Hi everyone!
We're off to the airport to head to Bali shortly, so this will have to be a rather quick post. Hopefully we'll get a chance to expand on Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples sometime in the near-ish future. If not, then this will hopefully be a sufficient overview of what we saw to satiate your curiosity.
First quick fact about Angkor: it's far more than just Angkor Wat. It is actually a massive complex with many temples in what used to be, and is still partially, a jungle setting. Much of the jungle has been removed to allow people easier access, but the jungle is still very much present in some parts.
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| Temple monkeys! Proof that the jungle remains |
I'll start off with Angkor Wat, which was the first temple that we went to see. It is absolutely incredible to see from a distance. The scale of it truly is amazing.
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| Angkor Wat |
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| Close up of the towers |
Also impressive were the galleries that lined the halls surrounding the inner temple. Each hallway is lined with giant floor to ceiling bas-relief murals that stretch the length of the hall, illustrating various mythological and historical scenes.
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| Part of one of the murals |
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| Close-up of a mural. The shiny black parts are from where people have touched them repeatedly |
On our first day we also went to see Bayon, which is the most photographed temple at Angkor. Built by Jayavarman VII, there were originally 49 towers etched with over 200 faces of Lokesvara. Now only 37 towers remain, but they still some of the most stunning architecture I have ever seen.
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| View of Bayon from the front |
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| On the raised central terrace looking out towards two of the towers |
After visiting Bayon we went over to the nearby Elephant Terrace, which is one of only two remaining structures that are not religious. The terrace was attached to the palace, serving as the base to the king's audience hall, and was also used by King Jayavarman VII to view his returning armies.
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| A monk waking near the base of the terrace |
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| We never did figure this sign out... |
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| Kaelin near some elephant carvings |
On our second day we went to see some of the less well known temples and then visited Ta Phrom. Ta Phrom is best known for being the setting for part of the "Tomb Raider" movie and for the massive trees that grow on the walls. Second quick fact about Angkor: the trees that grow on the temple are not actually unique to Ta Phrom. Unlike the other temples, Ta Phrom was left in the condition in which it was found. The other temples were cleaned up and the trees removed to better preserve them.
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| Entrance to Ta Phrom |
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| Kaelin showing off one of the giant trees |
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| Close-up of a giant root |
On our last day there we opted to wake up at 4:30 in the morning to see the sun rise over Angkor Wat. Despite the unholy hour of the morning, the view we were treated to was well worth it.
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| Angkor Wat at dawn, reflected in the pond |
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| Pink light behind the towers |
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| Close-up of a tower with the orange sky behind it |
I'm not sure when we'll have a chance to update the blog next as we'll be spending the next two weeks in Bali and then will be heading straight to the east coast of Australia to see the Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree Rainforest, the beaches, and visit with some friends in Brisbane. Should be an excellent time!
