The Incredible Temples of Angkor

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I arrived in Cambodia through an "unofficial" border crossing from Laos, set deep into the forest off a long, tiny dirt track. Immigration control was a small wooden hut, and we were obliged to give a bribe to the officers that manned it to let us through; this is standard procedure.

Once on the other side, we boarded our transport to Siem Reap, which I like to call: The Rust Bucket. But who am I to judge? As far as I know all vans in Cambodia have doors held together with masking tape, that don't fit the frame, and ocasionally fall off. Perhaps cracked windscreens and no glass in the front windows are the norm, and who needs two windscreen wipers and headlights when one will do? Maybe I'm not used to engine radiators hanging from the driver's seat in the form of a jerrycan and hosepipe leading to the engine, but that's why you go travelling, to open your mind! Interesting journey though.

Siem Reap is the location of the temples of Angkor, without doubt the must-see of Cambodia, if not South-East Asia. Spread over hundreds of acres surrounding this town, countless temples were built over a thousand years ago by various previous rulers of the Khmer empire, each one trying to outdo their predecessors.

The one, true wonder of the temples is Angkor Wat, the largest religious structure in the world. Like Machu Picchu in Peru, it is unthinkable how people with so little help in the way of machinery and experience could build such an amazing place. Its three towers looms over you as you walk up the long causeway towards it, trying take photos of it without:

a) any of the hundreds of tourists that visit it each day, and

b) any of the green tarpaulin and scaffolding that signifies areas of restoration (why do they have to do that when I'm here?).

The temple is also exquisitely decorated, with intricately detailed carvings of myths and legends set into the walls wherever you look. Whichever king built this guy was definitely the winner.

I won't tell you about all the temples, but we did visit one that was apparently the set for the Tomb Raider film, though I haven't seen it. Left to ruin hundreds of years ago, vegetation started to sprout out all over the place, such that there are huge trees on top of the old walls and rocks, their roots forming a thick mesh as they slip in between cracks in the bricks.

Due to restrictions of time, I sadly could not spend longer than a day here, although there is so much to see that they offer a three-day and even a week-long pass. However, the next day I had to catch a bus to the capital, Phnom Penh, to see a very different - and much darker - slice of Cambodian history.

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Photos

Tree-guarded temple door
This may have been used as the set of Tomb Raider.

Laos Immigration Control
This is actually the immigration office between Laos and Cambodia. It was in the middle of a forest!

Comments

[lucy and marios]

Your photos are amazing! What incredible temples! We are still enjoying reading about your solo travels and looking at the photos. We look forward to new entries. Any more carrots on the horizon?!! Take care!xxxxxxxxx