Angkor Wat

Yesterday I said that Siam Reap was like an amusement park, and today I will confirm it. We started the day waiting in line to enter the park, this one's name is Angkor Wat. After purchasing a three day pass with our picture on it (no arm bands, though), we got in the queue of cars entering the park. Each attraction we went to was crowded with people, and there were often lines just to walk down the halls. Everywhere I looked, there were hundreds of people. We were told that tourism is the number one job in Siam Reap.

Just another theme park?

That being said, lets get on to the attractions. Remember the first time you watched Jurassic Park, and they showed the brachiosaurus, and shivers ran down your back as you though to yourself, "This is going to be a good movie"? Seeing the bridge crossing the moat to Angkor Wat, and the archway through the wall did that for me. The carvings were amazing, and the scale was gigantic. It was nothing like what I had expected.

Our first temple was Angkor Thom, and this actually did remind me of something from Disney Land. I have a feeling the Disney theme parks borrowed from Angkor Wat when creating their world. Huge stone towers with faces and reliefs carved into them erupted from the ground, and towered above the trees. Walking through the halls and up the steep steps is something I cannot describe. It was absolutely amazing... I guess one more thing I need to put on my list of four most amazing things I have ever seen.

We visited The Angkor Wat temple, the largest temple in the world, as well. However, description just doesn't work. All I can do is show pictures.

A line for cars and a line for people.

It is obvious, but actually tell yourself that this was all carved from stone.

I thought this was massive at first, but then we went on.

A little monkey business.

The carvings were extremely detailed and on all of the walls.

This temple was enormous; truly a city onto it's own.

Prince Sedartha being shielded from the rain as he meditates under a tree.

Photo op... not sure who the subject is.

Sarah desecrating a national treasure.

The temples are being restored. You will see a row of ancient statues, and one new one placed where the original had crumbled.

Again, the walls were so intricate.

Angkor Wat.

The ceiling towered above us.

No need to be reminded that this is not just a temple but an ancient city of thousands of people.