Temple bum..

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Two days left on my visa, riding into Siem Reap. A sleeper bus, again enjoyed, I like this travel way. An excellent stop off on the way where I met Bene again on her way to Vietnam! A big hug, laughs and a shared bunch of bananas, naturally!

A morning arrival and I am excited to see some wonders the next day.



I'd been reading up more on the temples and was surprised to see they were set over 300km in total! Whilst the history was really something - the feats of achievement and of the religious, spiritual and kingdom building symbology at the height of the mighty Angkor empire. Most of the complexes were hidden for near 600 years by the jungle, abandoned; leaving a myth between Cambodians of a great, hidden (lost?) city.

There's the largest of ancient walled cities at Angkor Thom, though for much of its life only royal, religious and noble folk would be allowed inside; the common people only getting peaks of temple heads and stunning outer wall artwork. The first class irrigation system had supported strong population and centre growth, but the pushing of building projects by ambitious, unswerving kings went to the point of breakdown and, ultimately, empire decline. Angkor could no longer work as a centre. People moved out, to independently cultivate the fertile land.





So, I took the easy choice today, a one person tuk-tuk tour about a circuit of well trodden highlight temple complexes. A 5am start to make sunrise at Angkor Wat.



The colours of the sky. The increasingly contrasting, awakening, silhouettes of the famous 5 lotus shaped centre prangs as I walk along the causeway, beside the huge moat and up along the cruciform platform, to sit beyond the lake for sunrise. Honestly, this raved about sunrise spot didn't blow me away, though it was very calm and I watched with a similar feeling.



But, on going within the complex - wow. I was then blown right away.

The intricacies, the vast spaces, of the number of turns and openings and frames; all beautifully decorated - no spots left untouched by skillful hand and creative eye. The more you looked, the more you saw. Textures, inscriptions, Hindu god etchings, then Buddha set off the column's other angle. Geometric gaze incissors then more flowing patterns being noticed. Lotuses, nagas, delicate flowers, monkeys, symbolic steps to heaven - the narrow stepped inclines to the centre towers (a pretty tough walk!) were made so that all would naturally bow as they venture upward; including me today, lucky to be up there looking out at the ancient kingdom.

Angkor Wat was the empire's centre, and it remains the largest religious monument in the world (Angkor footprint tour).





Angkor Wat was built in many dedicated ways to represent Mount Meru and its five peaks, as Hinduism's sacred centre of the universe.. so much so its a rare example of a westward facing temple (toward death). It is a monument dedicated to Vishnu, directed in build by Angkor's own 'god kings'.

After Angkor's decline, this area was inhabited by Buddhist monks, keeping the jungle at bay and introducing the gallery of a thousand buddhas.



Then there's the huge bas relief on outer walls (that common people could see) depicting scenes of kings and the famous Hindu story The Churning of the Sea Milk, at the creation of the world (this would be seen elsewhere too). These were fantastic, walking along the huge walls, nose up close, eyes taking in the art in a little trance.



The overall build style was now aged to such layering and colouring, separate bricks melted and dusted away; marbled stodges. I really liked these, so much character, story, as individual bricks stood strong or sloped, nestled into partners. So many pieces, brought together in a compact community that seemed to have its own movement; then a figure, a garuda bird poking out overhead, then there a fine stone drawing.

Its no surprise that the Cambodian flag would be the world's only that features its national monument, stunning.

It's also true, and to keep in mind, that so much of Angkor's built world used slave labour. Like much of our world's left pieces, those at the bottom of the social hierarchy (peasants, war capturees) carried the bricks and built as their burden and were pushed to work so far that many would die from this.









On coming out I sat within the grounds, on a rock, a horse over there, stunning trees all about. It was a magical place. With treasures left from bygone artisans all about.

This will be one of my blogs where I simply have to let the photos take over!*



But, in an inadequate summary of my main day stops -



2) Angkor Thom

The biggest walled city, split between the land of god, and the land of men, with gates built with the headroom for elephants under parasols. The ride up to the city ruins was itself guarded by giant faces; demons one side, gods the other. This was the last great city of the empire, 100 years after Angkor Wat. And was rebuilt after attacks, with a 100m moat, probably once containing crocodiles, and high stone walls beyond that.



2i) Here's a quote I read before entering the Bayon temple area from an early French explorer, “I looked up at the tree-covered towers which dwarfed me, when all of a sudden my blood curdled as I saw an enormous smile looking down on me, and then another smile on another wall, then three, then five, then 10, appearing in every direction.” Yes, I totally got that. To have been watched, to have seen. Beaming, skeptical, knowing, peaceful and encouraging faces look out from the centre and its 51 surrounding towers - to north, south, east and west; to you.

I think my favourite built parts were these - the spectacular cheek, lip and feature curving of the Bayon heads about the labyrinth.





2ii) the Royal palace and approach (Victory Gate), then the Elephant and Leper terraces



The terrace of elephants, possibly an old reception hall of the kings, has lifesize stone elephants in hunting scenes protruding out the walls. You could walk ontop, and also through the bendy lanes between the high walls where a jigsaw of stone pieces and carved figures guided your way.



The terrace of the leper king may have been for cremations of the aristocracy, and was set upon huge walls of elaborate figures, it has hindu gods, nagas and garudas carved in, in such detail. It is a beguilling sight from afar, and a dazzling scene up close.





2iii) Baphuon temple

Reached by a long pathway over pools once used for bathing, this pyramid temple probably used to be tipped in gold like others of the Angkor complex. It has upper level gallery pathways, one passageway reminded me of Hogwarts(!) strangely, and from here there were stunning views of the royal enclosure, where the palaces once were, and back out to the Bayon.



3) Ta Keo

A tall temple with five tower shrines supported on a five tiered pyramid. It was one of the first temples to be built entirely of sandstone, and whilst previous tower complexes had entrances only on the east side, it had openings on all four sides. I didn't go into this one but sat on the grassy front, by the reaching up of stretching tree roots, and I read about Angkor. My book had an interesting account on the life and culture of the city from the records of a Chinese diplomat.





I was really enjoying my day! Just me, with my nice tuk tuk driver riding between the complexes. Then dropped off, I'd explore each area with time; instrumental music in my ears, appreciating all the art and masterpieces, the beautiful trees and grounds. Putting the Angkor region in context, it was probably beyond the held up masterpieces of the past ages in spirit, splendour, skill and scale. I found the most stunning built things I'd ever seen here.





4) Ta Phrom

Oh, this was a favourite! The trees now ruled here. The walk up and entrances were lost to dense foilage. And inside, the trees had crept and snuck and meandered into being very present citizens of this temple complex. And for me, they were the nobility, the city's wise, the dancers, the social movers, the artists, the natural leaders. And they were reclaiming the city.

How to describe how those roots grabbed about the walls, branches stepping through stone gaps, trunks shooting up and the walls either side slanting out to get a look up to the admired tree tops. The trees were swimming through stone, diving into crevices and reaching out grasping for breath.

The trees of Ta Phrom, and elsewhere; the bayan, strangler fig trees, silk-cotton trees, borassus..



Ta Phrom was built in 1186 to house the divine image of the queen mother, and would become a place to house thousands of monks and officials, with 18 abbots. At its glorious peak it would hold diamonds, pearls, dancers, hundreds of parosals.. though it is believed that over 70,000 people were required for its upkeep.



It has become a most mysterious and enchanting place. The stuff of vague temple fantasy, games, stories, Angelina Jolie movies.. Yet here, simply, so real.

I was glad to have a lot of time here and to meander about myself. To see, to touch, to notice.





Temple bum. Happy, enchanted, grateful.





*Poor camera feels it is time to go home, so is making a stand by not exchanging photos anymore. So here, the photo upload ends in Angkhor Thom, for now!

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