This past weekend was perhaps the most spectacular of my entire life. A bold statement to make, I know, but anyone who has ever been to see the ruins of Angkor Wat knows what I mean.
A group of students from my program traveled to the city of Siem Reap in northern Cambodia to visit these almost thousand year old ruins. The temple city was built by ancient Hindus as a place both to worship Vishnu and for the king to live. In many ways visiting Angkor Wat was not unlike visiting the pyramids in Cairo - you are just dumbfounded with wonderment. There are no words to fully explain and pictures only show a part of the magic. I absolutely loved seeing all of the Hindu and Buddhist imagery carved all over the inside and outside of the temples in the complex. Stories, like those of Rama and Hanuman, were carved in intricate detail just about anywhere and everywhere. 
Though the day was hot and sweaty, I enjoyed wandering the various temple structures, some overrun with jungle vines and giant trees. It is rather outstanding that they have lasted this long and I can only hope that their current restorations efforts will keep them for generations to come. 
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