We awoke early in the morning to the Cambodian sun cascading through the blinds as we all scurried to the breakfast buffet. We were all quite excited about visiting the amazing ruins of the Angkor Thom temples. As we all wrapped up our breakfasts, we all boarded the bus to head towards our first destination and one that will leave a memory for years to come and something that we will never forget. As we approached the gates to Angkor Thom we made a slight detour to obtain our tickets where we did a small funny face competition. When we arrived at the Southern Gate of Angkor Thom we prepared ourselves to be transported back thousands of years to learn about the amazing temples that were built in the 11th century. Bayon was the first temple we visited and probably one of the smallest yet most impressive temples in the city, as it was covered with different carvings of different faces through its rocky supports. Overall, Bayon was a memorable experience as we got to see all of the ancient carvings and the amazing view from the top floor of the temple. As we headed back to our buses, the amazing air conditioning was a great relief from the 33°C weather and the humidity that followed throughout the day. Twenty minutes later we arrived at our 2nd destination, a hidden gem you could say. Ta Phrom was surrounded by overgrown tree roots weaving their way through the ruins of the temple. We visited the “Tomb Raider” tree where a few famous actors shot their block busters. Overall, the first two temples were an amazing experience and we all definitely will come back and visit them again.
After a very delicious lunch near the famous temple of Angkor Wat, we walked slowly towards the bridge that connected the main land to the small island. We scurried towards the gate with a rush of adrenaline and excitement as we were moments away from seeing one of the oldest and largest man-made monuments in South-East Asia. As we walked through the gate we watched monkeys sit on motorbikes and drinking water like humans. As we entered the ruins of the famous Angkor Wat we were all amazed by the ancient carvings and stories that this temple has to tell. Although we didn’t spend long exploring the maze like structure, what we did see was absolutely breathtaking and will definitely take centuries to forget.
Overall today was one of the highlights of the TLC trip. We wrapped up our eventful day with a swim in the amazing pool and a leisurely night market stroll and we could go to sleep knowing that we have completed something that most can only dream of. We wrapped up our evening with a reflection of what we learnt in the temples today and what is to come for the students in the TLC Temples group.
Emily Peck, Alex Kalotihos
