2015 Cambodia/Vietnam : December 16 Angkor Wat

This is our one day to see Angkor Wat (and a few associated sites), so we are determined to do it right. That means a professional guide plus a tuk-tuk for a full day, and a 7 am start. That's going to cost just over $100 for the day as there is a $20 charge to get into the park, but if you want to know what you're seeing pay the money, and they'll find your bleached bones out there if you don't hire transportation.
The whole complex starts only about 5-6 km north of Siem Reap and it is huge, covering at least 100 square kilometres. Only a portion of it has been exhumed/recovered, and the world will likely be at it for at least another 50 years. It was built by the Khmer starting in the 10th century, peaked in the 13th and 14th, and collapsed in the mid-15th due to the same climate change (global cooling) that took out the Mesoamerican and Viking empires. Their architecture makes the Mayans look like a bunch of yokels, their statuary and bas-reliefs rival anything done in Europe, and their engineering (particularly hydraulic) rivaled anything on earth at that time. Then it all went away, and the jungle took it back until the 1930s when a French explorer "discovered" it (the locals told him about it so he went for a look-see), but nothing much really happened in terms of opening it up. There was serious angst amongst the archaeological community during the Pol Pot days as his merry little band of zenophobic nihilistic arseholes was camped out around there, but apparently they couldn't figure out how to kill rocks and stones so they left it alone. After that foolishness was all settled the international community started putting all the rocks back up (an astonishing 3-d puzzle!), and 30 years later Debbi and I are about to conduct a snap-audit to see how things are progressing.
Our guide for the day is Mr. Sam, who has been at it for 3 years. Like all guides he is tested and licenced by the Park, and like all Cambodians he is friendly and gracious and kind-hearted and just wants to give you a hug. (The people here really are pretty much all like that.) Once we clear the turnstile at the park entrance it's a couple kilometre drive through forest until suddenly the road turns and runs beside the perfectly square artificial lake that surrounds Angkor Wat. The temple complex is at least 6-800 metres across, and the lake is another hundred, maybe more. It's big. Mr. Sam drove right by it, saying that it is overrun with tourists in the morning and we will visit it in the afternoon when the light is better for photos. OK, I guess that's what we have a guide for! Instead, we drove north a couple kilometres to Angkor Thom, which makes AW look teensy. You get there by bridge across another artificial lake which goes all the way around AT, except this place is something like 3-5 km on a side. The main stop was Baphuon, which is some combination of temple and public building. 100 metres on a side with 16-foot sidewalls and a temple on top, the outside wall (400 metres!) is completely filled with bas-relief carvings of war, peace, sports, gambling, religion, etc. In other words, a complete description of life at the time. Then there is a 200-metre walkway with a central stage for rock concerts (ROCK concerts, get it? Sigh. Never mind.) or whatever. Oh, and it was all surrounded by an enormous reflecting pool. Wow. We made 3-4 more stops in AT, but as you drive through the forest there is another undisturbed pile of rocks every hundred metres or so. The place is a mass of ruins, I hope they are well enough catalogued one day to see what the city was like!
Next was Ta Prom, which is in the process of being dug out and repiled by the Indian government. This is where scenes from Tomb Raider were shot, and Sam is still significantly indignant that most tourists just want to see the Tomb Raider Place. "They wanted to use monkeys! We have no monkeys!" It is a seriously cool feast for the eyes, in many places enormous 100-150 foot trees have grown into the ruins and are now part of it. The trees can't stand without the ruins and the ruins can't stand without the trees. Serious camera country.
Then it was time for an excellent lunch on site and off to Ankgor Wat. Sam was right, the light was perfect in the afternoon, although it was seriously hot. We limited ourselves to about 2 hours there as it was just too draining. Deb went up two levels and I went right to the top, which is probably 150-200 feet above ground level. That top level is up a serious flight of stairs, when I got to the top I found it was at least 100 metres across with 4 swimming pools (ok, might be duck ponds), shrines, walkways, etc. Back to the lower level with Deb and Sam, we went around a series of bas reliefs that depict a serious falling out between two clans that is enormous and exquisitely detailed, worth the trip all by itself. Then it was out to the front yard to snap some photos over the reflecting pond and time to find a beer and some aircon.
The thing they don't discuss (seriously disappointing to us geeks) is the hydraulic engineering that made this all possible. They dug out literally dozens of square kilometres of artificial lakes, all connected complete with pumps and locks, to serve as fish ponds and water reservoirs for rice harvesting. That's why they could support such an enormous population. Sadly, like humans always do, they built up their population to 100% of carrying capacity and then when a series of large droughts hit it took out their society. (Anybody listening, USA? How do you spell Oglala Aquifer?) But that's all for another day, maybe once they get everything dug out they'll start talking about the humble engineers instead of the kings and nobles...
It's an incredible place. Go see it if you can. You don't have to climb much, but if you want to see the top of things it can be strenuous, and some of the stairways are daunting. Go early, take 2-3 days if you can, a guide helps and transport is essential. Have fun!