Divine encounters

Sunday 10

Luon Vanna (Vanna – pronounced Wanna) is our local guide who is helping us explore the wonders to Angkor today.  He is a Khmer of Chinese heritage and turns out to be a wonderful companion – knowledgeable, friendly, and full of anecdotes about the Angkor king gods, and his own family! Angkor was the centre of the mighty Khmer empire, and testimony to its power there are around 200 ancient sites within the area..  At the height of its powers for Khmer empire included around 1m people; by comparison, at the same time London was home to just 50,000.

Angkor Wat is certainly the most famous of the buildings, but there is so much more to see. Constructed around 1200, Angkor Wat is the world’s largest religious building and a UNESCO World Heritage site.  This must be one of the worlds most photographed sites, yet it still takes your breath away when you see it first hand.  It is simply splendid to behold.  It’s hard to imagine how this perfection was built in 37 years.  Many locals believe there was divine intervention.  The carving is beautiful, with beguiling Aspasas everywhere you look.  Plenty of foreign aid has gone into restoration projects, French, Indian, Korean, Japanese US and Aussie conservators have all been involved.  Presently it’s the labour of the German Aspara Conservation Project. 

You approach Angkor Wat via a bridge crossing a perfectly symmetrical moat that once upon a time was home to crocodiles guarding the temple.  After the first gate, it’s a long walk down the avenue to the main temple. 2 libraries sit adjacent, they are designed to maximise the light enhancing the learned scholars enjoyment of their books.  The main temple if 3 stories high and a instantly recognisable site.  It has 5 columns which are familiar in Khmer symbolism.  Walking anti-clockwise, the intricate carvings adorn the 4 galleries and tell the stories of god kings, battles, heaven and hell.  Hindu and Buddhist icons both feature. Despite the crowds its an otherworldly experience

Next its on to Ta Prohm made famous by Lara Croft and “Tomb Raiders”.  This temple was devoured by the jungle prior to being reclaimed.  Many trees cannot be removed as they are now integral to the structure.  Sprung trees have sent their roots down through the buildings in search of soil.  Its mysterious and magical.  Amongst all the trees it also offers cool respite from the harsh sun, so we linger and take photos aplenty!  Here we see nature trying to reclaim what the ancient Khmers so expertly built.

Had a great chicken curry at Khmer Gardens Restaurant opposite one of the temples.  It’s a local place and the food is excellent and the lycee juice refreshing.

Fortified, its on to Angkor Thom which means “great city”. It’s built over an impressive 10 sq kms.  It must have been amazing to see these places when they were living cities.  There houses around the temples were wood, so nothing has survived.  Stone was reserved for the temples and the official buildings – not the homes of mere mortals.  The most famous building in Angkor Thom is the Bayon – a magnificent temple of Hindu and Buddhist construction.  Whilst Ganesh and Vishnu are prominent in the reliefs, the most striking feature is the 54 columns with the smiling faces of Buddhist gods.  .These dominate Bayon, like friendly centurions they look over the piles of rubble. 

Stories of everyday life – cooking the evening meal, a family quarrel, even searching a child’s head for lice -  are depicted in the beautifully carved reliefs.  At the end of this tour we are totally exhausted.  Courtesy of a bit of Orient Express luxury, mandarin oil infused cold towels and icy drinking water help humanise us once again.

The day ends with a fabulous meal at Amok, a Khmer restaurant in The Alley.  We both order tasting plates of different types of Amok   really lovely.