I spent a hot and exhausting day visiting seven (7) temples in Siem Reap, Cambodia. We started with Angkor Wat, one of the most popular in the region, and one of the largest religious monuments in the world.
Angkor Wat is the one featured in the book.
Cambodia is a beautiful country, with an ugly history. Our guide spoke some about this, as his family was killed by the Khmer Rouge. He was a teenager at the time and was taken in by a Buddhist monastery. He is a spiritual person who makes a wonderful guide for visiting temples.
Angkor Wat was built in the 12th century, and it was originally a Hindu temple but is now a Buddhist temple. Our guide advised us that we were not allowed to photograph the monks, but I saw other tourists trying to take selfies with them. I urge all travelers to be good and respectful visitors when traveling.
Along these passage ways are scenes carved into the stone. These scenes tell stories in the same way that stained glass windows are beautiful representations of bible stories.
Lots of steps!
Old bath area
Part of the wall around the front of Angkor Wat.
If given the opportunity, do arrive before sunrise to get the best pictures. But don’t forget to put away the camera and spend some time being in the moment – take it all in with your eyes and ears!
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