The temples of Angkor

Now I know why it takes at least three days to visit the temples of Angkor. There are so many!

First, there is the Angkor Wat itself, the famous temple. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Behind it lies Angkor Thom, an immense ancient city, forgotten in time and half eaten by vegetation. At its peak, during the great Khmer empire between the years 802 and 1432, the city housed around a million people. It was one of the greatest civilizations of its time.

Here is a brief photo summary of what we saw on the first day:

Victory gate, one of the entrances to Angkor Thom

Bayon, the temple with many faces in the center of Angkor Thom

Inside Bayon

Baphuon, the king's temple

Royal swimming pool

Gods of death in the royal crematorium

Terrace of Elephants

View from the Terrace of Elephants, the king's stage

Next up, Ta Prohm, where parts of the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider were filmed. Needless to say, the temple was packed with tourists. Additionally, it's under massive reconstruction and many areas are inaccessible.

And for the grand finale of the day, Angkor Wat.

Detail on the wall

Stairs to the upper level

Upstairs

Apsaras, heavenly goddesses

And that's just the first day. Want more?

To be continued...