I wanted to get to the most amazing structure on this trip first. How do you explain the brilliance of the people who created these magnificent structures without any modern machinery? How were they able to find artists, architects, engineers, and craftsmen at the same time to produce something that the world marvels at centuries later? Is there anything created ever in the US that will be marveled at centuries later like Angkor Wat?

The poll listed the 7 man-made wonders (in no order) as:

  • Taj Mahal
  • Great Wall of China
  • Petra
  • Roman Coliseum
  • Chichen Itza
  • Machu Picchu
  • Christ the Redeemer Statue (in Rio de Janeiro)

I would replace the Christ Statue with Angkor Wat. The statue was really beautiful but it is not in the same category as Angkow Wat. The statue did have one of the most stunning locations in the world though, with a 360 degree view of the mountains, beaches, and cities of Rio. Now I can truly say that I’ve been to all seven of the man-made wonders of the world.

Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world. It started as a Hindu Temple and transformed into a Buddhist temple in the 12th century. It is the symbol of Cambodia and is on the national flag, There is much more about Angkor Wat on Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat) and elsewhere so I’ll skip it here.

We went to 4 different areas today of which Angkor Wat is just the most famous. The other three are Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, and Preah Khan.

At the entrance.

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We spent a lot of time just marveling at the detail of the art work carved in the stones.

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Sorry Margaret, I’ve got a new girlfriend.

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I have so many pictures like this one.

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This looks like the flame of a candle.

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Lunch was Amok Chicken on the left and Sweet and Sour fish from the area.

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Fascinating how trees were coexisting with the ancient structures

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These were also functioning Buddhist temples.

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Finally, the jewel of the crown, Angkor Wat.

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See if you can figure out which person is the odd one out.

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Four of the five towers.

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Buddha

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It’s not easy to get an angle that includes all five towers. The reflection makes this spot the most famous. Unfortunately, the view gets ruined by tourists like us.

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The view from a tethered balloon ride we took.

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I had walked over 11,000 steps today according to my Moves and over 13,000 according to my Apple Watch. This was significantly more than any other day for several weeks. My feet were hurting, especially with all the climbing. I’m not complaining though. Angkor Wat was a major reason for doing this trip. It did not disappoint.