What a Wat

In this part of the world a Wat is a temple. And Angkor Wat is the Wat of all Wats. It's the largest religious building in the world. With its main tower standing more than 200 feet tall, it's about the same height as the Taj Mahal. Including a moat and grounds, it covers more than 500 acres. Its architecture and intricate decoration are absolutely magnificent. And, large as it is, Angkor Wat is just one part of a 60-square-mile temple complex. I saw seven temples in two days, and that's about half of the total.

Angkor is a UNESCO World Heritage Site but it didn't make the 'Seven New Wonders of the World' list in 2007. It was a strong contender, but maybe it missed because the list was determined by popular vote, and not eveyone knows about this Cambodian wonder. You see, Angkor was the ancient capital of the Khmer Kingdom from 802 to 1295 A.D., but was forgotten until 1860, when it was rediscovered by a French botanist. It's a similar story to Petra in Jordan. And then it was closed from 1969 until 1991 during the devastation and recovery from the rule of Khmer Rouge, a period when great damage was done to these amazing monuments. So Angkor is just now coming into its own as a world-class tourist destination.

My new Habitat friends Madelyn and Lauri and I hired a tuktuk and driver to take us on a tour. I'd read reviews on Tripadvisor.com, and asked for him by name; he goes by 'Sam', and he's on Facebook as Sam Tuktuk. He is Cambodian, but attended high school in Santa Ana, CA! So his english is excellent, and he was fantastic. He provided us with enough information that we didn't need to hire a separate guide. And we asked him to join us for lunch and had all of our questions answered. The one day wasn't enough for me, though, so I spent a second day seeing more by bicycle.

Intricate design carved in stone covers nearly every surface of Angkor Wat, but the bas relief murals that tell historical and mythical stories are particularly dramatic.

Beautiful roadways comparable to those of a U.S. National Park lead through the jungle, linking the many monuments.

Sculpted stone heads are an icon of Angkor, and are found lining bridges and entries.

And huge faces dominate a Wat called The Bayon. There are more than 200 of them atop 54 towers that look to the distance. The monuments are set against a green, steamy jungle, with the constant hum of cicadas in the background. The whole experience here is a bit like something out of 'Indiana Jones'. And, in fact, parts of the movies were actually filmed here.

Moss brings color to the stone in places, with hues of green, orange and black. And the coloration changes throughout the year, as humity differs from dry season to wet.

Trees have taken over some of the stone structures, doing battle with the architecture. They serve as a reminder of how long Angor Wat was forgotten and neglected. It really was a lost city. I'm so glad that isn't the case today, and that I found it!