The Final Verdict

Some Random Facts

Time spent on site: +30 hrs

Distance traveled on bicycle: + 120 km

Distance traveled on foot: Unknown, but my feet hurt

Temples visited: 16

Most visited temples: Ta Prohm (x3), Banteay Kdei (x2), Preah Palilay (x2), Angkor Wat (x2)

Favorite spot on site: North Gate of Ankor Thom

Biggest disappointment: Sra Srang, Neak Poan 

Biggest surprises: Gates of Ankor Thom, Sra Srang Village, monkeys

Pictures taken: 531

Videos shot: 5

MAP

An Issued Apology

I get emotional, it's what I do. My first day at Angkor was stressful, exciting, frustrating and relieving all at the same time. So then I came back, sat myself behind a computer and got to work. Forth came a typed version of my impressions which were all one can come to expect from a first impression, where I got some things wrong and got some things right. Now, after three days of biking, climbing, reading and exploring, I can now look back and make up my mind about this place.

Love It And Hate It

Angkor is a circus, there is no denying it. Tuktuks - a motorcycle with a seated cart attached to it - buses, motorcycles, the occasional elephant and, shamefully in the minority, bikes are everywhere. Angkor Wat looks like a beehive from sunrise to sunset, Ta Prohm is a construction site and Angkor Thom looks like a parking lot at a drive-in. Despite all of that, there is beauty to be found, no doubt about it.  

I was incredibly lucky to get my hands on 'Angkor', a book by Dawn Rooney. The book is somewhat out of date as the temples are changing rapidly due to the anastylosis that is applied all over the place. It basically means that they are reconstructing the crumbled temples, while trying to preserve the actual feel of a ruin. 

Still, the background this book provides is invaluable if you truly want to appreciate this place. That is where I went wrong on my first day at Angkor. Endlessly obsessed with having a place to myself,  I raced through the 'big attractions', trying to get rid of the circus that a World Heritage Site is forced to endure, not appreciating the details these places have to offer. The book offers, for example, a fantastic tour of the Angkor Wat temple that enables you to feel as if you were there 900 years ago, even with all the hassle of Japanese tourists with the same hats, noisy Brits or locals that use their cellphones as ghettoblasters. 

The Temple Offerings

Every once and a while, a guy will show up with burning sticks, asking you to make a donation for the temple. Don't do it. For one thing, you're not an ATM and it's funny that these guys only show up in the popular temples. If you want be respectful: dress appropriately, don't eat in the temples or leave your trash and be quiet. Nothing more, nothing less.

Monkeys

This place has them.                                  (watch it in glorious 720p)

Should I Come Here?

Yes, you should. Take me with you, especially if you're female, good-looking, up for a serious challenge and of course, single. 

How?

• Get in shape, show some backbone and hop on a bicycle. Bring an MP3 player for the busiest roads, switch it off on the quiet ones. Bring cookies and water, and plenty of them.
• Take a few impulsive turns and don't be afraid about getting lost in this place, because you should. 
• Bring a good book and read as you explore the temples. Works better than the smile and nod approach with guides. 
• When traveling this time of year, bring a raincoat. 
• If you are unable to ride a bike, take a bus or a tuktuk, but do your homework. This way you know what you want to see and when you want to see it. It's a good idea spending your first day exploring every temple, so you can decide on which ones you want to see in detail. 
• Be here before sunrise, leave at sunset. Unless rainy season drenches the late afternoons, then there is little point to it. 
• Be here for three days at least.

In Closing

I was deeply impressed by this place. I've seen things I didn't think existed and even without keeping in mind that it was built around 900 years ago, it remains almost unearthly. Eating my peanut cookies drenched in honey, after a tropical 20 km bike ride next to the Northern Gate of Ankor Thom will go down in history as one of the greatest experiences of my life, but it's impossible to convey the feeling to others in writing, so you should just take my word for it. 

When/if I write my book, I'll include detailed descriptions of all the things I've seen and done, as it a bit too much to include it all in this blogpost. Instead I'll provide you with what you all wanted to see: a crapload of pictures.

Catching Up

Here are some videos which I've finally managed to upload. Some are now more than a week old, so consider this extra content :).

Mai Chau

 

Saigon, Baby!

 Phnom Penh, Capital of Cambodia

The Temples of Angkor

The Future
 
Tomorrow I leave this place for Battambang . Oddly enough, I'm recovering from a cold which I contracted after a crazy amount of water fell on my head while riding my bicycle, so that must be dealt with as well. It's a little strange to say "mission accomplished" after 20 days but yeah... Mission accomplished.  Now, for the next 60 days, let's see what's else is out there.