Angkor Wat

The eighth Wonder of the World ...

My photos do not do justice to this incredible site. Instead, permit me to offer you a short tour captured by the UNESCO video team.

Siem Reap

After a few nights in Hanoi, we flew to Siem Reap, Cambodia. The flight took less than 2 hours. After the frenetic pace in Hanoi, it was nice to spend time in a city of only 140,000 people. That is not to say that it is not congested.

For the life of me, I can’t imagine how someone learns to drive in these countries … let alone seems to have fun doing it. But I did see Westerners veering in and out of traffic on their motorbikes … so it must be possible.¹

We visited the street market, which came alive with lights at night.

Haggling is an absolute requirement. We purchased a scarf from the first vendor we encountered for $10. We had negotiated the price down from $20 and felt good about the purchase. We were offered the same scarf for $5 a few blocks later. Oh well, it's a first-world problem.

I did take this photo.

Angkor Wat Day 1

However, the big draw of Siem Reap is Angkor Wat, one of the most important archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. Stretching over 400 square kilometers (over 150 square miles), it includes numerous temples, dikes, canals, reservoirs, and forests, and is inhabited … not only by monks but by villages of farmers.

We began our tour at the spot above. From this vantage point, we could see the original temple built in the early 12th century under the direction of Khmer King Suryanvaram II. It was originally a Hindu Temple dedicated to Vishnu, acting as the State Temple (capital) and the future mausoleum of the king. It incorporates the temple mountain design (representing Mt Meru, the Hindu physical and metaphysical center of the universe) surrounded by elaborately sculpted galleries.

Nearly every inch of the long gallery walls are covered with bas reliefs as are the columns and some ceilings.

It is impossible to imagine how this could be built in only 28 years. The art, the engineering … a rain collection system is seamlessly designed into the temple and feeds reservoirs. The fact that the temple is built on an exact axis … without the aid of a cellphone.

While the steps you see in the video above are not available to the public (thank goodness), wooden stairs have been constructed to allow access to the uppermost area of the temple. We climbed the stairs…got separated … and I got lost for a bit.

The next morning.

Day 2

We departed before dawn the next morning to see the sun rise over the complex. It was well worth the 5:00 wake-up call. We then relaxed, traveling by gondola on the moat that encircles the temples. We crossed a bridge to Angkor Thom, built by Jayavaram VII in the late 12th century, who had converted to Buddhism at the urging of his wife.

On either side of the bridge.

Like Angkor Wat bas reliefs tell stories on nearly every wall surface.

And, four Buddha heads are carved into the top of every “mountain”.

However, what makes this site so remarkable are the trees that grow around and through these ancient structures. Again, the following video does a far better job than I can.

If you find yourself in this part of the world, I strongly recommend you visit Angkor Wat. You needn’t be Hindu or Buddhist to feel a spirit within and around you when you visit. It truly is a wonder…

Na próxima semana, últimas reflexões sobre a nossa viagem ao Vietname e ao Camboja, tchau

Nanc

1. This, along with the language and much more, made us reflect on how easy it is for an American to move and adapt to Europe. We have friends who have moved to Thailand … but they are English and Scottish. A far more adventurous and adaptive crew, I think.