Angkor Wat today, and what a day! Up at 04.30, met Det (our tuk-tuk driver) and Paean (our guide) at 05.00, out to the temples for sunrise. So worth it! Infinitely more spectacular than the Mongolian morning. Can feel the tiredness hitting me now though.
AW is only one of numerous temples scattered to the north of SR. We spent nearly nine hours there, and only visited the highlights.
AW is the most well know, probably because it offers the best photos - towers that stick up above the forest roof, reflecting pools, huge panels of relief sculpture (telling the store of the Ramayana, and the Churning of the Sea of Milk). AW is only about a quarter of the size of Angkor Thom, which is an enclosure containing several temples. Bayon, Baphuon (with the golden lingua), Phimeanakas were all that we managed to see.
Then Chau Say Thevada, Ta Keo, Ta Prohm and Banteay Kdei.
It would take pages and pages to describe the wonder and beauty of the temples. Sheer magnificence. Neglected beauty. Temples reclaimed by nature, used as houses, military bases and palaces.
Paean was the best guide we could hope for - full of information, not only about the temple art and architecture, but also Khmer history - wars with Siam (Thailand) and Champa (Vietnam), Pol Pot's regime and the end of it with the civil war in 1989. Full of smiles, as was Det. Don't think we could've asked for a better day really. No rain, so lots of sweating.
Met our Dutch friends from the fish massage yesterday. For one temple, the women had to cover their legs. We bumped into Dirk sitting outside in a sarong because his gf Indra had taken his trousers. His friend was somewhere in the jungle with the runs. Unfortunate.
Back to bed for a nap, then dinner. Khmer barbecue. Crocodile was a bit of a let-down - somewhere between pork and chicken. Then to sample the local Guinness. Only foreign extra. Guy at the bar started chatting to us. The owner apparently. Half-French, half-Cameroon. Got offended when I asked how he met his Irish wife. Then he offered to buy us a round as an apology. Reckon he was on a power trip. Left anyway, back for much needed sleep.
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| Seb and Nicci enjoying the Khmer barbecue |
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| Irish bar, with asshole and eejit |
But Angkor Wat. Good day.
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