My tuk-tuk driver pulled off the main road and stopped in a cloud of dirt. He pointed into the dark as he spoke, "Angkor Wat that way!" I peered into the black morning sky, seeing nothing. I reluctantly followed the light of a few faint flashlights and joined a small group of tourists. We made our way across the bridge, through a few un-lit temples and finally arrived at the water's edge. I perched on a rock, a few frogs leaping out from under me feet. I sat and waited. As the dark morning sky finally revealed a hint of light, I began to trace the outline of Angkor Wat before me, the world's largest religious building and Cambodia's most famous temple. The five distinct peaks of the temple became more and more visible, casting a perfect reflection in the water below. Finally the sun rose and a light pink hue stretched across the sky.
I spent the day inching up and down steep temple steps, ducking in and out buildings, climbing over rubble, and perched in temple-top windows, looking at the land below. As I rested atop a rock, several local children sat and talked with me. I asked them about school and work. They asked for 1USD and even after I nicely refused, they followed me and giggled the rest of the way, waving goodbye when we finally parted ways. My favorite temples were Bayon, home to 216 carved faces, and Ta Prohm, a beautiful display of nature coinciding with human handiwork, strangler fig trees intertwined with Khmer stonework.
