Angkor Wat is the only temple that faces west, so it is best seen in the afternoon. It is impressive. It is monumental. And I hate to say this, but my first reaction upon getting there was, “I’ve seen this.” I had seen so many replicas and pictures that seeing it in person at first didn’t leave me in awe. I was much more thrilled with the other things I had seen that day, the unexpected. It also started to rain while I was there (I was inside at the time, so it wasn’t a problem, but it meant no sunset).
That said, I’ll agree with the Rough Guide’s words – Angkor Wat represents the height of inspiration and perfection in Khmer art, combining architectural harmony, grand proportions and detailed artistry. My initial reaction made me feel a little jaded, but as I approached and entered and the sheer size and scale of the place became clear, I was impressed.
Four smaller towers surround the taller central one; the cones are designed to look like lotus buds. The temple is made up of three platforms, with long, columned galleries extending outward. In the rain, I had a chance to admire some of the detail. The main part was closed to the public and part of it was under scaffolding but that in a way made it more grand. Even as I was there, and almost immediately after I left, I felt I had to go back to see it again, that it was almost too much to take in at once. And if I never get back there? Well, I don’t like thinking that way – even though there are so many other things to see that I haven’t seen yet (not to mention that I was keeping track of what was happening with the economy).
It was a long day, with much of it spent in the car – it was good to walk into the Old Market area. I wasn’t that hungry, so I had the Khmer version of fried rice (yum). And felt really fortunate to have been here at all.
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