Mr. Han took us over to Angkor Wat first thing and we were given a tour by another man who's name I've forgotten. So sorry, Tour Guide. Your tour was lovely.
Angkor Wat is the largest and best preserved temple near Siem Reap, and still bears the title of largest religious structure in the world. The stones were meticulously fit together perfectly, the reason why so much of the structure remains intact.
The temple was built by Hindus in the early 11th century and, apparently, they liked to carve, because there are gorgeous carvings everywhere. And you don't have to strain to see anything, the carvings are still vivid and stunning, my favorites depicted the foundation stories of their religion.
When the area was conquered by Buddhists, the temple was left in tact, but many of the Hindu statues were removed and replaced with Buddhas which still remain. So temple is an interesting fusion of the two religions.
We were there on a perfect day, not too terribly hot. We got there early before hoards of people arrived and were even able to get a few photos without any other tourists. It's just a very cool, dare I say romantic, place.
We came out the back of the temple and spotted another reason why we were so struck by Angkor Wat on The Amazing Race, the wild monkeys. Like many wild animals near tourist destinations, these monkeys are not as fearful of people as they should be, and they stick around hoping to get a snack from amused tourists.
I sat on a group of boulders, careful to keep my distance from other people who didn't seem the least bit bothered by being surrounded by a group of wild monkeys as they tossed food at the creatures. I zoomed my unimpressive kit lens in all the way and tried to look as benign as possible. Then Hubs came up behind me and put his hand on my back. I looked over, 30 feet away at a group of monkeys in trees and my stomach dropped as I spotted Hubs near them, pointing at them with his camera.
Oh my god. I jumped up, the pressure still on my back, and then it was gone. Damn monkey had climbed on my back, and I had stood up, very suddenly, terrified. It could've easily bitten me, and it would've been all my fault. So, when it comes to monkeys, I'm just going to stay away from now on, and always watch my back. Monkeys are scary.
After walking around to the front of Angkor Wat, we headed to Bayon, another temple in Angkor Thom, the ancient city. It's hard not to be happy when in Bayon; you're surrounded by smiling faces and it just fills you with joy.
We sat in back of Bayon, eating lunch in the shade. We had a great view.
We walked along one of the sets of ruins in Angkor Thom. Honestly, they all blended together to me, so I can't comment on a particular one, but it was a great walk.
Angkor Thom has a depressed flat area in its center that reminded me of Circus Maximus in Rome, probably due to the red earth that looked like a track, and being surrounded by the higher temples on its sides.
That night we ate dinner at our hotel. Villa Siem Reap is owned by Australians and they do an all-you-can-eat Australian BBQ for $8, so we thought we'd try it. It's also open to those not staying at the hotel, and if you're tired of curry, this is a good option.
After dinner, we walked downtown down Pub Street, which faintly reminded me of the restaurant row in Brussels where the staff stands at the door trying to lure you in. Siem Reap is known for its night market, but really the whole town turns into a night market. You can't walk five feet without being asked if you want a massage or a tuk tuk.
