Rising out of the jungle

Photo by Patrick Jones. Angkor Wat, 23 Apr 2016.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Buddha protected by Naga.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Temple cat at Angkor Wat.

This set continues my exploration of Angkor Wat, picking up from the photos here and here. The Telegraph has a timely video on why one should see Angkor Wat in one's lifetime (YouTube, 7 May 2016, link here). There's a great quote from one of the reporters retelling his own visit to Angkor, and I certainly felt this way too walking through the ruins. "You are aware, and I was certainly aware, that there are a lot of people there...but the beauty of it is such that it almost transcends that and you can find your own corner of it. It's a place that inspires and sparks wonder."

Photo by Patrick Jones. Inside Angkor Wat.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Inside Angkor Wat.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Khmer inscription over Japanese.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Inside Angkor Wat.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Angkor from the front entrance.

It really was an amazing place. I have been very lucky to see many of the world's great heritage sites - most recently Chichen Itza in Yucatan, Mexico, as well as the Pyramids in Egypt, the Great Wall of China, among others. I am so glad this worked out to see Angkor while I was in the region. I'm not sure when I will get another opportunity to go to Cambodia.

After departing the temple site, I continued on to Angkor Thom, the old capital city of the Khmer Empire. I will have photos from exploring Angkor Thom in a separate post.