21 November
Angkor Temples (Siem Reap)
KIM: History: Spiritually, politically and geographically, Angkor was at the heart of the great Khmer Empire. During the Angkorian period, the ruling god-kings built imposing temples as a way of asserting their divinity, leaving a legacy of more than one hundred temples built between the ninth and fifteenth centuries.

Up at 4.30am, Mr Lim (our tuk tuk driver) collected us at 5am for our day of temple-ing. Sunrise started at Angkor Wat, the most famous of all the temples. Originally a Hindu temple, it was later converted to a Buddha temple (but thankfully, no statue of the smiling golden man to be seen!). Surrounded by a broad moat, we walked over the causeway and through the first gate when we saw the full distinctive sight of the conical-shaped towers, designed to look like lotus buds.
With the rest of the tourists we gathered in front of the large pond on the right and watched the sunrise over the back of the temple (while absolutely freezing our asses off as we were dressed for the heat of summer... its actually winter at the moment). A quick walk around this temple, that actually is best viewed from afar or from the air (seen postcards) and we were back in our tuk tuk at 6.45am and onto Ta Phrom - best known as the Tomb Raider temple.
Ta Phrom has a certain magical (read: creepy) appeal. Where other temples after their rediscovery were restored, this has been left to the jungle and looks similar to how it did when it was rediscovered in the 19th century. Built as a Buddhist temple, the Hindu purists have since defaced the Buddhist imagery. Roots and trunks intermingle with the stone building and look a part of its structure.. and of course, Angelina Jolie hung out fighting baddies here!
Onto Banteay Kdei which is similar to Ta Phrom, but has a large lake Srah Srang (Royal Bath) opposite it.

Our last temple for the morning was Pre Rup, built up on a mound and with a number of stairs to the top, the only similarity between this and the others is the growing number of young children outside trying to sell us postcards, bracelets, flutes, books and cokes. All speak incredible English, repeating the same compliments (I like your top), questions (where you from?) and ofcourse my favourite "one dollar" when asked how much anything is! All said with the perfect American accent. Moved to tears and to laughter by these kids... Mark and I attempted Afrikaans in front of one and she even managed to mimic us. Unfortunately the children don't speak English and understand it, they have learnt to repeat things in order to sell. Needless to say.. we bought.

Back to No Problems, we picked up our bags and our laundry (which we had to handpick off the line as clearly, it was a problem for them to do it!) we moved to the Prince D'Angkor. A gorgeous hotel I managed to 'organise' through a previous job ;-) Checking in to our lush surroundings, we didn't want to leave this place EVER! Too much nice-ness! We had however, some more temples to be seen!

Preah Khan, followed by Angkor Thom (the largest of them all). Without a guide, and only with a guidebook, the visits were getting shorter and shorter as we slowly became a bit temple'd out. After seeing Bayon with its 37 towers with four smiling faces on each (the King at the time was a happy guy, we moved on to Phnom Bakheng for sunset. We bought two beers and walked up the hill to the temple. An awesome sunset over the Kingdom lighting up the sky and the great lake Tonle Sap in pink!

With such a packed day, I was shattered and so we opted for dinner in the hotel restaurant and a fairly early night.