Here comes the sun (Angkor Wat, Cambodia)

Ah, sunrise, dear reader. It’s a special time of day. I love the quiet, the soft light, being able to listen to the world wake up. Mostly. Being forced from bed before 4:15am so we could be dressed and on the bus to Angkor Wat by 4:45am to watch the sunrise with hundreds of other people didn’t tick my usual early morning boxes.

The temples in the region are spectacular at any time of day and watching the light change over the main temple as dawn approached was pretty special. Honestly though, I would have preferred it to be a lot less crowded. I say this despite our local guides telling us that Cambodia’s tourism levels have still not recovered after COVID.

There is something out there in the dark.

There were some among us who opted to stay in bed, although I believe they later claimed illness. This is totally believable, given the number of people coughing and spluttering their way through the day. 

Sunrise was at 6:03 but we arrived well before that because the main show isn’t the sun itself but the changing light. Unless of course it is the equinox. That is a major event. The sun rises directly over the main tower of the temple. The link between the sun and many civilisations dates back thousands of years. There is Stonehenge, the pyramids of Egypt, the Mayan and Incan temples and numerous neolithic burial sites across western Europe. No doubt there are other examples.

Looking back across the moat.

We arrived somewhere, not a carpark. It was dark, I couldn’t see. Reaksmey distributed torches and we made our way to the rainbow bridge that was lit up by many other torches. It resembled some bizarre pilgrimage. The sky was already changing colour and the traces of cloud were picking up the rays of the coming sun.

The gate.

After we passed over the moat that surrounds the temple, we walked through the gate in the wall and out onto the grassed area for our first glimpse of the silhouette of Angkor Wat. We were shepherded to the coffee area where we were to reassemble at 6:30, after our sunrise photo opportunity by the two ponds in front of the temple. Historically, these ponds were for ritual cleansing purposes, prior to entering the temple complex proper. The closest one still has a fence around it, covered in some sort black shade-cloth like mesh, even though rectification works finished quite some time ago. Along the bank above the pond stood over 100 people, cameras poised.

Pity about the fence.

I snapped a couple of pictures on my walk to the next pond. The view here was not impeded by an annoying fence. However, the many hundreds of people here meant my pictures would have revealed the top spires of the temple and the backs of many heads. I returned to the other viewing area in front of the fenced pond.

Here comes the sun.

The changing light as the sun dawned, did indeed colour our view of Angkor Wat. The reflection in the pond, through the fence, changed from black through to golden as the image of the temple sharpened in focus. Of course, this inspired today's title, another one from my favourite group, The Beatles. Here comes the sun.

We returned to our assembly place and passed up the opportunity to have what would have been an appalling cup of instant coffee. Once there was sufficient light, the hoards of tourists moved forward, swarming over the structure like ants. We stood back, waiting for the first wave to subside, while our guide explained that we were approaching the centre of the universe, the home of the gods, originally dedicated to the Hindu god, Vishnu the Preserver. 

Light on the main wall.

Then we moved into the temple itself, up one level, to begin our guided exploration of this ancient marvel, built by King Surya II (meaning sun) over a 30-year period. As with Bayon Angkor Thom Temple, the first level’s outer walls of carved stone, tell the story of glorious battles in intricate detail. After the depictions were explained and examined, we eventually moved through the next wall into the inner courtyard.

It's clearer in person.

A relief on the ceiling.

We climbed to the second level to pause and look at four pools that were part of the ritual cleansing for the more privileged who were entitled to go deeper into the complex. It was explained that these pools, along with the outer ponds, are part of a drainage system that is designed to maintain moisture levels in the sand foundation upon which the stone temple is built. If the sand were to dry out ever, the stability of the temple would be compromised.

One of the cleansing pools.

From there, we walked to the east to climb the 40 wooden stairs that have been built to allow access to the top part, the king’s inner sanctum, the third level of the complex. These stairs were steep enough, especially on the downward journey but I wouldn’t have been keen on using the original stone staircase. The view from the top was worth the climb and it would have afforded the king the opportunity to survey his kingdom.

Steep. No handrail. Clearly a WHS concern.

The view from the top.

Once we had reassembled as a group on the second level, our guide led us into the very heart of the temple where a square stone in the floor pinpoints the exact centre of the complex. To illustrate the accuracy of the stone’s position, he placed his mobile phone on the floor to reveal the zero degree reading and the centre of the universe.

The centre of the universe. Smaller than I expected.

We then edged our way past adherents who had come to pray in front of the statue of Buddha that was positioned towards the front of the first level, facing the ponds. We walked down the central causeway, out through the perimeter wall and, this time, traversed the moat via a modern pontoon platform that bounced disconcertingly as you stepped on each tile of the pontoon. 

Where have all the people gone?

A Buddha in the King's sanctum.

One last photo opportunity to capture the entirety of the five towers of Angkor Wat, and then it was time to reboard the bus to return to our hotel, while the 9am group tour of Angkor Wat was conducted.

The pontoon.

One last look.

Although this was not only excursion for the day, I feel you have read enough, dear reader, and I’ll save the ‘tomb raider temple’ for the next post. Back at the hotel it was breakfast and time for a rest.

Until next time.