We left the hotel at 4:30am to see Angkor Wat at sunrise but our visit coincided with the only days of rain on our entire month-long trip; this photo is what sunrise could have looked like if we'd had better weather
This newborn monkey still couldn't walk confidently but would wobble and tip over; the monkeys added to the ambiance of the jungle temples
One of the most iconic photos at Ta Prohm is also one of my favorites; spung trees, most famous for their presence here, can grow to more than 45 m with a spread of 10 m
Yes, it's the dry season in Cambodia but it does sometimes rain as we experienced our second day in Siem Reap; Preah Khan served as the capital before the completion of Angkor Wat
The opening of the show we saw in Siem Reap involved this artist creating the stunning image on the floor from a large pile of rice using just a scoop!; it was simply astonishing!
Jonathan couldn't resist trying his Tarzan impersonation while we visited Preah Khan; the jungle-like forest around Angkor contrasted with the rice fields we saw in the rest of the country
Pre Rup is a Hindu temple, dedicated to Shiva, built in 962 made of brick, sandstone and laterite; Pre Rup's extensive laterite and brick give it a pleasing reddish tone that is heightened by early morning and late afternoon sunlight
Canadians Debbie and Craig at Bayon temple which is in the center of Angkor Thom; built in the late 12th or early 13th centuries, it was the official state temple of the king
Angkor Wat is the world's largest religious building; Angkor was the capital city of the Khmer Empire , which flourished from approximately the 9th to the 15th centuries
Angkor Wat, originally constructed as a Hindu temple, covers 402 acres outside of Siem Reap; it has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors
Ta Prohm was used as a location in Tomb Raider starring Angelina Jolie; Jolie is beloved thanks to her foundation which is dedicated to alleviating extreme rural poverty, protecting the environment and conserving wildlife in rural northwestern Cambodia
Banteay Kdei is a Buddhist temple from the early 13th century; Banteay Kdei had been occupied by monks at various intervals over the centuries until the 1960s
Our tour only saw 2 temples each of the 2 days of our visit but I wanted to see more so I walked to others, such as Pre Rup; there was no signage at the temples so I referenced Wikipedia
Even with the improved stairs for tourists, the steep incline is roughly 65 degrees to reach the top level of Angkor Wat; more than 400 sq kms is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site here
Most of Cambodia's primates were eliminated in the 1980s due to poaching, but gibbons and langurs have been reintroduced to Angkor; with 2+ million visitors per year Angkor is ideal to attract attention to endangered species
The outer gallery at Bayon temple features a series of bas-reliefs depicting historical events and scenes from everyday life of the Angkorian Khmer; all of the Angkor temples had incredibly detailed stone carvings on most every surface
You'd think spung trees would find an easier place to grow than right on top of a temple, like Ta Prohm; the cost for a 2 day pass to visit the Angkor temples costs $67 US
Bayon was the last state temple built and the crowning achievement of Jayavarman VII's massive program of monumental construction and public works, which was responsible for the walls and bridges of Angkor Thom and temples of Preah Khan, Ta Prohm and Banteay Kdei
Ta Prohm was built in the late 12th century but abandoned after the fall of the Khmer Empire in the 15th century; it is the most picturesque temple here as the jungle works to take back what man created
By the 20th century, much of the Baphuon temple had largely collapsed, and restoration efforts took on an epic quality; in April 2011, after 51 years of work, the restoration was completed and the temple formally re-opened
Touring the temples was like walking through a continuous Asian photoshoot; I wondered if many of the visitors appreciated the historical significance of the area
Built in the latter 12th century, Bayon is the centerpiece of Angkor Thom city; it is most recognizable for the 216 giant stone faces of Buddha on its towers
The third level of Bayon temple brought us to the famous stone Buddhas; the temple has been described as the most striking expression of the baroque style of Khmer architecture, as contrasted with the classical style of Angkor Wat
In Siem Reap we visited a Cirque du Soleil-type show put on by young people from a disadvantaged village; the show was very impressive and an uplifting story
Baphuon, part of Angkor Thom, is one of the largest and grandest structures in Angkor; built in the mid-11th century, it is a three-tiered temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva
Ta Prohm is surrounded by an outer wall of 1000 by 650 meters that at one time would have been the site of a substantial town, but that is now largely forested
This featured blog entry was written by VagabondCowboy from the blog The frugal travels of a vagabond.
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