Cambodiahhhhhh…………….

Angkor Wat.  Words do not exist to describe it.

This former Hindu and later Buddhist temple was built in the middle part of the 12th century.  That in and of itself is amazing.  What is even more incredible is that it took a mere 37 (approx) years to build.

We arrived before dawn to watch the sun rise behind the temple grounds.

After the sun rose, we explored the grounds. There is no way to see every corner of the temple and I will be forever grateful to our guide for navigating us around the crowds.

It takes a little while walking around to notice it, but every square centimeter of the temple structure is carved or etched.   When you realize this, the temple manages to impress even more.

The temple is still considered sacred and monks can be seen throughout the grounds.

And, I don’t know if they are there for religious reasons or just to beg from tourists, but there is also a family of Macaque monkeys that roam the temple and grounds.

The area of Siem Reap (this part of Cambodia) has more temples than Angkor Wat.  The one with all the different Buddha heads also impressed.

Another incredible visit was the Ta Prohm temple.  This is the one where all the roots and trees grow out of the ruins of the structures.  The government has decided to leave this temple almost the same conditions in which it was found.  I think they made the right decision since nothing else looks like this.

After days in the heat and humidity of Cambodia, it was time for a rest.