Cambodia - Siem Reap... the gateway to the temples of Angkor. Nestled between rice paddies and stretched along the Siem Reap river, the provincial capital of Siem Reap city serves as the gateway to the millennium-old ruins of the Angkorian-era Khmer empire. Designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the Angkor Archaeologiacal Park encompasses dozens of temple ruins including the labyrinth-like Bayon, mysterious Ta Prohm and the legendary majestic Angkor Wat whose artistic and archaeological significance and visual impact put it in a class with the pyramids, Machu Pichu and the ancient Mayan ruins.
Alarm clock is set for 4am for an early start for Angkor Wat. Surprisingly plenty of eager misty-eyed tourists jostling for tickets at the booths at that ungodly hour. The ticketing booths were impressive. Well manned, well organised and very efficient. Every person is issued with a ticket bearing one's photograph (albeit with eyes half asleep), fee paid with the dates of our visit clearly printed.
Dancers with their fancy adornments and traditional costumes walking ahead of us hoping to make some money posing for photographs with tourists.
Doorway and stone wall carvings from another era.
Hot on the heels of a monk. Locals get to enjoy their national monuments without having to pay a cent.
A sign clearly warns to make no attempts to climb what looks like the stairway to heaven. But this recalcitrant monk obviously had other ideas. Blame it on the little feet of construction crew or plain erosion but these steps are so little and unusually steep it was remarkable that this monk scrambled up to the top with the help of all fours without so much as a slip or slide off his little flip flops.
There he is again... agile recalcitrant monk in flip flops. Ummm, maybe. They all look the same (!). Serving a couple of years as a monk is much like a national service. During their time as a monk, men rely on begging and the generosity of others for their meals and shelter. Not surprisingly almost all of them will tell you that that would have been the leanest and hungriest time of their lives. They are also prohibited from touching females.
There are many little shrines set up in the little chambers inside the Angkor Wat. Offer a little donation and they'll tie a cotton band around your wrist mumbling some blessing in the process. I left Cambodia with a wrist full of these bands. Hopefully with blessings in tact.
Our paths kept crossing with this Laotian monk. He asked us to take his photos and in return he let me take photos of him. All this communication established through sign language and eye movements.
Here's one...
Ta Prohm was one of my favourite places to visit. There's something quite mysterious and unearthly about these giant tree roots in jungle surroundings. I imagine the place to be spooky when the sun goes down with those magnificent tree roots slithering around, cradling and enveloping the temples and anything in its way like long, loving talons.
This particular spot is roped off as a special photo opp as a scene from Lara Croft was filmed right at this spot. I've been told it involves Lara Croft in a fight scene.
Unusual tree in the grounds of Ta Prohm. Interesting shape. Hmmmm...
Tomb stone of someone important or wealthy, judging from the opulence.
Temple grounds of a village temple.
This one probably represents the humble tombstone of someone ordinary and not very wealthy.
There are so many temples in and around Siem Reap. You can be all templed out at the end of a day. The ruins, however, are only getting from bad to worse. My recommendation is to see it before it deteriorates further.
