Tags
Angkor, Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, Banteay Samre, Banteay Srei, Bayon, Buddhism, Cambodia, Preah Khan, Siem Reap
Expectations and I have a rocky relationship. I am a wishful thinker, an eternal optimist, and an unreasonable believer that everything is going to go my way. I’ve tried, really and truly tried, to tamp down my travel hopes and dreams because I’ve learned the hard way that a thick blanket of fog can get stuck over Mt. Fitzroy the whole time you’re there, a week of rain might materialize at a Mexican beach, and a heavy snowfall on a trail in Bhutan can and will cancel a trek that can probably never be rebooked. So, when things not only follow my scripted expectations, but even exceed them, I am a pretty happy traveler. Cambodia as a whole, and the Angkor complex in particular, can be happily filed in this category.
I have spent at least the last decade pining to go to Cambodia. During that time, I went plenty of other places, but I kept pushing this one down the list because I wanted to combine it with its neighboring countries since that is a very long trip for me. So many of my blogging friends have been there, and all I could do was read and dream. My son went years ago, and I was pretty jealous. Then my sister who rarely travels managed to get there, and I was even more envious. Finally, we booked a long, painstakingly planned, independent trip to the region in February/March of 2020. You know what happened to that attempt.
We rebooked for that November (this Covid thing wasn’t going to last that long, right?) and watched that itinerary blow up as well. I tried for the spring of ’21, then the fall, then twice again in 2022, but every time we tried to wedge a 3-4 week outing into our schedules, it just wouldn’t fit. Knowing that most of the conflicts came from his calendar, my husband finally suggested I find a small group and take the trip myself. I needed no extensive coaxing and was booked a few months hence within days of our conversation. Sorry, honey!
So there I was, finally in Siem Reap, Cambodia, getting ready to see the largest religious structure in the world. We would also spend days covering the vast overall complex of Angkor, the capital city of the Khmer empire, a site which many researchers believe was the largest pre-industrial city in the world. Sprawling over nearly 400 square miles (1000 square kilometers), Angkor had an estimated population of up to a million people in its heyday, the 9th to 15th centuries.
We started with Ta Prohm, the temple made famous by the Tomb Raider movies (which I have never seen) but so striking in its own right that it hardly needed a bunch of Angelina Jolie movies to recommend it!
When the Angkor temples were found and slowly rebuilt, Ta Prohm was left more untouched than others, apparently because it was one of the most imposing temples in the ancient city and also because it had melded with the jungle in a particularly picturesque way – man’s creation and nature intertwined to glorious effect. As our first stop of the morning and introduction to Angkor, Ta Prohm was a big winner, eliciting dozens of photos and much energetic roaming about the grounds.
We moved on to the city of Angkor Thom (the largest of all sites within Angkor) and Bayon, the grand temple at its exact center. With 216 smiling Buddha faces carved into its towers, and an incredible three-tiered bas-relief that depicted scenes of everyday life and historic events, Bayon was captivating.
The bas-relief alone might have kept me there for days (we covered only the exterior galleries; these were mirrored by a set of interior carvings), but by the end of this site tour, at the peak of mid-day, we were huddling behind every column we could find, in search of any thin strip of shade in the 100-degree (38 C) heat and stifling humidity.
There were so many stories in the bas-relief that I couldn’t begin to photograph or memorize many. A woman giving birth, a cockfight, kings carried on elephants, battles between Khmers and Chams; all were realistically carved into the stone and have survived centuries of weather and neglect to tell the stories of the Khmer people. Many are quite funny or charmingly quotidian: a woman holding a turtle so that it bites the man in front of her, a seller’s fingers tipping a scale to cheat the buyer, scenes from a beauty parlor, the tweezing of chin hairs, etc.
Angkor Wat itself was, as anticipated, the highlight for me. It was followed by a number of delightful surprises, but still, this monumental structure and its grounds are a tourist hotspot for a reason. Despite its scale and popularity, there was something very quiet and peaceful about Angkor Wat, perhaps because we visited in the late afternoon as the sun hit the edifice at a slant and most of the visiting hordes had left for the day. Even in its busiest areas, though, the temple exudes a quiet spirituality that even the non-religious can appreciate.
We approached over a vast moat that surrounds the temple and reflects its western face, an anomaly among Khmer temples, which mostly face east. Like Bayon, Angkor Wat features a long wall of bas-reliefs, in this case spanning 800 meters of wall space (nearly half a mile!) and centuries of history. Here, they are more deeply etched, and with a bit more shade in which to view them, we were able to study the carvings at leisure.
As we stepped inside, one of my favorite aspects of the site appeared – a stack of partially sunny doorways – and to my delight, similar scenes were repeated over and over throughout the first and second floors of the temple.
At one point, our guide pointed out a different colored stone in the floor and laid his phone’s compass down to show us that the temple was centered at exactly 0 degrees north; how did they calculate that and build from there with absolute symmetry over 1000 years ago? I’m a sucker for this kind of evidence of ancient expertise.
On the second floor, there was a large plaza from which Angkor Wat’s five iconic towers rise, all with tiny, vertiginously steep stairs leading to their tops. One set was for the king only (and he was carried up them); on a different set, some metal steps had been added on the corner of another tower so we peons could climb to the third floor ourselves. A few of us scrambled up and were rewarded with golden hour views of the lower floors and the grounds.
Our final day in Angkor began with a tour of Banteay Srei, also known as the pink temple because of the red sandstone used to build it.
The name translates as “citadel of the women;” though the origins of the name are unknown, theories include the more petite dimensions of the structures, the intricacy of the bas-relief carvings, and the existence of many female deities carved into the rock walls.
Because it is so small with such immaculate handiwork, Banteay Srei is a visitor favorite, a tiny gem in the lineup of temples at Angkor.
We continued on to Banteay Samre. Also much smaller than the places we had seen the day before, this site featured a single tower reminiscent of the ones at Angkor Wat and the same rosy limestone used at Banteay Srei.
Although I was almost at max temple absorption by this time, we undertook one last outing, to Preah Khan in the afternoon. Here we observed even more clearly the flip-flopping of religions that occurred at many of the sites, first Hindu, then Buddhist, back to Hindu, and Buddhist again.
Preah Khan was the least restored temple we saw, and that in itself was revelatory, putting into perspective much that we had seen in the days before. I love puzzles, but when I contemplated the jumbled heaps of giant stones inside and outside the tree-encircled outer walls, I could hardly imagine the jigsaw skills that would be needed to recreate even this one temple, let alone the assortment of reconstructed temples we had visited in our time in Cambodia.
Beyond the Khmer treasures, Cambodia was also my favorite stop in the region. The people were exceptionally kind and gentle, and we were able to talk with several individuals whose lives had been terribly torn apart by the Khmer Rouge in the time of the killing fields. The grace of these survivors, their ongoing ability to find joy, and their pride in what their country has done to restore itself in ways far beyond ancient ruins were powerful and humbling. I am so grateful that I had a chance to meet them and see a small bit of their past and present lives.
Bonnie Darling said:
Absolutely fabulous Lexie! Thanks for this beautiful montage. So delighted to know your trip finally happened!
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Bonnie! It was a long time coming!
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Jolandi Steven said:
How wonderful that you finally made it there, Lexie. Wow, I’m so glad you didn’t give up, and I am SO glad it didn’t disappoint. You and Bama both brought back very happy memories of my own trip there. I always love seeing the places I’ve been through the eyes of fellow bloggers whose writing I adore. And this post didn’t disappoint. 😁
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lexklein said:
That’s such a nice thing to say. Thank you, Jolandi! And can you imagine if I had tried that many times and it DID disappoint?! Maybe this was one where no matter what I found, I’d be thrilled to finally be there to see it.
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Jolandi Steven said:
Oh my goodness, it would have been heartbreakingly sad if it did disappoint! So glad your eternal optimism won the day.
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Curt Mekemson said:
I can never get enough of how trees and temples intertwine. In addition to the beauty and the grace, there is something almost magical. Excellent post, Lexie!
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lexklein said:
Totally agree, Curt. There is a mystical, magical thing going on when nature’s and man’s creations come together!
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Jane Lurie said:
Great collection of images, Lexie. They brought back wonderful memories of seeing these incredible Wats. Truly astounding.
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Jane! They really were amazing, and I’m so happy I finally made it there.
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Manja Maksimovič said:
Oh, your title has misled me into thinking bad thoughts, but luckily can I see that it was beyond splendid. Your husband is mighty kind. Of course I love the light through those doorways the most, and can feel serenity through your photos. Just wonderful.
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lexklein said:
No bad stuff! My husband is indeed kind, but I think he was also tired of me trying to reschedule this trip! The doors were my faves also, and I probably have at least 10-15 more photos of them at various temples. My eye was drawn to them and the filtered light and shadows.
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Liesbet @ Roaming About said:
Your story and photos are fascinating, Lexie. Quite the experience. I’m glad you enjoyed Angkor Wat so much – the expectations must have been very high after a decade of anticipation and failed attempts to visit. And it sounds like you had plenty of time to explore and immerse yourself at the temples during the guided tours.
I ought to return to Cambodia, because I was quite young when visiting as a backpacker in the 1990s. Based on your observations and experiences, I feel like I brushed over it all even though I spent five days in that area. I don’t remember the detailed bas-reliëfs, but do remember my favorite ruins were the ones where the jungle had become a part of and the reflection of the main temple was awesome as well.
Also, your description of the friendly, resilient, and proud Cambodians reminds me of the people in Colombia, who also have been through a lot yet love their country.
I’m sure I will go back one day – with Mark – as a good Canadian sailing friend of ours now lives in Siem Reap with his Cambodian wife, whom we met in Nova Scotia before as well. 🙂
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lexklein said:
I wonder how going back will compare with your first visit. I understand that Siem Reap has changed immeasurably, mostly for the good. And I bet a number of temples have been further restored in the intervening years. It would be great to be there with a local and permanent resident!
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thehungrytravellers.blog said:
Hi Lex. I don’t know if you read our blog but we have just been here too. What a magnificent, mystical, enthralling place it is. Amazing. And isn’t Siem Reap a great little town too. Cambodia is, as you say, a destination which exceeds expectations in many ways.
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lexklein said:
I will go back and read your blog for this update … I believe I checked it out when you commented on another piece of this trip. And yes to all the other comments! It was just a fascinating place with lovely people.
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thehungrytravellers.blog said:
You’re right about the people, we had so many good encounters. Very gracious people.
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Green Global Trek said:
Gorgeous photos which bring back such vivid memories. So happy for you Lex that you managed to finally do this long awaited elusive trip!
Peta
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lexklein said:
Me, too, Peta! Still wish you guys had been in the region, but boy, you’ve been all over the place since then … I’ll track you down someday! Glad my photos could take you back for a short visit.
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Anna said:
Yay you got there! I am so happy that it met your expectations! Your photos are absolutely beautiful and I enjoyed reliving my trip through you. How amazing is it all?? I am so so happy to see this post and know that you finally achieved your dream! X
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lexklein said:
Your trip and posts are honestly what lit the fire under me. When you went and wrote about how badly they needed tourism to return, I just knew I had to get moving for their sake and mine. Being there as things were starting to ramp back up felt like I was doing a small bit to help, and I didn’t have to be smothered by the people who usually swarm all over these places! Besides all that, the place is just awe-inspiring.
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Anna said:
Oh wow I am so glad to hear that! I’m a bit chuffed that something I posted could have such an impact! I’m guessing from some of your pics that it was busier than when I was there last year. I’m definitely hoping things have picked up enough for the people who need it. Thanks for your kind words! C
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Anna said:
X not c lol
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lexklein said:
It really did have an impact! We definitely had more crowds than you, but things still were not super busy and our hotel was not full. I felt lucky to be there before all hell breaks loose again. And from what our guide said, they are all getting back to work and feeling better about things.
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Anna said:
This is so good to hear! Thanks for the update. I often think about the lovely people I met there, and hope for them that life gets better. X
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Monkey's Tale said:
Glad you finally got to Cambodia Lex and glad, although not surprised, that it didn’t disappoint. Maggie
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Maggie – I was really feeling like I had to get there sooner rather than later for many reasons, and it worked out great!
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restlessjo said:
Those doorways with the sunlight filtering through, Lexie! What fabulous images! The scale of the place bemuses and I think that Cambodia’s somewhere you really have to be to absorb the spirituality of it all. A dream fulfilled. Thanks for taking me along with you.
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lexklein said:
The doorways were my very favorite feature, Jo. I have so many photos of them. And yet, strangely, I found that I didn’t take many photos overall, especially at Angkor Wat, and I think it’s because I just let it wash over me at the time. I’m actually happy I did that, albeit subconsciously, because the impressions that remain inside me are so strong..
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restlessjo said:
🤗💜
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twobrownfeet said:
Yay! You made it! 🙂 I’m so happy for you. I remember all about that 2020 trip that you had planned for. I just thought you must have gone there a year later. Those temples are so beautiful and I hope we get to visit someday.
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lexklein said:
Yes, who would have imagined that it would take me three more years to get there? But those were strange years, full of fits and starts and uncertainties. I’m happy I finally made it and hope you do, too, someday!
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Diana said:
What a fabulous post, thank you for sharing so much more than just the typical photos of Angkor. I’m glad the trip,lived up to your expectations after so many years!
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Diana! It’s interesting that you noticed that … I’m not sure you meant the photos I chose or what I wrote, but both were kind of intentional! Lately I’ve been trying to take fewer photos overall (so I can just absorb a place without thinking about “the shot”). I also was telling a fellow blogger who just did a very detailed post on Angkor Wat that, for me, all the feelings I had about being there and seeing everything seemed to supersede history and details as I wrote my post. When I look back at my writings someday, I think that’s what I’ll want to read!
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Diana said:
I meant both!
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lexklein said:
🙂
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Alison and Don said:
What a lovely post Lexie, and gorgeous photos. I too am continually both puzzled and astonished by the expertise of the ancient builders.
I wish we’d had your guide when we were there. Don and I wandered around alone for 2 days, and although we were impressed by what we saw I think we would have gotten so much more out of it if we’d been with a knowledgeable guide.
We also loved Cambodia.
Alison
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Alison! The one good thing about traveling with a small group and not just with my husband is getting to have a guide! J does not have the patience for guides, and when one is included in the group fee, it’s awesome. All of our guides were very good, but this wonderful man was with us for four days or so, and we not only learned a lot about the sites and history but about him and his family as well. He was soft-spoken and humble and has been through a LOT; understanding Cambodia’s more recent history from his perspective was invaluable (and very sad).
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Alison and Don said:
Your guide sounds wonderful, like a real window into Cambodia as well as Angkor Wat. We were on a small-group tour in Egypt and really appreciated our guide for that. When we’re on our own sometimes we have a guide, sometimes not. Often we’ll say “too many words!” 😂 and go on our own.
Alison
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lexklein said:
I’ve experienced guides who drone on, too – too many words indeed! 😂 It’s harder to slink away when it’s just the two of us, so I totally get J’s aversion sometimes. I try to pick my spots; for something like Angkor Wat, I’d do it; in a small town with a few attractions, more likely no. (But we both like some free walking tours! Easy to sneak away if the guide is not good.)
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Alison and Don said:
Don and I haven’t done nearly enough free walking tours! And the ones we have done have been really good.
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leggypeggy said:
We loved Angkor Wat. Thanks for taking me back.
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lexklein said:
One of the great things about reading blogs – we get to revisit favorite places we’ve been!
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Annie Berger said:
Lexie,
I loved your last comment to leggypeggy as I completely agree that reading another person’s views of a place reminds us of our own stop many moons ago.
I can’t help but also comment on the superb window shots. So similar yet so different, too. For some reason, I had completely forgotten those incandescent images so thanks for including them in your post!
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lexklein said:
Hi Annie, this destination is certainly one that will jog the memories of many travel bloggers. I’m just glad I am now part of that group! The windows were what really made me pick up my camera. I was trying to mostly just soak up the atmosphere, but those details really caught the vibe of the whole place, and I wanted to have a record of them. Thanks for reading!
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Bama said:
I’m so so happy Cambodia turned out really well and kind to you, Lex, especially after all the postponements. I remember how you said the weather gods were often not on your side when you traveled to Mount Fitzroy, Bhutan, and I believe also Ecuador? But look at that spectacular first photo in this post! Angkor Wat in its full glory, bathed in the afternoon sun with blue skies in the background, all reflected on the calm water of the pond. So sublime!
Speaking of Ta Prohm, when we were there last December, a section of it with particularly picturesque view of giant roots over those centuries-old man-made structures was off-limits to tourists due to a filming or something. What Tomb Raider did to Ta Prohm really is what Indiana Jones did to the Treasury in Petra.
When you said the people you met were kind and gentle, it reminds me of my own experience both from 2011 and 2022. I loved how soft-spoken most people I met were, and that made me feel relaxed.
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lexklein said:
Thanks for being happy for me, Bama! You definitely knew how badly I wanted to get there, and I have made no secret of my bad weather luck – haha. (And yes, Ecuador was another bust in that sense.) The trip started out gray and rainy in Hanoi, but Cambodia came through with clear skies. Phew!
I had seen photos of Ta Prohm for many years, including the Tomb Raider promos, but I was still astounded by the sight of those trees wrapped around the buildings. I hope the filming didn’t have too much of an impact on your visit. Given its recent history, it’s amazing how relaxing and peaceful Cambodia felt, and I have to ascribe that to the people who were so wonderful.
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Bama said:
Luckily that particular area was very small, so it didn’t affect my visit to Ta Prohm that much. Talking to the locals in Siem Reap really made me feel as if I was talking to the Javanese people from where my mom and her parents were from.
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lexklein said:
Another good reason I should visit Indonesia! 🙂
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Dave Ply said:
That’s great that you finally had success getting to Cambodia, and that the weather cooperated (even if it was a tad warm.) It looks like one of those places you wander around with a persistent smile on your face – where all the hassles and pains of travel are overcome by the payoff.
Interesting about the North orientation. I think phones are oriented around true north rather than magnetic north, and magnetic north can shift over the years. Although the difference looks small in Cambodia at the moment (and Houston too for that matter) who knows what it was 1000 years ago, and how they worked it out. Location matters, for us magnetic north is 15 degrees off of true.
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lexklein said:
You know wayyyy more about all this compass/true and magnetic north/astro-alignment business than I do! I did go back and read a little bit more to see if I had been an overly trusting sucker for the compass trick, and much of what our guide told us seems to have been corroborated by a number of people in the math/science/astronomy fields. By reconstructing the ancient sky and using GoogleEarth, GIS data, etc, they have pretty much shown that Angkor Wat (as well as many Mayan, Egyptian, and other temples) were often aligned extremely accurately to all four cardinal directions. Pretty cool even if I can’t totally understand or explain it well!
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Dave Ply said:
I got my pilot’s license back in the late 80s and had to learn about the difference between true and magnetic north, and about magnetic variation for navigation reasons. But that doesn’t make what those ancient civilizations did any less impressive.
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James said:
Lex, I’m so, so thrilled you fulfilled your long-cherished wish of going to Cambodia – and that you went just a few short months after Bama and I did! The kind and gentle nature of the Cambodians really stood out for us too. And seeing Ta Prohm first thing in the morning must have been a real treat. We visited at midday so it was pretty crowded, though not unpleasantly so.
To be honest, I’m more than a little jealous of the clear blue skies you had throughout your time in Siem Reap! That first photo you took of Angkor Wat in the late afternoon with the warm glowing stone was exactly what Bama and I were chasing. Though the weather wasn’t always on our side in December, I suppose we should count our blessings. Angkor is not all that far away from us, being a relatively painless one-stop journey via Singapore, and we *did* get perfect conditions for photography at Banteay Srei – hands down our favorite Khmer temple.
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lexklein said:
Well, I am more than a little jealous that you have so much of Asia easily accessible to you! I guess we all have our parts of the world that are easier to reach, but your part is what I find most interesting to visit, and it’s just so darn expensive and time-consuming (and, as I am becoming more sensitive to, environmentally harmful) to get to. I remember you did finally get some blue skies while you were there, and I’m glad they shone on charming Banteay Srei!
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awtytravels said:
Love it! Isn’t it great when you wait for something for SO LONG and then it turns out to be as good as you thought it’d be? So happy for you, Lexi.
I must say, Tomb Raider for me is more the PlayStation game than the Angelina Jolie movies (based on the game, he says withouth Googling). They had horrible graphics but I do remember Angkor Wat under a torrential rain. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to get there, but if I do… it’d have to be under a downpour. Can’t be too cold, anyway!
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lexklein said:
I totally get your requirement to see Angkor Wat in the pouring rain because that’s how it first made its impression on you. I have all sorts of crazy visions of how things will be when I finally get to see them. Not so much on this trip, but I did have super high expectations in general, and they were met – yay!
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thirdeyemom said:
Wow, what an incredible visit you had Lexi! Your photos are stunning and like you, I also have dreamed of visiting Cambodia but I still haven’t made it there. How small was your group? Your photos look like it was not too touristy. That is something I’ve wondered about. So did you do Cambodia and Laos and somewhere else? I hope to make it that way someday!
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lexklein said:
Our group had about 10 people, so not tiny but certainly not large and cumbersome. It worked out very well; I have never had such a compatible group, with no complainers, no late arrivers, and no know-it-alls! We visited Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, with a little bit at the end in Thailand from which we departed. I had been there before, so my interest and focus were on the first three. Hope you get there soon!
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AndysWorldJourneys said:
its an extraordinary place isnt it! I must go back one day, it just takes your breath away! Awesome photos!
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lexklein said:
Good thing for you is that it’s close enough to go back! 🙂 And yes, it really is an extraordinary place.
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