Angkor What?

Oh ya, I went there, I made the cheesy “Angkor what” joke- so sue me! Wait please don’t, it’s not trademarked is it? 

It's like a village but floating, get it?

If you actually do not know what Angkor Wat is, please allow me to tell you… Angkor Wat is a temple complex that is so important to the Cambodian people they put it on their flag. In fact it should be important to the world considering it is so damn old. Ya, it was built in the early 12^th century by the Khmer empire and still is the largest Hindu temple complex in the world (though it is currently used as a Buddhist site).

Ooooo ahhhhh, sunrise at the Wat

My sis and I spent three whole days touring this and all the surrounding temples.  We had a guide and chauffeur which may sound fancy but really was low key and a great way to meander through the temple sites as well as the town of Kompong Phluck. Our chauffeur we deemed “Jose” for his uncanny imitation of our cousin, and our guide was a kind spirited man who was enthusiastic about Cambodian history.  Many of the details are already lost but I do know there was a King  Suryavarman and a bunch of King Jayavarman’s. The way our guide repeated and repeated those names it stays with you.  …and in 13 hundred King Jayavarman……

Chister, that Ri diet is workin' for ya

Angkor Wat was used by ousted Khmer Rouge soldiers in 1979 as a sort of shield, knowing that people would not want to, say, bomb them there, and risk damage to the historic site. The best part of the temple is the extensively and ornately carved walls. There are hundreds if not thousands of Apsara dancers carved in bas-relief all around. There are also all sorts of Hindu stories and legends depicted; my fav was one showing the seven layers of hell. I wouldn't want to be banished to the worst, there’s some freaky and graphic stuff carved on those ancient walls, I’ll tell ya that!

It's not as lonely at the top as you might think

This guy shoulda known better

There were three other temples out of innumerous that we saw, that really stuck with me. The first Banteay Srei was a tiny little temple site compared to others, but the rose colored stone and ultra meticulous carvings made this the most beautiful.

Now, the other two sites can only be described as jaw dropping and surreal. Bayon is a marvel of mans creation and Ta Prohm is a marvel of the power of nature. 

Faces barely noticeable at a distance

 Bayon is covered in over 200 stone carved faces. It’s the kind of place you rub your eyes to be sure what you are seeing is real, and somehow amazingly it is. The 12^th century apparently had some brilliant and visionary minds. 

oh, you don't hang out at temples?

Ta Phohm, is not noted for the structure it’s self, but for the trees that have sprung out of and around literally the walls and roofs. Over centuries of neglect, we now see full grown strangler fig and other tropical varieties of trees curling around ancient walls. It’s a testament to nature and so fantastical that if a fairy or maybe a multiple headed elephant were to pop out, you would not bat an eye for what would seem fitting.