The beautiful temples of Angkor Watt

Yes!  We did it.  Somehow Katie and I managed to pull it together and we got everything that we had set out to do on time.  After we had left the orphanage we got on a bus to go to Phnom Penh to see the Killing Fields and War museum (Which was really disturbing), then off to Siam Reap where we had allotted 3 days to go see Angkor Watt.

  The first couple of days, we rented bikes and did the route on our own.  This was a great way to get our exercise but I tell you by the end of the day, we were always wiped!  The third day we splurged, and hired a tuk tuk to take us out to the far out destinations that are unreachable by bike.

We woke up at the crack of dawn, and were picked up around 5 AM to get to Angkor for the sunrise.  The view was spectacular, and there were even people serving ice coffees, books, etc. to all the tourists there snapping away with their cameras.  Yes present company included.

I had a friend tell  me not to bother going to the temples in Ayyuthya and Lopburi (Thailand), because I was going to Angkor anyways and all the temples eventually look the same.  Thankfully, we ignored his advice.  The temples in Angkor are very different from Thailand, as the religion, the building style, everything is different.  The temples in Thailand I find very rich, you see elaborate paintings and lots of gold.

In Angkor, the temples are also quite elaborate with many details on the rock carvings, however there weren’t any jewels, or gold or elaborate decorations.  Most of the valuables had been stolen, probably as soon as they were discovered.  They are also really old, with trees that have grown right through them, their roots destroying the old walls and buildings. And as you can see cows, are free to roam through them. 

What I found devastating, was seeing statues that had been defaced by the Khmer Rouge.  I can’t believe that people are capable of destroying such important religious artifacts.  

I had mentioned to Annette, one of the students in my yoga teacher training class about how I am drawn to the Buddhist teachings that I have been exposed to and surprisingly how they align with my meditation and yoga practice.  When I proceeded to tell her, of all the temples I’ve seen in Thailand and Cambodia, she was really surprised.  Because she’s been to these places many times, even though she is a Tibetan Buddhist.  She said maybe this is your pilgramage.  Maybe you are being called to explore your spirituality…

And here, I just thought I was following the must do things in Lonely Planet!  Well who knows, it could be my pilgramage, because I am exploring right now, and I love visiting temples.  

I am now in my yoga teacher training at The Blooming Lotus in Thailand.  And I find myself continuously learning more.  I have an amazing teacher, and she actually called me on not acting according to the yogic principles.  (Well not individually, but I knew what she was talking about)  I write more about that in my next post.

So everyone has their view of Angkor Watt.  I fall into the “Love it” category.  I could have easily spent 2 weeks there. There is just so much to see, so much history and architecture.  I love to imagine how much time it would have taken to build just one of the structures.  The best way to see it, is to allow yourself several days, so you can take a day off to see the town every now and again.  There were so many breath taking moments that I do feel like I would like to go back again.

    

Katie and I had a lengthy discussion on what we prefer: Sunrises or Sunsets. We have seen so many together, and the third day of Angkor was no exception.  Sunrises are nice because they start the day, the colors are brighter, but Sunsets are still my favorite.  I find them more romantic, peaceful, and easier to work into your day. If I was given a choice, Sunsets would win every time!