Temples of Angkor

One important landmark/monument that I have wanted to see for a long time has been Angkor Wat. This is one of those sights that defies description, according to most accounts I have heard. Interestingly, Angkor Wat is a temple. The area however is littered with temples, and it is a big area. I could compAre it to Luxor in Egypt, where there are lots of tongs to see, a bit spread out, all different, but all impressive.

I decided to save the big ones, Angkor Wat, and Angkor Thom/Bayon, for tomorrow. Today was about taking some time and exploring the smaller lesser known temples. They are all in differing states of restoration, and they all have their own unique and magical feel. To get around the temples I decided to forgo renting a tuk-tuk, and instead rented a mountain bike. this was the perfect way for me to enjoy the day. Took my time moving from one site to another and ended upi seeing eight different places. Don't get me wrong, these places are big. Very big, with a tremendous amount of stone, all which was quarried 30 miles from these sites.

My favorite part of the temples today was that they were at times overgrown, that the jungle was encroaching back to the temples, and I some places the trees and temples had grown together where they were dependent on each other for strength.

It is really hard to imagine all these place at their prime. It is also hard to imagine the feeling of the guy who Rediscovered them on 1860. This is truly a man made wonder of the world. And I haven't seen the major ones yet!