Sunday, October 15, 2006

Temples of Angkor





The Temples of Angkor are a wonder. Buried deep within the jungle of Eastern Cambodia is some of humankinds most ambitious religious buildings. There are hundreds of temples, some massively big, others minutely small, they are a testament to the grandeur of the Ancient Khmer Kingdom. All the temples were built between the 9th and 13th century, and were either Hindu or Buddhist in association. Angkor Wat is the most famous and is off immense national pride to the Cambodians. After decades of war and genocide, they look at Angkor Wat as a symbol of what they can accomplish. However, the other temples that dot the countryside are completely different, but of equal beauty. The Bayon Temple with its eerie array of faces, seemingly looking down at you from every angle. The Ta Phrom Temple that has been left to the destructive forces of the jungle trees. Each temple has its own unique character and charm, after 3 days of visiting various temples, we only scratched the surface on understanding their importance. I could attempt to describe what it was like to wander within the stone walls, but as they say 'a picture tells a thousand words'.

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