This morning started early seeing the major temples of the Angkor area. Here is a basic map. As you can see it is a big area! Angkor Wat is just the most famous and best reserved temple.
First up was Angkor Wat! It was originally a Hindu temple 1100s but later towards the end of the 12th century was turned Buddhist. It is hard to believe this one is nearly 900 years old but there were the oldest temple was believed to be build around 300 AD.
Beautiful!!
So many piles of just "rubble" that used to be amazing carvings.
Our tour guide was an interesting fellow. He worked in the rice fields until he was 20 and became a monk. There he learned how to read, write and speak english. He told us he then went to college and earned his degree in law but now is working as a tour guide because he didn't have enough money to pay off the bribes to get a better job. He was hard to understand all the time but it was great having someone to walk us around and tell us the stories the walls portrayed.
Our tour guide said this was where they filmed part of Tomb Raider. Ta Prohm. Check out those trees! He also told us that Angelina Jole was in Cambodia right now filming another movie.
This was me trying to show the before (right) and after (left) of renovations.
An example of how the Hindu Vishnu was changed to a Buddhist hermit.
Baphoun. Our tour guide said it was his favorite because of the lotus flowers on top.
Bayon was my second favorite temple. I loved all the faces on the towers.
Our tour guide said we had to get this picture. Nose to nose.
Going to a dinner and a show to see traditional Khmer Dancing.
Some of the funny buffet food.
A whole table for puddings!
Sweet yellow beans?? (they tasted like yuky beans)
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