Day 31 Angkors Aweigh!

Angkor is the largest collection of religious buildings in the world.  A $40 park entrance fee gets you 3 days of playing Indiana Jones. It was well worth it...
"Angkor is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia. Stretching over some 400 km2, including forested area, Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century. They include the famous Temple of Angkor Wat and, at Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple with its countless sculptural decorations." More http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/668

Angkor Wat is surrounded by a moat which is 100m wide and over a kilometre on each of it's four side. Imagine how long it would have taken the Khmer to dig this moat by hand! The Angkor Wat was started in 1011 and wasn't finished until 1050 - just one of the many temples. Each king would build his own temple and palace. They're scattered all over the region. In it's prime Angkor had over a million people. It was abandoned for about.

From the early fifteenth century, when Angkor was completely abandoned, until the late nineteenth century, Angkor was kept intact by the Theravada Buddhist monks. It was "discovered" by a French traveller in the mid 1800s.
 !

 

Angkor Wat

 

When the Queen was kidnapped, he King called
 in the monkey army to battle for her return.  

The battle depiction went on for 60m!

Two cousins battled for the throne

Again, over 60 m!

 

 

Next we moved on to Angkor Thom. The Bayon temple was the most impressive with 54 towers - each with four  faces looking North, South, East, West. Hard to believe we're allowed to walk on/over these incredible buildings.

54 Towers like this

Adam gave these boys a bouncy ball.

 Now onto the king's palace

 

 

 



Next temple  Ta Phrom or now known as Tomb Raider temple as the movie with Angelina Jolie was filmed here. Trees have over taken the temple. We visited during a light rain which made it feel even more eerie.

 

 

We were all in awe with these magnificent buildings. Can't wait for more temples.

 

Dip in the hotel pool

Adam preferred the hot and cold tubs in the spa

Tea kept warm in a coconut