Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom

Wowsies, my third full day of temple exploration, and I am still stoked, though quite beat! I know I have it better than the vast majority of Cambodians, but it really is hard work walking and climbing all day in 100 degrees heat.

Not that I'm complaining! Today I visited the big one - Angkor Wat - as well as another biggie - Angkor Thom - and they were awesome.

Angkor Wat is really amazing: the largest religious structure on earth. At least that's what my guide book says, the one I paid $5 to a little Cambodian kid for, only later realizing they are bootleg copies. Who cares.

Anyway Angkor Wat is, not surprisingly, the most touristed, because it's the biggest and draws the tour bus crowd like crazy. Thankfully, I spent 4 hours there, and the last 2 were blissful - almost everyone leaves for lunch around noon, so I had this massive complex mostly to myself. See the last 3 pics.

I spent lots of time wandering the complex, and some time deciphering (with the help of the guidebook) the incredible inscriptions that cover more than a quarter mile of wall space. Carved into stone is much of Hindu mythology! Actually the whole complex is supposed to represent the world according to Hindu cosmology. Incredible.

After Angkor Wat, we sped a few minutes north to Angkor Thom, an ancient city with lots of temples, roads, walls, and jungle. Fascinating. First two pics, as well as the two of Bayon from yesterday.

As I've said, it feels so wonderful to scamper around on these structures, especially knowing they were built a millennium ago!

More to come,
Love Roni