the temples of angkor

the attraction of angkor lies not in majesty or beauty. at first glance, it is nothing more than a pile of stones, much ravaged by either the effects of being in a jungle for centuries, pillagers who have destroyed much of the stone structures, or simply the effects of standing still amidst time. many of the temples have lost the touch of grandeur it must once have upheld, with many a roof, balustrade or walkway caved in and left in ruins. in terms of size, neither does it reach the kind of immensity capable of stopping people in their tracks stunning them in awe.

the temples of angkor are far more demanding than that. it expects you to look closer at every pillar to inspect the carvings, read up on the history of the area to understand the depictions, and understand the culture to appreciate the ambivalent nature of the temples. after examining the temples under the microscope, one is then expected to observe the big picture for the temples of angkor do more than photograph the livelihood of one people, it is a running commentary of the activities spanning close to 600 years of an empire's history.

with angkor, it is not easy to fall head over heals. yet, it does not fail in sustaining your interest, its magneticism forcing you to return for more.