We arrived in Siem Reap early in the afternoon. Modern hotels lined the wide road from the airport to the city, but we stayed in an old hotel in the city center. We planned to visit Angkor Wat the next day.
After an early breakfast, the tuk-tuk arrived as planned and set off with us on the dusty country road in the direction of the ruined city. On the side of the road, here and there, vendors sat under the shady trees and selling water, fruits, but mainly gasoline in two-liter plastic bottles.
Our first stop was the visitor center, where we could collect our tickets, with which we could continue our journey to the ruins.
As we passed through the gate of the complex, which was connected to a low wall that disappeared into the jungle, I felt that we had arrived in a special place.
Then the first buildings appeared before us, and we began our journey until evening, during which we touched almost all the important temples.
We finally arrived at the incomparable temple of Angkor Wat. The artificial lakes surrounding the temples and the jungle beyond them create a special atmosphere as we approach, and then as we get closer, we arrive at the majestic buildings. The main entrance is decorated with an incredibly detailed huge relief. In the light of the afternoon sun, we almost felt like we were in the former Khmer empire. This is a living city even now, although it is not its inhabitants who walk the streets, but tourists, but whoever comes here can feel the grandeur of the place. Here we can feel history itself, we can touch the imprint of the spirituality and art of the once great civilization carved in stone, and in the meantime we can think about what the world would be like if these societies had not disappeared into the depths of time.
