Vietnam & Cambodia: Angkor Wat and Wat Nots

ANGKOR WAT.  Indeed the mother of all temples.  It's huge, like two kilometers squared huge, with wings and side temples. It is possible to buy a seven-day pass to Angkor Wat and its neighbors- better than Disney for folks like Kev who cannot get enough of crumbling architecture.  And the reason we came to Cambodia.  I have to admit, it is impressive.  Not just its size and complexity but the details in the carvings and general workmanship. Most of the interior statues have been carted away to museums (or private collections) but the buildings alone are worthy of the parade of international tourists reading the legends and tenets of Vishnu and Hinduism on the walls. It was over 300 years in the making and finished at the end of the 12th century. In the mid 15th century it was abandoned to fable and the occasional wandering Buddhist. The French stepped forward in the mid-19th century and eventually brought it back to glory.  This is the same story, more or less,  for many of the temples in Cambodia.  Some are only a couple of years into their restoration.

Our lucky day at Angkor Wat.  Some serious filming going on-crew of 22, costumers, catering, the requisite gay guy doing make-up and a bevy of beauties dressed in gold dancing at various location within the temple.  Very Thai in style but it is all glamorous.  Glad to see I wasn't the only one with flowers in my hair.

Of course, Angkor isn't the only Wat around. Before 'temple fatique' sets in, you get to stroll around many other temples, get yelled at for trying to get a rubbing of ancient khmer writing, admire carvings, dodging people selling the same postcard sets or scarves and watch guys making genuine antiques for sale.

Here is an example of what a few hundred years can do to a temple. Plant life can sneak in between stones, wedge them apart and tumble them onto the ground.  Or, what the hey, just grow around the temple like the picture on the right.  There were a number of small and large temples held hostage by tree roots.  Our temple pass is about to expire. Take a last look and we'll move on.