3 Ginger Snaps

Day 2 at the temples was good.  Not as memorable as day 1. Turns out that on day 1 we were spoiled by the fact that we were visiting more remote locations and thus the crowds were much lighter. Day 2 we were in the thick of it with throngs of tourists. Of course – still awed by what we saw:

Our first stop was Sra Srang – a large and tranquil human made lake that was aligned east to west and it was a calming start to our day. Hil taught us how to do sun salutations and we took a few moments to be silent together. 

Then a fun climb up the 96 steps of Ta Keo Temple. Incredible views from the top. Charlotte’s post on this experience has all the important details. 

Turns out that on day 2 we started too late in the day and by the time we were done exploring Ta Keo we felt it was too hot and too crowded to do much more. 

Day 3 – Incredible. Sunrise at Angkor Wat. With a few thousand of our closest friends. 

The temples were quiet first thing in the morning and we got some good exploring done inside Angkor Wat. The highlight was finding the lineup that allowed us to get to the very top of the most sacred shrine where we saw the four Buddhas at the top. Unfortunately kids under 12 years of age were not allowed to make the pilgrimage but Hil and I were able to trade off and experience the summit. And the girls were very cooperative playing with one another while we took turns for ascending. We also met a few people in line who were, once again, quite taken with our redheads. We also cruised most of the perimeter of Angkor Wat as it is quite famous for its relief carvings which tell a multitude of stories. In this picture Ruby and Arden are churning the milk sea which is a fascinating creation story.

Bayon Temple was completely different. Much older. Nearly circular in structure. And many many many Buddahs on the inside. 

At this point the kids needed a break and there was one more temple that I wanted to see as it was built in the style of a pyramid. Baphuon Temple was extremely mystical. There was a very steep climb to the almost top. The actual top of the temple was closed to access. And the four doorways pointing in each of the four cardinal directions certainly gave me lots to think about.

Then Ruby and Arden found a leaf pile to play in. 

Then we found some minnows trapped in puddles that were drying up and took a few moments for a quick science lesson.

By then we had had our fill and it was time to head home. we had been up since 4 AM to catch the sunrise. It was time for a nap.