A restful night sleep and I was like new. I must admit that yesterday’s heat got to me as mybody shut down by dinner time. It is definitely a “hot climate” here and humid so be prepared and take it slow.
That said, we embarked early for our visit of Angkor Wat (city of monks) and the head start was beneficial for several reasons. Temperature was one, crowds were another and the right lighting was useful too.
Built in the late 1100s this temple was dedicated to Buddha but later was converted to a Hindu belief. Many of the faces were simply changed to Hindu gods with artisan skill. As you can see, crowds are everywhere (some 5000 people visit here daily). We eventually did chose to forego the inner sanctum walk as the wait amounted to at least 1 hour. At a minimum plan on spending 3 hours here if not more.
The site is spectacular and there are countless vantage points to take in. A private guide is a big asset however as your groups clog the big galleries while we snuck into small spaces and shade.
A restful mid-day break from the heat allowed us some pool time before heading out to the last temple visit in the afternoon. Stay tuned for our last adventure here before a quick stopover in Singapore.
Planet Travel Blog 
Some themes that struck me throughout your amazing trip are the humility and ingenuity of the Vietnamese and Cambodian people in how to get by and thrive (particularly the agrarian people) in their environment and, second, the huge populations throughout the Middle East and the Far East. It also amazes me how forgiving all these nations are after the horrific wars and agonies of loss they have experienced and too often at the hands of the Americans. It’s not that any of the above is new news. It’s that you two have been immersed in these contrasting circumstances for the past two weeks and it just really drives it all home in a big way.
Thank you for sharing your travels. Amazing. Truly amazing.
Love,
Julie
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