text by Gypsygals Nina and Prime

photos by Gypsygal Nina

We can only reserve three days to "flashpack" our way to Cambodia (ahhh, the agonies of having a day job!). So, the only way for us to savor this Cambodian trip is to go to a place that will best define Cambodia: the ruins of Angkor Wat.
It's a no brainer. If you go to Cambodia, you should see Angkor Wat. It doesn't matter even if you have no ambition of being the next Margaret Mead (or Laura Croft, for that matter) and the reason why you went to Cambodia is just for the cheap booze and some partying. Cambodia is about Angkor Wat. Period .
The Khmers are very proud of these world-famous hastorical ruins that you can't find its image not only in those tacky souvenirs (from key chains to mugs), but in their natrional flag.
The Angkor Wat, literally means "Temple City". It's a combination of two Khmer words derived from the ancient Sanskrit language. The word "angkor" is derived from the Sanskrit word "nagara," which means "city." Wat is a Khmer term derived from the Sanskrit word "vattaram" which means "temple."
The Angkor Wat was built during the reign of god-king Suryavarman II and it was here that Khmer kings ruled over a vast domain that span from Vietnam to China to the Bay of Bengal. (Yeah we know that it's really tiresome to know these details especially when all you want is to relax and not feel like you're cramming for your history exam. But, trust us, you can only appreciate Angkor Wat if you know just a teeny-bit historical info)
Angkor Wat was originally built to honor the Hindu god Vishnu and is supposed to represent Mount Meru – the mythical sacred mount where Hindu gods resides.
Experts until now are still mulling over whether it's a place for worship or was it a funerary temple for the king, citing that the temple is oriented to the west in contrast to the usual east. Oh well, they better make the walls start talking if they wanted to crack it. šŸ™‚
A distinct feature of the Angkor Wat is the lotus looking towers, which looks quite stunning – especially on sunset and sunrise (this is the perfect photo time for all ye shutterbugs out there) .

It is advisable that you allot an ample time to walk around the compound, it is quite big. But we enjoyed just strolling along on the passageways and hopping from one terrace to another. Access to the upper areas of the temple was built to be exclusive for the king and the priest ( a staircase was built just for their use) .
 
But that was eons ago. If you don't have a vertigo, try going up to the towers, climbing up those steep narrow steps. Well at least one can learn how to climb sideways and yes there are some steel bars and steel staircase (not on all places) for ease and to avoid corrosion of the temple. In any case, don't be a hero and think of your own safety before climbing.

If you're not into climbing, then just walk around the temple and admire the walls filed with bas-relief friezes depicting episodes from the Hindu epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. British archaeologist Chales Higham, author of the Civilization of Angkor Wat has called these, "the greatest known linear arrangement of stone carving".
 
But our favorite are walls depicting the Apsaras – those voluptuous celestial nymphs are a common motif in most Angkorian temples and were considered celestial entertainers of the court of gods.