvings and the ability to construct these monuments are absolutely amazing.

On the aecond day I got up at around 4:00 am so that I could watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat. This was one of the most surreal moments of my life, the sense of anticipation at seeing something I'd been wanting to see for years, a familiar shape crystallising out of the pre-dawn dark, the intimacy of the moment was paramount for me as I managed to find a secluded corner, and was mesmorised by the sun rising above above Angkor Wat bathing the complex in a golden light, while watching the small flocks of birds circle and land on the tallest of the spheres. From there I went through Kah Prahm, Neak Pean, Ta Phrom (The Jungle Temple) amd Pre Rup. The entire complex is phenomenal, but I was particulay taken by Ta Prom and Kah Prahm, from the jungle regions. As I had arrived at sunrise the temples after Angkor Wat were almost deserted. Something not many people get to experience. This just added to the feeling of grand scale and purpose within these monuments and I found myself sitting high in one of the tower, taking in the sights and sounds of the jungle and temple for almost an hour. Something I will never forget.

The next day, I felt like going out on my own so I grabbed my pack and went looking for a new hostel, I found an amazingly traditional guest house, a little off the main roads. Unlike the others it is completely build from wood and has a communal balconey, strung with hammocks overlooking some of the markets. I spent the night there, with some people who had also been lucky enough to find this place. The next morning I made my way down to the Old Market art the other end of Siem Reap, I really enjoyed wandering around this relaxed market, which sold everthing from the newest DVD's to live baby crocadiles ($15 US). I have really come to like Siem reap but I feel it is time to move on.

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Photos

Sunrise at Angkor Wat.
Sunrise at Angkor Wat.

Jungle Temple of Ta Phrom.
Jungle Temple of Ta Phrom.JPG

Old Market, Siem Reap.
Old Market, Siem Reap.jpg

Baby Crocadiles, Old Market.
Baby Crocadiles ($15), Old Market.jpg

Comments

[Choc block.]

Ducas...
Awesome adventures mate. Hope everythings going well...we are, and can't wait to get to Cambodia!! We also saw crocs for sale in a market yesterday in Chengdu, China.... I know someone who would've been quite unimpressed, crickey. Stay well, travel safe, Choc and Tess