Siem Reap, Cambodia

Like all visitors to Siem Reap, we were interested in visiting the Angkor complex, and it's flagship temple Angkor Wat. In order to get maximum use from our ticket, we arrived after 5pm the day previous to our chosen day for exploring, and were able to enter the complex for sunset. There were surprisingly few tourists and we were able to see monks strolling around, and nuns sitting in quiet contemplation.

The next morning, we left our guesthouse at 5am in order to be at Angkor Wat for sunrise, and walked with the crowds across the impressive moat and through the gatehouse.

We jostled for position at the left-hand side of the entry path, where a pond reflects the beautiful silhouette of the temple's tiers. Dani pushed through the throngs and crouched down in front securing a spot without impeding anyone else's view.

I was especially happy it was a silhouette, as in brighter conditons the facade was marred by ugly green cloth covering a restoration project. We got our money shot and decided to move on, as most people tend to explore Angkor first, leaving it nearly empty later in the day.

From the 'must-see' sunrise at Angkor Wat, we set our sights on the temple that sounded most interesting to us, the enigmatic Ta Promh. It is home to the most famous imagery of Angkor - the eerie roots of massive silkwood and strangler figs busting stones apart and slowly destroying the temple. As the ancient trees grow and lose their footing in the shallow soil, they tear down walls and wreak majestic havoc.

Aside from the decay and destruction, the temple is still being used for it's primary purpose - as a place of worship, first for Hinduism, and now Buddhism.

Disappointingly in our opinion, much work is being done to arrest the collapse and natural degeneration of the temple. In some cases it has been done well, and structures have merely been supported so the status quo is maintained.

However, a huge resoration project in the central courtyard has removed many trees and attempted to rebuild the structure as it was hundreds of years ago. There are other places in the complex where this could be done, whereas Ta Promh is the best example of what happens when a temple is abandoned.

Thankfully, there are still areas where it is possible to witness the formidable power of trees, their miniscule roots growing over hundreds of years to move tonnes of stone, and in many cases, keep them in place much longer than if left to the elements.

We visited many temples during the day, some sprawling and hugging the ground, others climbing to surprising heights given the technology available to the builders.

As the day wore on and we gradually became desensitised to the marvels around us, we spent longer sitting and looking. The incredible heat made us seek out shade, and we tried making silly pictures.



Having a guidebook with us was in this case quite valuable, as without a guide the buildings, sculptures, bas-relief and motifs can seem random and bewildering. We also had the excuse of sitting in the shade and reading about the convoluted history of Angkor and the complicated Hindu myths and historical representations that are depicted throughout the complex. We thoroughly enjoyed it, though it was a long and energetic day.