Trip to Siem Reap, Day 2 - Angkor Wat & Bayon (again!)

catch the trip from the beginning here

Angkor Wat... "the world's largest religious building".

So, there's more than plenty of things to write about, from the ponds and the wall carvings telling you stories from the past and the characteristic architecture to the people we encountered there - there were special Buddhist ceremonies held on the day. However, for this one, I will stick to the "a picture's worth a thousand words" excuse, and I am sure on-line resources on the subject are not only abundant, but also much better-informed than your dear catastrophe waitress, and the three guidebooks that she read!!!

We went to Angkor Wat for the sunrise, and it was sure worth waking up for! We were not the only ones hurrying to get there, rushing over the moat:

Well, that's meee taking in the view

what I am looking at is the main building of Angkor Wat, check out how it is mirrored on the pond:

highlight 1 : the moment the water-lillys wake up!

highlight 2: playing with the white horse

we walk to the main building,

and wander all around, in and out, up and down...

highlight : the carvings... make sure you have a book providing information on the stories narrated throughout the halls!

Well, I did promise some more pictures from the Bayon, did I not? Next thing we do, is go back to the Bayon, to ride the elephant! It is not exactly riding, more like sitting on a throne on top of an elephant, while she/he takes a stroll around the temple. Ah, and people you don't know taking pictures of the whole procedure! Feeling like the king of eleph's will set you back US$15 pp.

cambodian elephant

view from cambodian elephant

We now leave the temples of Angkor, to move to a less distant past, and the present.

next dish served here