Part One: The Temples
The Forsters flew in from Pittsburgh and three days later we headed off to Cambodia. We decided to take the $10 bus ticket rather than the $350 plane ticket. I know: A bus to Cambodia. Sounds crazy but the trip up was great. Good time for us all to catch up and reconnect. We took a comfortable bus to Phnom Penh, spent the night and then took a "private car" to Siem Reap, where Angkor and the temples are.
Our private car.
We saw this scene for about 6 hours.
Houses on stilts to avoid flooding and to create a cool, living space underneath.
Massive piles of hay or straw out front.
Houses on stilts to avoid flooding and to create a cool, living space underneath.
Massive piles of hay or straw out front.
Here is our crew in the National Museum in Phnom Penh before we headed to Siem Reap the next day.
Many of the artifacts from Angkor are protected here.
Many of the artifacts from Angkor are protected here.
If they are not being held together by the roots of amazing trees (see Part Two) then many of the ruins are held together in other ways.
All temples seem to be in various stages of disintegration or restoration.
All temples seem to be in various stages of disintegration or restoration.
In front of Angkor Wat
A detail (above) of the carvings on the wall (below)surrounding Angkor Wat,
that depicts the entire Ramayana.
that depicts the entire Ramayana.
Inside Angkor Wat (above and below)
It is both wonderful and tragic that you can climb all over these ruins, built starting in 900bc. Wonderful because it was real hands-on learning for the cousins and tragic as the 2 million visitors each year are really taking their toll.
It was really hard to take it all in while we were there. The sheer immensity of it all (the largest religious monument in the world) was breathtaking. We'd drive by temples on our way to a temple and the temple we just drove by would be the most magnificent thing you've ever seen. It wasn't until I got home and looked at photos of this place with us in them, that it struck me where we were. So much for living in the moment I suppose, but I feel so fortunate to have visited this amazing place.
fortunate, indeed, Mike. Wow! So glad you all had this rare opportunity. Looking forward to the next three posts!! Hugs and love, Mom
ReplyDeleteThese temples are great! So are the people. It was hot as a...well it was hot when I was there (June), but it was amazing. Lots of restoration from German people, but yeah it is both sad and amazing that you can walk all over these.
ReplyDeleteMy tour guide however, picked me up at the airport totally drunk and offered my ANYTHING I could think of on the ride to the hotel. He said if I could think of it, he could get it. He was an interesting fellow, a little creepy once sober, but a nice guy all around.
But Siem Reap is one of my favorite places ever!
You're doing a good job with the new camera, Mike. I appreciate every one of these photos and look forward to the rest that you post. Looks like you had a really good trip. Just wish I could have gone too!
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