So perhaps I should have waited to post my last blog (top places in SEAsia) though I think world heritage sites are in a category of their own.
My first stop in Cambodia is Siem Reap, home to night markets, floating villages, Pub Street and one of the wonders of the world: Angkor Wat! This was something on the backpacking bucket list that wasn’t going to be missed, even if it’s a rather expensive day out (or days – it’s very big)!
Angkor Wat is one temple in the mist of many as part of an entire complex called Angkor. My original plan was to get a 3 day ticket, and if you ever make it to Angkor I recommend you do, but for reasons to do with time and money I decided to fit as much as possible into 1 day! This meant a 4am start to reach Angkor Wat ready to grab a good spot to capture the sunrise.
I’m not a morning person, so my experiences of sunrises are somewhat limited but I have a tradition of waking up to see the sunrise on Easter morning. Last Easter I climbed to the top of Hampstead Heath, if you’re looking for some peace and bliss in London, that’s the time and place to go. If you’re looking for peace and quiet in Siem Reap, Angkor Wat is not the place to go, even at sunrise! There were a lot of us, all squatted in the dark waiting.
Steadily the light grew and we all adjusted the settings on our cameras, then a glow, a brightness rose behind the iconic temple. Pausing to appreciate the magic yet reality of the moment, before my poised camera began to capture the beauty as best I could.
With the sun fully in the sky, it was time to venture inside the temples…
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat
Visiting temples goes with the territory of traveling Asia, always loved exploring castles from a young age and the temples are sort of Asia’s equivalent. Standing there, towered by these impressive stones, stones that have stood for centuries, touching history, art and religions.
Bayon, the temple of the four faces.
The beauty and craftsmanship displayed by these ancient stones was mesmerising, you could just walk through them, ticking off temple after temple, but if you paused and properly looked at them, they hold images amongst the rocks, hidden faces, sleeping Buddhas. Its very clever and impressive and something you wouldn’t notice up close, to see the big picture not only do you need to step back, but you need to pause and let your eyes find the what’s waiting, camouflaged, but just ready to be discovered by those who are willing to seek it.
Bayon
Baphuon Temple, inside Angkor Thom
Banteay Kdei Temple
Ta Prohm, the Tomb Raider temple
As the sun moved to the west I climbed up the mountain to Phnom Bakheng Temple. I headed there early because they limit the number of people they allow in and it becomes very popular at the end of the day. After the climb I was glad to sit down for a while as I waited to close my day very symmetrically in the expectancy of the sunset.
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