48. Angkor Wat, wonderful remains of the past

Angkor Wat, wonderful remains of the past - By Pierre with Bila

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- Having explored the complex of Angkor during two evenings, I committed to buy the precious ticket for one of the most beautiful wonders of Asia.
- Meeting time: 5 a.m. with a bicycle to visit the remains of the Khmer civilization.
Angkor What?

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- Angkor Wat is the most popular temple of the Angkor group of Temples. On the Angkor site, there is about 70 temples of the great Khmer civilization (current Cambodians) dating between 900 and 1200.
- Some temples are located more than 100 kms north of the main site in Siem Reap. However we have chosen to sightsee the main temples on the small loop, to enjoy quietly our visit.
Angkor Wat, the temple

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- The famous temple was built between 1113 and 1150. Dedicated to the Hindu divinity Vishnu rather than Shiva, this Mausoleum of the King Suryavarman II represents Mount Meru, symbol of the kingdom of the Hindu gods, surrounded by mountains (the walls) and the ocean (the moats).
- A masterpiece always in good condition.
Angkor Thom

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- Having to stop the multiple attacks of the Cham (Vietnamese), the king Jayavarman VII built a huge walled city on the ruins of the former capital Yasodharapura, destroyed by the Cham. It is the peak of the Khmer Empire.
- A bridge leading to the city
Bayon temple

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- In the heart of Angkor Thom, Bayon is also its spiritual center. On the walls, representations describe the fight led by Jayavarman against the Cham and other scenes of Khmer life.
- The jewel of the site and its towers with human heads.
Victory Gate

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- This entrance of Angkor Thom was an important gate heading towards Ta Prohm. This gate is the most famous and it is very impressive.
- On both sides of the door, you can find people making paintings of the facade.
Ta Keo, a Chinese temple

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- Ta Keo is also worth a visit. The construction of this temple during XIII° century was strongly influenced by the Chinese and these days, the restoration of this temple is largely led by Chinese subsidies.
Ta Prohm, so wild

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- The discovery of the site took a lot of time and settlers, including French, began to restore gradually temples, removing the lush vegetation that moves the stones.
- But Ta Prohm was discovered long time after and its natural part with its trees pushing the stones, gives an impressive charm to this temple. This is why it was decided to leave Ta Prohm as natural as possible, which made it one of the most visited temples.
Ta Prohm belongs to the nature

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- This tree is a symbol: the nature is the undisputed mistress of Ta Prohm. The happiness of tourists stands in contemplation of the power of nature which took over its rights on human creations.
The wall decorations

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- What gives the whole charm to Angkor Wat to me, is the figures and other designs appearing on the walls. The stones are cut and adorn each temple, making it more surprising that its predecessor.
Statues of war

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- The Khmer people are represented on the walls by creatures, owning powerful animal strengths such as a tail of snake. We regret the overuse of this design, carved too many times in my opinion.
Bila makes the masterpiece

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- Bila became a moment the tourist attraction at the top of Bayon, when she sketched with a pencil this design in front of an army of tourists impressed.
An experience above all

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- When staring the sunset, we discover that the visit of Angkor is especially the opportunity to spend a good day biking and admiring the legacy of the past in its whole splendor.

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