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After a full day of travel on the well traveled roads of Thailand, and the roads less traveled and less maintained (to put it lightly) of Cambodia, we arrived in Siem Reap where we were to visit the beautiful and ancient Khmer temples of Angkor. "Siem Reap" is Khmer for Thais (Siam) defeated. The northern region of Cambodia was long ruled by the Thais after they conquered the Khmers in Angkor, causing them to move their empire south to Phnom Penh. After this flight, the temples of Angkor were forgotten and were not re-discovered until the 1860s. The area of Angkor Wat is made up of mostly jungle and served as a good hiding place for the Khmer Rouge troupes during the wars in Cambodia. During this time the temples fell into great disrepair. The long term neglect over the centuries and the 1970s has paid its toll on these temples. However, preservationists have been working hard to preserve the beautiful and amazing architecture of the temples of Angkor. Rightfully described by many as one of the most wondrous and incredible architectural achievements, the temples of Angkor still remain unknown by many. This is largely due to Cambodia's recent history involving the rebel activities of the Khmer Rouge and the fact that the country has only recently been opened to tourism. Cambodia marked the beginning of 5 Go Global, as the two of us, along with Bo and Heidi, were joined by Heidi's mother, Mrs. Janzen, who will travel with us through Cambodia and Vietnam. Born and raised in Vietnam, Mrs. Janzen visits Vietnam regularly to see her family. This was her first visit to Cambodia.
Mrs. Janzen takes in the breathtaking architecture of Bakong.
After a full day of visiting many of the temples of Angkor Wat, we ended up at the temple of Phnom Bakheng, which sits at the top of the mountain bearing the same name. From here, we had spectacular views of the surrounding landscape and of the grand temple of Angkor Wat. We were joined by many others, including these two Buddhist monks, as we watched the sun set over the jungle.
Bo and Heidi sit at the top of one of the 33 towers which were built to represent 33 gods.
We were fortunate enough to enjoy a view of Angkor Wat at sunset (above left) and sunrise (above right), which we watched the next morning at 6:00 a.m. In a few months, the sun will rise directly over the temple.
One of our favorite areas of Angkor was the city of Angkor Thom, which was built during the 12th century by Jayavarman VII. Angkor Thom may be entered through five gates which are adorned at the top with the four faces of Avalokitesvara, the protector of the world. We entered the city through the front gate, which is also called the "heavenly gate". Lining the entrance of the front gate are many Buddhas, some of which have suffered the loss of their heads.
Our favorite temple in Angkor Thom was the Bayon. The intricate carvings on the wall at the bottom of the temple represent Cambodian life during the 12th century.
The third level of the Bayon has 54 towers which possess the face of the protector of the world on all four sides.
A black and white photo of the King's temple where he would go to worship each day. The palace in which this massive structure was contained has deteriorated, as it was only made of wood. The fine stone was reserved only for the temples.
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We
began our tour of the lost city of Angkor in the Rolous Group, the temples which
made up the capital of Indravarman I who reigned from 877 to 899 AD. These
are the oldest standing structures of the Khmer empire. The temple
depicted here is Bakong. This temple, which was dedicated to the
Hindu god of Shiva, is made up of sandstone and brick and is surrounded by a
large mote, which represents the ocean and, thus, makes the temple the center of
the universe.
