Angkor
The Angkor ruins were beautiful and wonderful. It is not only the age, but the elegance the symmetry and strength of their design. Angkor Wat looks like you could fix up a few walls & ceilings and live in there again. Walking along the causeway and under the 4 faced southern gateway (gopura) gave me a slight, indescribable thrill each time I did it (5x).
The weather was overcast and rainy, so there were no specular sunsets and sunrises (no 4 am wake-up call) but all lakes and moats were full of water, the jungles, lichens and wild rice glowed green against the flat grey sky and the glistening stone foundations and carvings. While there were thousands of people there, there were still times when I could wander around less popular (but not less beautiful) temples without seeing another person.
Friday was a holiday and the banks of the moat surrouding Angkor Wat were lines with large local families picnicing, napping and laughing. Many women were dressed in their traditional best, riding motorbikes and climbing temples in simmering sarongs, white lace blouses and kitten heels.
Thursday I hired a driver and saw Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. But Friday and Saturday I hired a bicycle and explored on my own (25km & 30km). Riding a bike helps me feel free, and with only 2 or less kilometres between each site (and various souveneir stand, and lunch and drink stands), it wasn’t an arduous ride. The roads were flat and sealed and the countryside changed from dense jungle to open rice fields with water buffalo and children swimming.
Cycling home at 6 pm amongs the thousands of tuktuks, cars, buses, motorbikes (seen: husband, wife and four children on one motorbike!) and other bicycles was a social event. For two hours a steady steam of local and foreign traffic flows past Angkor Wat and back to Siem Reap. People smile and wave and say hello or chat amongst themselves in the patient traffic.
Angkor Wat was as impressive as I hoped, 3 levels, climbing to the top was a heart starter. There is a tranquil feeling and a solemnity within the sites and the resoration work remarkable and unobtrusive. Some of the most beautiful sites are have not been restored with collapsed ceiling stones blocking doorway and the twisted roots of giant banyan trees keeping up the walls
I found the town of Siem Reap unappealing, but met others who loved it and stayed days there without even seeing Angkor. For me it was a place to eat and sleep at night, but the generous and relaxed spirit of many of the locals that comfortable.
One of the most photographed locations in the world, the weather conditions weren’t great anyway to take photos of temples, but here are a few finer moments.
The weather was overcast and rainy, so there were no specular sunsets and sunrises (no 4 am wake-up call) but all lakes and moats were full of water, the jungles, lichens and wild rice glowed green against the flat grey sky and the glistening stone foundations and carvings. While there were thousands of people there, there were still times when I could wander around less popular (but not less beautiful) temples without seeing another person.
Friday was a holiday and the banks of the moat surrouding Angkor Wat were lines with large local families picnicing, napping and laughing. Many women were dressed in their traditional best, riding motorbikes and climbing temples in simmering sarongs, white lace blouses and kitten heels.
Thursday I hired a driver and saw Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. But Friday and Saturday I hired a bicycle and explored on my own (25km & 30km). Riding a bike helps me feel free, and with only 2 or less kilometres between each site (and various souveneir stand, and lunch and drink stands), it wasn’t an arduous ride. The roads were flat and sealed and the countryside changed from dense jungle to open rice fields with water buffalo and children swimming.
Cycling home at 6 pm amongs the thousands of tuktuks, cars, buses, motorbikes (seen: husband, wife and four children on one motorbike!) and other bicycles was a social event. For two hours a steady steam of local and foreign traffic flows past Angkor Wat and back to Siem Reap. People smile and wave and say hello or chat amongst themselves in the patient traffic.
Angkor Wat was as impressive as I hoped, 3 levels, climbing to the top was a heart starter. There is a tranquil feeling and a solemnity within the sites and the resoration work remarkable and unobtrusive. Some of the most beautiful sites are have not been restored with collapsed ceiling stones blocking doorway and the twisted roots of giant banyan trees keeping up the walls
I found the town of Siem Reap unappealing, but met others who loved it and stayed days there without even seeing Angkor. For me it was a place to eat and sleep at night, but the generous and relaxed spirit of many of the locals that comfortable.
One of the most photographed locations in the world, the weather conditions weren’t great anyway to take photos of temples, but here are a few finer moments.
posted by x kel at 3:34 PM
4 Comments:
angkor is a very special memory. we found it a very spiritual place surrounded by green jungle,blue skies, and tranquil lakes with washer women doing their daily duties.the overflow of tourists did not detract from its beauty or mystical experience.so pleased you have found your way there.go safely for your further travels
did you feel overwhelmed by the serenity of the area surrounding the temples? the green of the jungle,the blue skies and the washer women in the gentle movement of water in the lake nearby are lasting memories for me.the overflow of
wow - you are bringing back memories of angkor. especially the big climb down from the top on those very very steep stairs - I was very very nervous coming down them as I'm scared of heights but everyone cheered when I got down. then I was silly enough to do again the next day for sunrise after we had sneaked passed the guards.
I went down those steps backwards, gripping the rail. There was a japanese girl at the top crying her eyes out, we all clapped when she made it down. Ahh Angkor... Yes, it is a very spiritual place.
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