Wat an amazing place

We started our day at Angkor Wat. Built in the 1100’s, It is one of the largest religious monuments in the world. As we approached the site, the first thing that was obvious was the giant moat surrounding the complex. The water was sparkling in the morning light, with green vegetation on both sides. After parking, we walked over a floating bridge, added recently to safely deliver tourists to the gate. As we crossed the bridge, the three towers were prominent on the horizon. The complex has been in use, since its construction, and there are about 20 monks currently living on site. The complex was built with lava rock and sandstone. It’s surprising that the sandstone has weathered as well as it has; however, it is a heavy rock and the bottom of the pillars show noticeable where from the weight. We were saddened at the sight of several beheaded Buddha statues. The antiquities have been raided over the years and sold to museums and collectors. Apparently a museum in Paris has several pieces, but they will not return them because Cambodia cannot “prove” they were taken from them. There was still plenty to look at. One temple represents Mt Meru, the center of the universe. How often do you get to stand right in the middle of the universe? The other temple has elaborate stories carved into the wall, encircling the entire building. One relief displayed the realms of heaven and hell, with the good people of earth walking between them. Down the wall to the right of center was a depiction of judgment at death, with a whole group of people headed downward.

It was very hot, so we were relieved to get in the van and head to Ta Prohm, or the Raiders of the Lost Ark temple. It was my favorite, mostly for the atmosphere. The jungle has taken over the complex, with banyan trees growing over and through the stone structures. It was an incredible sight; Angkor Wat would look the same, if not for being occupied all these centuries. Oddly, and the guide couldn’t give an explanation, there are two dinosaurs depicted in the carvings on one of the temples. Remember, these were built in the 1100’s, so I don’t understand how a carving that is very clearly a stegosaurs appears on the side of the building. Super weird.

My favorite part was the gate as we were walking out. On second glance I saw a face, then we realized there were four Buddha faces, each carved in the separate directions. Someone said something about Raiders of Lost Ark, so I guess I’ll have to watch it again and see if it’s there.

We drove an hour to visit Banteay Srie. Although our guide said that it was a temple, where women were allowed to worship, it was not built by women. The name means Citadel of the Women, so there was some confusion. Our guidebook said that how much women may have worked on it is still up for debate. The argument lies in the relief carvings. Some have argued that the carvings are so intricate that a man’s hand would have been too large to create the detail that exists. Regardless, it was a beautiful and peaceful site.Read more