Cambodia - Temples of Angkor
If you did not know you were in Siem Reap - if you were just going down the road - and you looked through the trees and suddenly there was Angkor Wat, stretching beyond the ruffled waters you were next to, you'd think the gods had descended to earth. Such is the impression this ancient temple creates, especially when you go in the evening and the sinking sun is shining on it.
That is obviously what its builders intended. They did not have the mountains that reach out to the gods, so they created their Macchu Picchu on earth, with much the same results. You need to see Angkor Wat in the evening, when the final rays of the sun are shining on it - that is when you see what the builders were probably striving for.
Sunrise gives a good impression too. But at midday, or late morning, the harsh light prevents you from seeing detail from a distance.
Click on the images.
 Apsaras - dancing beings - in a detail from Ankgor Wat. Notice the polished breasts - they may be stone, but people still need to touch them! |
 Phnom Bakeng, the first major temple built at Angkor. People throng it in the evening to view the surroundings. If you want to take pictures, you should shoot Ankgor Wat on your way there. |
 Setting out for Phnom Bakeng. It is a nice little hike and, if you are in halfway decent shape, you don't need to ride the elephant up - unless you want to do it for the experience. |
 A monk stands on a tower at Phnom Bakeng, observing the throngs below. |
 Angkor Wat seen from across the moat. |
 The dizzying steps leading up to the inner temple at Angkor Wat. Many choose not to negotiate them. |
 A detail of the lotus pond that fronts Angkor Wat. |
 Angkor Wat |
 Carvings from the inner area |
 The eerie Bayon temple, with more than a hundred faces in the jungle, is considered one of the strangest in the world. |
 One of the faces. |
 Close-up of the face. |
 The madonna look - superbly rendered. |
 A view of one of the temple courtyards. |
 Close-up of one Bayon's famous towers. |
| Ta Prohm is an astonishing lesson in how nature devours man's creations. Huge trees have grown over and through the temple walls, destroying all in their path and continue to grow. Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Tomb Raider movies featured one of the Ta Prohm temples. The following pictures show some of the details of the temple - the first shows the eastern entrance to the temple. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| And now to the present. This is Siem Reap today. | ||
 Snakes being readied for the frying pan outside Angkor Wat. |
 Live bats ready to be eaten. |
 A tuk tuk, the most common transport for tourists. The 100 cc motorcycle that hauls the cart rarely moves out of 2nd gear and chugs along at 10-15 mph. They charge US $12 for a day. |
 |
 Many local hotels offer dinner and apsara dance combinations. In Dec.2006 all were charging US $12. While the dance is nothing spectacular, it is a nice way of spending an evening. |
 |