Cambodia Redeems Itself


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Asia » Cambodia » North » Angkor
September 23rd 2007
Published: September 23rd 2007
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So I was a little peeved about the whole bus scam thing, but after 2 days at the Temples of Angkor, I'm opening up to Cambodia. Yesterday we saw Angkor Wat and part of Angkor Thom, and today we did the rest of Angkor Thom and a bunch of the smaller surrounding temples. It was all very cool. I was really looking forward to Angkor Wat, but I wasn't expecting to be as blown away as I was. I couldn't get over how big it was to start off, but then all the little details that were everywhere made it almost unreal. I couldn't get over that it was built almost 1000 years ago.The rest of Angkor was also very cool (though not quite as impressive or as well-preserved as Angkor Wat). Bayon was crazy because it had 216 giant faces carved into it's walls and peaks. Ta Prohm was very neat because it was taken over by giant trees, the roots of which covered the walls and made for some very cool photographs. At the end of today our driver took us to Phnom Bakeng, which was a mountain (and I use that term fairly loosely) that we climbed and could see the sun setting and the region surrounding us from a temple at the top. It was very cool.Tomorrow morning we head to Phnom Penh. I'm hoping this bus journey goes better than the last (though even if it doesn't, at least this one was only $5!).


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Stairs at Angkor WatStairs at Angkor Wat
Stairs at Angkor Wat

These steps were about half as deep and twice as tall as they should have been!
Nate at top of stairsNate at top of stairs
Nate at top of stairs

Fortunately the built some "proper" steps and a railing up to the top of the temple. These consisted of smaller blocks that didn't really do much to help the problem, and a railing that was made of the thinnest pipe I'd ever seen. So SCARY!
Me at BayonMe at Bayon
Me at Bayon

GIANT FACES EVERYWHERE!
Me at Ta PhromMe at Ta Phrom
Me at Ta Phrom

These trees were sweet.
Amok, Cambodia's national dishAmok, Cambodia's national dish
Amok, Cambodia's national dish

Okay, I really like Cambodian food. I was worried that I would starve on this trip. Now I'm worried that I'm going to get fat. Amok is coconut milk, fish, chillies, onion, spinach and "khmer ingredient" all served in a banana leaf with rice. Delicious!


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