Wandering endeavours: Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

In early April we went to Siem Reap, Cambodia to see Angkor Wat (and some of the other temples from past civilizations in the area).

Siem Reap itself has a nice old town centre, with unfortunately urban (or should I say hotel) sprawl around it. I liked the old part of Siem Reap very much. The sprawl is a pity, but since the phenomenon is so much worse in Canada and I haven't done anything to stop it, I guess I can't be too negative about it.

Angkor Wat is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is hard to describe these glimpses into past worlds.

I've included photos, but they just don't capture the experience. Partly because they don't show the magnitude and sheer numbers of these temples, nor the intricate detail. I had not realized before we arrived that there are more than 100 temples in the area, and the area covers a few hundred square kms. Needless to say, we didn't see everything. I saw Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom (the Bayon, Elephant Terrace, Terrace of the Leper King, ....) and a few others. Ron toured more of the smaller temples. The area around Angkor Wat is beautiful, with lakes and treelined boulevard-type roads.

Another reason why the photos don't do the experience justice is that a good part of the experience is not visual. One small part of Angkor Wat that I really loved was an echo chamber, which looks like a large stone chimney. You stand in it with your back against the wall and thump your chest, and the echo reverberates through your body. You do this 7 times for good luck. What an amazing feeling.

We were there during the dry season, and it was very hot and sunny. The temples in the trees (e.g., Bayon) were much cooler in the shade.

Looking out from the 3rd level of Angkor Wat.