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Published: March 16th 2017
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Unless I have not gone to sleep, my sunrises are few and far between and are generally only reserved for special occasions. These occasions number a few on my journey and Angkor Wat was definitely a place that would be "sunrise worthy". I did indeed watch the pink sun rise from the East in the Cambodian jungle revealing what is known as the largest religious site on the planet. The mighty Angkor Wat. The sight of the complex in the first moments of the new dawn rob you of words. It is an incredible feeling and an even more stupendous sight. Angkor Wat was the final stop and the sunrise the pinnacle moment of my three day exploration of the extensive ancient city complex of Angkor.
Getting into Cambodia, I'll spare you most of the details. This blog will mainly focus on Angkor; not my times in the city of Siem Reap - of which thier were some good ones. But it it would not be one of my blogs without some simple cost background. So it cost me an arm and a leg. $35 for the 16 hour bus ride from Si Phan Don and $30 for the Cambodian
Visa. I had spent $65 (Cambodia like Ecuador uses the $USD) before I had even done anything in the country. Couple this with the three day pass into Angkor for $40 and my reluctance to explore the immense site via bicycle (I hired a moto for $35 for the three days) and I had spent $140 in the first 24 hours. I spent that much in one week in Laos. Money aside, all of these choices I made rather than doing this event on the cheap was absolutely the correct decision. My first day I went into the ancient city of Angkor Thom which contains numerous temples, royal palaces, and vast public terraces and lakes that date back to the 9th century. Angkor was the royal city of grandeur for the Khmer Empire that dominated Asia and had an advanced civilization when Europe was still in the dark ages.
Of the many sites I visited on this first day my favorite by far was Ta Prohm, also known as the "Tomb Raider" temple as many scenes for the movie were shot here. This temple was special for me as no real restoration has been done on it. The authorities
have left it in its current state which showcases Mother Nature and the jungle reclaiming the land which is rightfully theirs over the millennia.
Even with the crowds, here at Angkor you have the freedom to move about the Wats as you please and you are able to be alone amidst the history. You can explore every nook and cranny of the sites and find hidden gems amongst the ancient walls. A refreshing policy, although I think it comes at a cost of the sustainability of the temples with people climbing and going where they please. Admittedly I was among them.
With all of the different sites to visit in the massive city of Angkor, each individual place has its own distinctive feel which keeps things interesting. Some temples were constructed with different materials, some had different sculptures, whether it be elephants, Buddha's, or faces of Kings in the stones. Most all temples had very intricate detailed carvings on all of the walls. The Khmers were great artisans and great architects. The empire at its height must have been stunning. I would often try and imagine what it would be like to live within the city thousands of
years ago.
Exploring the city, even on a motobike, over the course of three days is a lot of work. The steps to the tops of the complexes are very steep, the passageways narrow, and the Cambodian heat is blistering. It really does take a toll on you and it is easy to become fatigued. But a historical site of this significance, you must push forward. I really liked how some of the major temple sites were still surrounded by moats and lakes thousands of years old. I cannot even imagine the manpower it took to create this place.
Truly a special experience to be here and explore this once and still - mighty city. The city of Angkor and its most famous resident Angkor Wat have been on my radar for a long time and especially so since I got to this region of the world. I hope that it continues to be available for generations to come so everyone has a chance to witness this grand place.
Saving the best for last I awoke at 5am for the ride to Angkor Wat in order to be there as the sun rose up from its slumber
in the East. I felt like a true explorer or an archaeologist of old walking through the darkness of the corridors to the feet of the mighty temple. It was a great day and a really cool thing to be able to do. The days here will be forever etched in my memory.
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