Cambodia- Angkor Wat
hen we were traveling through Asia we made a quick stop in Cambodia to see Angkor Wat. When I say quick, I mean less than 24 hours. We booked a private car from Bangkok to Siam Reap. The driver picked us up at 3am for a 6 hour drive to the temple. When we arrived in Siam Reap, our private tour guide was waiting and ready to show us around.
Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world by land area. Originally constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu for the Khmer Empire, it was gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the 12th century, and as such it is also described as a "Hindu-Buddhist" temple.
At first glance Angkor Wat looks like an old stone temple. Upon closer inspection, you find that the walls are covered in unique carvings representing both hindu and buddhist story telling. Our guide was fabulous at pointing out what some of the different carvings meant.
Our guide then took us to the surrounding area to explore. The south gate entrance of Angkor Thom is lined with stone gods and demons,. The figures on the left, exhibiting serene expression, are the gods, while those on the right, with grimaced, fierce-looking heads, are the demons.
Ta Prohm is the modern name of the temple in Siem Reap, Cambodia, built in the Bayon style largely in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. Ta Prohm is in much the same condition in which it was found. The trees growing out of the ruins are perhaps the most distinctive feature. You might recognize this site from the movie Tomb Raider.
After an extremely long day starting at 3am we finally made it back to our hotel at 11pm. We were beat but very glad we took the trip on our first day in Bangkok. I think I would recommend a night here to explore rather than trying to rush the day.
