Monday, December 30, 2013

12/30/13: I AM IN CAMBODIA! [Day 2]

Today we woke up at 4:30 AM in order to head down to the temples, specifically the Angkor Wat complex, to see Angkor Wat at sunrise. It was totally worth it, because it was incredibly beautiful and an amazing sight to see as it turned from darkness to lightness to watching the flaming orange ball go up alongside the grand pillars of the biggest temple in the world. Cameras were clicking, birds were chirping, and motorbikes were running.

After taking many pictures of the natural masterpiece laid out before us, we went inside the complex itself and viewed the inside of the famous temple, looking at carvings and art lining the walls, huge monuments, and extremely steep phobia-inducing stairs that definitely offered the thrill of being up there, high, and seeing the world of palm trees and people that looked like specks.

After the tour of Angkor Wat, we went to eat breakfast back at the hotel and relax for a little while before journeying Ta Prohm, the lost jungle temple where they shot some of Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. When we traveled there, we toured through destructed walls, piles of moss-covered stone, and vines swallowing up the structures.

Then we eat lunch at a small restaurant downtown to refuel in order to visit and tour both Angkor Thom, Bayon, and the Elephant Terrace. Bayon and the Elephant Terrace were two temples that were inside the Angkor Thom complex, the largest temple complex in the world. There, in Bayon, we saw the 54 smiling faces of Buddha and we saw a line of carved elephants marching on a wall at the Elephant Terrace, all fun to see and astonishing to see in person after years of Google Images.

Tomorrow, is New Year's Eve. There's no other way I'd like to spend the new year but here!

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