Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is a temple complex near Siem Reap, Cambodia that my family visited. We hired a very nice Khmer guide with good English who knew a lot about the famous place. Our group started out at a smaller, less crowded structure called Preah Khan. It was nice to go to a site with less people because I could enjoy it without all the noise.

Then we went to Angkor Thom, which means “The Great City”, it contains most of the buildings in the whole complex. The place covers an area of nine sq. km and had population of over 100,000 people during the 14^th century.

Angkor Wat is one of the most famous temples within the entire Angkor Wat complex; it has a giant moat surrounding itself that once had crocodiles. It was given its name after the word ‘Angkor’, which means 'city' and ‘Wat’, which means temple hence the name, “City Temple”.

I find religion in Cambodia interesting because while the vast majority of the country is Buddhist, there are Hindu and Buddhist sculptures throughout the country and in Angkor Wat. The blend of religion happened because India used to control this part of the world and then Buddhism was introduced. Inside and throughout the exterior of the structures you can find carvings of ancient battles or people in marvelous garments from the period the figures were carved.

Though my brother and I played around most of the time, I did appreciate learning some interesting facts about the city. Overall I think Angkor Wat is an amazing destination and I'm grateful that I was able to experience it.