The people of Angkor -- March 21-22, 2007

As I left my Siem Reap guesthouse at 5 a.m. and headed out to see the sun rise over Angkor Wat, my expectations were mixed. I had heard from many people that the world's largest religious monument and its surrounding temples were stunning. But I also knew, with 1 million visitors annually, they can be a bit of a zoo. Boy was I right! Shortly after I arrived, buses filled with Japanese and German tourists pulled up and hordes of people swept through the front entrance. Yikes -- a sunrise at Angkor Wat isn't exactly an original idea!

Yet when I managed to squeeze my way through the crowds and stepped through the gateway, the sheer size and majestic beauty of the five perfectly shaped lotus towers sent shivers down my spine. I only then began to appreciate just how powerful the ancient Khmer empire must have been -- and to think Angkor Wat was built by hand!


The surrounding temples were equally impressive - the 200 smiling faces carved into 50 stone towers at the Bayon; the beautifully preserved bas reliefs at the Terrace of the Leper King; the trees swallowing the stones of Ta Prohm. The Angkor temples embody the creativity, intelligence and spirituality of the Khmer people.



But while the architecture and artistic beauty were certainly spectacular, I found myself spending just as much time watching the Cambodians around the temples -- the monks in their brilliant orange robes, the white clothed women gazing out at the foreigners, the adorable yet savvy children peddling jewelry, postcards and drinks, the elderly man with the beaming smile. These were the descendants of Angkor!