Ascending the Temple at Angkor Wat, Cambodia

[x_section style=”margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px; padding: 45px 0px 45px 0px; “][x_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=”” style=”margin: 0px auto 0px auto; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_column bg_color=”” type=”1/4″ style=”padding: 10px 10px 10px 10px; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 1px; “][x_text class=”center-text “]by Danny de la Cruz[/x_text][/x_column][x_column bg_color=”” type=”3/4″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_text]What started out 3 weeks earlier was now finally coming to an end as I sat in my 8th and final plane, this time on the tarmac of San Francisco International Airport. I was jet-lagged, no longer certain of the day and hour given all the time changes and ready for a long, hot shower and my bed back in Chicago — just four more hours to go.

I sat there staring out the window waiting for our turn to take off — it was the perfect time to reflect on the vacation I had just experienced — three countries, multiple airports, modern cities filled with unrelenting traffic of jeepneys or mopeds, provincial villages and dirt roads, glorious ancient temples, somber history lessons and what started it all – a massive family reunion.

This wasn’t just a vacation, but the adventure of a lifetime. These are the stories of my South East Asia Chronicles… 

I was already sweating and wondering why I even bothered to shower that day. It was insanely hot and it was only 8:30 am as I found myself walking along a dirt road filled with anticipation. After a year of planning, I was finally on the grounds of the largest religious monument in the world — Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Our van had just dropped us off after a quick drive from our hotel, the Le Meridien Angkor, and we found ourselves standing at the start of a dirt road and were quickly surrounded by locals doing their best to sell us a souvenir. After multiple “no thank yous” especially to the persistent children trying to sell their products, we were cleared by “security”, a man standing by a wooden post who quickly checked the badges hanging around our necks. As our small group followed Sam, our tour guide from Abercrombie & Kent, I was glad that I had worn my hiking shoes, put on a ton of sun screen and had my wide-brim Tilley hat, aka Indiana Jones’ hat, to protect me from the pounding sun. This was only the first day of our adventure in Cambodia.

We approached Angkor Wat from the back and it actually increased my anticipation. A narrow, reddish-clay road led to a giant, stone structure that would be the gateway to Angkor Wat. What might have stood as a grand gateway at one point in time, was today falling upon itself, but still passable after climbing narrow, stone footsteps.[/columnize][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row inner_container=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none” no_margin=”true”][vc_column width=”1/1″][image type=”none” float=”none” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” src=”9584″][image type=”none” float=”none” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” src=”9609″][text_output]Once through, I could see the giant stone towers in the far distance that are symbolic of Angkor Wat.

It’s a massive religious complex and for centuries, served as the center of the Khmer Kingdom. While there are numerous other temples in the area, Angkor Wat is the most famous of them all and the reason for this journey to Cambodia. As we made our way towards the actual complex, my eyes widened as we approached the outer wall. From here, I could see the entire length of Angkor Wat and took in the grandeur for the first time. This is what I had been waiting to see after a year of planning. Angkor Wat did not disappoint.

I’ll be honest with you, once inside the temple itself, I became lost in the detailed carvings and the stories in the walls and the beauty of it all. There were so many intricacies to see at each turn that every person who has ever entered Angkor Wat walks away with a completely different moment of beauty and grandeur.

What struck me the most were the beautifully carved stone spindles in “windows” throughout the temple. I could only begin to imagine the craftsmanship used to create each one and then duplicated countless of times.

Progressing further into Angkor Wat required us to continually climb up at each new section. Finally at the center, I looked up and faced a set of incredibly steep wooden steps that every visitor would need to ascend to get to the very center of the complex. Unfortunately, due to the sharp angle, anyone under 12 was not allowed to climb. The nephews stayed behind with GrandPa and our guide as the rest of us made our way up. I was glad they had constructed the wooden steps —  my big feet would never have made it up the original, narrow stone steps.

Now at the inner-most courtyard and highest point of the complex, I had a chance to really enjoy the moment. I looked up at the highest peak admiring the details despite years of crumbling rock, stray vegetation and other tourists quietly walking around me.

After wandering the stone corridors of the inner most courtyard and finally enjoying a rare, cool breeze blowing through the columns and passage ways, it was time to head down and regroup with the rest of the family.

Although we were only at the top for brief period of time, it was enough for me to soak up the magnitude of Angkor Wat as I gazed out through various stone windows. Regardless of ones religious beliefs, this was and still is, a true marvel of engineering and design.

It was time to move on and explore the next temple for the day and so we exited Angkor Wat through the front entrance, walking alongside other tourists and even monks visiting from other parts of the country. I looked back at the temple behind me as I followed a wide, paved path that traversed a massive moat surrounding the temple — this was the iconic view in pictures and videos that led me to this moment.

Special thanks to E. Cruz and D. Gans for additional photos taken during our adventures!

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