WHAT'S WHAT AT ANGKOR WAT
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The legendary Angkor Wat, which over an area of approximately 400 acres is one of the largest religious structures in the world, another testament to an other incredibly creative and spiritual era.
Synchronicity again danced into our lives.
We were greeted with the sight of a German film crew filming a documentary on the last remaining Royal Court dancer, and were enthralled at this old ladies beauty and grace. Horrifically, most of her contemporaries had been killed by the Khmer Rouge.
She was accompanied by her daughter with her own simple elegance..
Virtually free of tourists at that time, we leisurely explored the temple complexes, admiring the beautiful and intricate carvings on many of the walls showing ceremonies and lifestyles of the time, marveling at the craftsmanship and intelligence that could create such a masterpiece of architecture and design.
We struck up a friendship with a monk, and were invited to visit the small village like complex within the grounds where the monks lived, and were fortunate to be introduced to the head monk who gave his blessings for our visit and travels.
We visited some of the other many temples in the area which are still being discovered and uncovered, and some restored.
I felt like Harrison Ford in the Film "Raiders of the Lost Ark" when we visited the temple where the film was shot, where huge tree roots embrace the remains of the temple. Suddenly, the head of a white and yellow snake stuck its head out from amongst the rubble and slither out into the open to reveal a huge body that kept going and going and going...and going! Spectacular, and just a little bit freaky as we were the only ones there! I didn't feel quite so heroic, but it passed peacefully by.
25 kilometres from the main Angkor group of monuments, not well known at the time, was the river Kbal Spean, commonly known as the "Valley of a 1000 Lingas" or "The River of a Thousand Lingas".
Deep in the jungle, on the way to explore the river, our guide carefully pointed out areas where there were still uncovered land mines.
Yet again the river bed was a beautiful example of the creativity that comes with devotion, the whole stone river bed and some sides were carved with images of Shiva and linghams (the male representative of the male aspect of the Universe). As it was the dry season many of these carvings were exposed so we could see them clearly.
The river was the main water source for the villages below, and the purpose of the carvings was to purify and sanctify the water for the villages below. A water fall along the way was a great source of enjoyment for the locals, and it was great to see some enjoying this beautiful natural playground.
Naturally, I had to stand under the waterfall and immerse in and enjoy the revitalizing energy of being cleansed by the 'purified' cool fresh water.
Located in Siem Reap, the “Great Lake” Tonle Sap is not only the beating heart of Cambodia but also Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake supporting biodiversity, sustaining local livelihoods, enhancing agricultural productivity, and contributing to the ecological, economic, and cultural vitality of the region. Also not too far away was the river village which is great demonstration of the tenacity and creativity for survival of the human being!
