Angkor, the Holy City

Angkor Wat

I was doubting whether or not to write about Angkor at all. After all, how could I possibly describe what some people like to call 'the eighth wonder of the world' and do it justice? I don't even think any of my photos come close to portraying the true beauty of the temples and structures.

But how could I not write about it?

I will start by saying it was loads of fun, just like being a kid again and coming across a fascinating site you can't wait to explore every corner of. Angkor is like every child's dream hide and seek playground! What I really liked about it was that there were really no official pathways nor were there many restricted areas. You could freely walk around the ruins, jump over blocks of stones and tree trunks, and climb up the very very steep and narrow stairs to the tops of the temples.

Angkor contains the remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire. The Angkorian era lasted from AD 802 to 1432, and the empire that flourished was made possible through their reservoirs and irrigation works. The Angkor area is believed to have supported over a million people at its peak, and there are over 1,000 temples. The temples built during this time vary a lot in architectural style and in religious beliefs, the first ones portraying characteristics from Hinduism and the later ones more so from Buddhism.

Ta Phrom

The temples are very widespread over an area of 400 square kilometres but the main ones are scattered around the core, including Angkor Wat which is the most famous one. So to get around, I had my own personal tuk tuk driver for $12/ day who took me wherever I wanted to go - and more. On the second day, the day I had gotten up at 4.30 am to see the sunrise, I was insanely exhausted come the afternoon with sweat running down my face and back (it was about 30 degrees and the sun was merciless), covered in dust and dirt and all I wanted to do was to go home. I had just finished my expedition at Ta Prohm (the temple renown for all the huge trees growing 'out' of' it) and was dreaming of the cold water in the swimming pool when I climbed into the tuk tuk with my last remaining energy reserves and asked the driver to take me back to the hotel. But he just turned around, smiled and said "nooo two more temples!" and before I could even make a sound off he was driving me in the opposite direction to my hotel to the next temple! I almost cried. My legs were so tired they were shaking when I got off the tuk tuk at the next temple. I said to him that perhaps I could see these other temples the next day at which he burst out laughing like it was the funniest thing he had heard in his life and gestured me to 'get on with it.' And on with it I got. Feeling sorry for myself.

The area between the temples is mostly jungle-like vegetation. I could perfectly imagine The Jungle Book being filmed in these woods, Mowgli swinging from one treetop to the next, and the king of the monkeys ruling the ruins. Some of the trees are the size of five storey buildings, and it is quite a sight seeing them grow on top of temples with their enormous web of roots intertwined in the structure of the temples.




Talking about filming, scenes from Tomb Raider were actually shot at Angkor.

Before visiting Angkor I had read and heard plenty about it, but none of it lived up to the grandiosity when you see it first hand. That is why I will not even attempt to describe it but will say it's worth a visit. Or two.