Chamraoen's Home, Siem Reap, Day 3

It's Angkor day! We set off with our tuk tuk driver at 8am and soon find ourselves with tickets in hand and passing through he checkpoint into the park. I first thought it was Angkor Wat and a few small temples, but it soon becomes apparent it is on a much larger scale then i imagined.
Our first stop is the famous Angkor Wat. The largest religious monument in the World (according to the internet, possbly fake news) is such a symbol of national pride that is stands in the centre of the flag. It is soon apparent why. As you walk over the bridge towards the temple, leaving the tuk tuk driver in the car park, you forst catch a glimpseof the towers looming over the huge stone gate that leads in. We stay at Angkor Wat for around ninety minutes, and could have stayed ninety more. The place is huge, and the carvings that seem to take up all of the wall space are so intricate and precise that it is impossible to comprehend it has all been created by human hand. Today is Saturday though, so unfortunately we are sharing this experience with a lot of other people who are constantly jostling to make their way through the corridors and get the best angle for their photo. The great thing about Angkor Wat though, is there are many places you can escape the madness. The gardens round the back of the temple are beautiful and give great views of the temple itself, and the lakes by the front are great to see the reflection in as you sit on a rock lakeside.
It's a good start to the day, and our next stop is Bayon. We pass under a huge stone gate, being looked down on by the face built into it as we enter the Angkor Thom square. Bayon is one we have been excited for, and it doesn't dissapoint. As you pull up the many faces (of Buddha?) Look out territorially. It's not quite the walk from the car park as Ankor Wat, and you can soon climb up the stairs until you are in line with the rock faces. This place is even busier then Angkor Wat, and at points it is a push to make your way around, but the views are just as good. The stone hallways and buildings that you can walk in and listen to the bats above give it a sense of eeriness that Angkor Wat doesn't, and some of the faces are so well sculpted it is astonishing. We walk back down the stairs and unknowingly come out of the wrong entrance. We can see a temple named Baphuon (i think) a short walk away so assume that is part of this stop. It is a steep climb to the top of Baphuon which is a lot more run down then the previous temples, but the views at the top are great. We then head down past the terrace of the leper king, and through a corridor full of small sculptures of mythical figures that is great. It is when we finally get back on the road we realise we don't know where we are and we have been two hours. A quick look at the map tells us we are quite a way away, so we head back to Bayon. It's a ten minute walk, and we soon get back, only to realise there are four car parks. It takes three attempts to find the right one, and our driver soon pulls up after doing a loop looking for us!
The next stop is Ta Keo, a sandstone temple wih a very steep and dishevelled staircase running to the top. It is a tough climb up, and an even tougher one down, but the temples on top are worth it.
Ta Prohm is next. A temple famous for the Tomb Raider film that was shot there. It is a change to the other temples as it is surrounded by huge trees that have become interwoven with the rocks. A few in particular are stunning as the huge roots twist through the walls, leading to gigantice trees. It is another great place, with many great carvings in the walls, but the nature that has become one with the temple really makes this one. Walking through the many different hallways and gardens is awesome, and it is considerably quieter then Angkor Wat and Bayon which makes a welcome change!
By now our legs are starting to ache, and the final temple of the day is Banteay Kdei, a small mazelike structure that consist of a long walkway throughout. It's not as spectacular as the others but still very cool. When we arrive back in the tuk tuk we are relieved to head back as our legs are aching and we are covered in sweat. We get back to the room and crash, only leaving for tea he rest of the night. What a day, and our three day pass means we can do it all again soon!Baca lagi