Siem Reap, Cambodia

Siem Reap, Cambodia’s second largest city of 1 million people, goes from sacred to profane in a hurry. 

Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world (402 acres), was started in the late 12th century as a Hindu temple and gradually changed to a Buddhist temple depending on who was king. It remained a religious site until about the 16th century, but it was not totally abandoned. 

It is hard to describe how enormous it is, moat and all. The engineering is spectacular too. For the  engineer astrologers in the audience, everything about all of the structures is symmetrical and relates to the natural world. Four entrances, all equidistant from the center, the towers are all precisely the same, height, etc. and the sun rises over a different tower at the beginning of each astrological month. The precision is amazing. 

My guide is a great photographer. 

I spent two delightful mornings (the afternoon sun is no joke) with Thom and Mr. Phat the Tuk Tuk driver. 

The second morning we went to Bayon Wat which has 54 towers decorated with serene and smiling faces of Buddha.

Construction started at the beginning of the thirteenth century when a different king decided to move the capital to Wat Thom a few kilometers north.

I especially liked the elephant terrace, (300 yards long) which overlooks a huge field from which the  King watched sports events, elephant parades and I guess, anything he wanted to.  The bias relief sculptures in All of the walls are stunning, even today.
The horse has 5 heads.

The elephant only 3. 

The monkey has one, but he is next to an Aspara dancer, an amazing traditional dance which continues today. 

Now on to the profane.  

Pub Street in downtown Siem Reap makes Ocean City look like bible camp. 

 

Sitting in the Temple Bar with my new buddies is cool, but the one across the street......