The adventure begins....
We arrived at our hotel - "Journeys Within" - and checked out the grounds.
On the morning of the 28th, we met our guide who lead us on our day of exploring Wats (temples). Angkor Wat was first a Hindu temple and then later converted into a Buddhist temple and it is the largest religious complex in the world (and we should now because we walked a lot of it!). It was built in the 12th century and has been restored on and off for the last 100 years. Although parts of it are still in ruins, other parts have been rebuilt or stabilized to prevent further deterioration.
What we found most remarkable was the fact that in many cases we were climbing over the ruins, up stairs that were falling apart and into buildings that didn't seem very stable. In the States, this would never be allowed from a liability perspective and as a result, we would have never been able to appreciate the detail and stone work up close. At the same time, we realized that in another decade or so visitors were probably no longer going to be allowed to walk into these temples the way we now were because as more financing and organization came to the restoration process, those in charge were not going to allow tourists to take a chance of messing up things. When our children bring their children to visit these temples, it will be a very different experience (except with maybe more of the temples restored).
Our guide took the time to explain the stories portrayed through wall carvings and through his stories, we were able to really appreciate the messages each wall was trying to convey. We were also then able to see those same message communicated through statues and wall art throughout the rest of our travels - so it was very cool to really understand what they meant. Our guide was impressive because no matter what question one of us asked (and the Virkler kids can ask a lot of questions!), he took the time to answer it thoroughly through stories and examples.
Angkor Wat reflecting in the pool in front of it
Amazing ceiling supports (from the 12th century!)
Grammy and Sumner enjoying the views
Hindu statue
View through a doorway into a religious pool
Buddhist statue missing its head as thousands of them are - locals knocked the heads off to sell to art collectors since the statues themselves were too heavy to steal. There is a museum in Siem Reap that has collected hundreds of the stolen heads.
Taking a break after lots of walking and climbing
Wall carvings telling different stories (always warning its people to behave or else!)
We climbed up the steps on the left here, past the leaning pillars (that are propped up) and into this temple!
A little snuggle time with Papa
We next visited Angkor Thom, the famous walled city, where there were numerous smaller temples including Banyon which has been restored partially. It's amazing to look at the restoration that has taken place because it basically resembles an enormously difficult 3D jigsaw puzzle with the added component that you don't know what the puzzle should look like AND the pieces may have eroded some making them even more difficult to place. While there has been a lot of progress made there, there were still large piles of ruins that have just been stacked since they seem impossible to place.
Banyon temple was filled with lots of smiling faces that are amazing to look at yet also a little creepy as well. These faces are supposed to depict Hindu gods (that were then modified by the Buddhist who took over the temples).
Faces on Prasat Banyon
The Terraces of the Elephants (multiple trunks)
The juxtaposition of modern traffic crossing the old moat bridge with its statues on both sides depicting the myth, "Churning of the Sea of Milk".
Henry hamming it up in his new Cambodian hat
Ella in front of Banyon
You can see how everything in this temple has had to be restored
Sumner jumping high
Each of these towers was restored piece by piece
Amazing faces
One completed part of the jigsaw puzzle
After lunch at a local restaurant we visited one more temple - Ta Prohm (originally called Rajavihara), where some of Lara Croft, Tomb Raider was filmed. It was an amazing temple because it has been pretty much been left in the state in which it was found, with amazing trees growing out of crevices and the jungle encroaching all around it. These trees made it absolutely majestic and wonderful to photograph.
I'm sorry but I swear this looks like a naked person climbing over a wall (from behind!)
Amazing how the jungle is slowly taking over the temple
Beautiful girl
Traveling wouldn't be the same if we didn't find Papa carrying Mom's bag at some point -
nice f@%#*ing purse (a comment he first received about 15 years ago in London and we love to repeat at every opportunity)
After another tuk-tuk ride in to town, we had a great dinner and everyone slept very well!
Our next adventure in Siem Reap involved all seven of us traveling through the countryside on ATV's while seeing many rice fields and water buffalo before stopping to visit a local monastery. Upon our return our guide took us through the local Market where the sites and smells were impressive (we almost lost Grammy at one point due to a queasy stomach!).
Homemade sausages
How could this not be a tasty treat ???
Fresh fruits and vegetables available
Our final activity while in Siem Reap was the opportunity to travel to our guide's village and his family home. We traveled to his village over a lake that is only full until late spring when the irrigation of all the rice paddies has drained the lake of its water. It stays empty until the rainy season begins in the fall. We boarded the wooden boat from a monastery where we observed very young monks completing their daily chores. It was hard to look at these boys and imagine our sons possibly living that same life. Our guide explained that he was sent to live in as a monk when he was 12 because his family did not have enough money to feed him or educate him. He felt that the time he spent in the monastery helped focus him so that when he left at 15 he was determined to better himself.
It was an amazing opportunity for all of us to appreciate the resourcefulness of Cambodians and the very limited means in which most families live. Our guide knows that he has to harvest 2 tons of rice each year in order for his large family (his wife and children, his siblings and their spouses and children, and his mother) to have enough food to eat. All of this extended family live on the farm in a couple very small wood huts without running water - his family is lucky in that they have a well pump in their yard. It was a humbling experience to see the pride in our guide's eye as he showed us the things he had made and to realize how much we take for granted on a daily basis.
