AMAZING EXPERIENCES

Temples of Angkor, Cambodia

Angkor is the jewel of Cambodia. Much like the ruins of Greece and Rome, the temples of Angkor are an intoxicating piece of history. You can walk around from temple to temple and be transported back in time when the Khmer Empire was the reigning power of Southeast Asia. The intricate carvings along all of the temple walls tell story after story. Some temples tell about Khmer history - records of wars, droughts, celebrations, etc. Other temples tell Hindu stories like the Churning of the Ocean and the Trinity of Braham, Shiva and Vishnu. The buildings are amazing and the carvings are incredible. It's difficult to believe that so much construction and carving could be done in such a relatively short time period.

Here are some of the highlights we experienced:

• The 216 giant faces at Bayon in Angkor Thom: King Jayavarman VII had this temple built so that it contained 54 towers with his face looking out from all four sides of each tower. This symbolized the 54 provinces of the Khmer Empire and Jayavarman's ability to keep watch over all his subjects at one time.
• The forest reclaiming the ruins of Ta Prohm: This large temple has yet to be fully restored and thank goodness for that. It is absolutely breathtaking to see the trees and bushes growing out of the crumbled stones. It is visual poetry that tells the story of man taming nature and nature reclaiming her territory.
• The immensity and glory of Angkor Wat: This is the largest temple in Angkor and is argued to be one of the largest religious structures in the world. The symmetry of the buildings and the carvings on seemingly every square inch of the structures are a feast for the eyes. Climbing up the steep, narrow stairs allows for a bird's eye view of the entire temple and makes you feel like you can reach the heavens.
• The delicate, intricate carvings of Banteay Srei: In comparison to Angkor Wat, Banteay Srei is tiny. However, the pink glow of the rocks and the beautiful carvings make it much more majestic and impressive. This temple is was dedicate to Shiva and the carvings are so delicate and intricate that it is said to have been carved by women because men's hands would have been too large to make such intricate, fine carvings.

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