10. WAT EVER HAPPENED TO ANKOR?

ANGKOR; The largest religious building complex in the world, an architectural wonder of the ancient world (9th to 15th centuries), a centre of culture, science, and civilization now all but disappeared. It's certainly a place that I have long wanted to see. And here we are, amazing...

It's believed that the population of Angkor may have been up to 1,000,000 at its peak when London boasted 30,000. So what is it that causes great civilizations to disappear? Is it something to do with Demons competing with one another, perhaps rising and falling in power or Satan's favour, the way Hitler's henchmen struggled amongst themselves for his favour so as to build their own little empires? (Daniel 10:13, 20, 21).

ANGKOR THOM;

A new head on old shoulders. A lot of heads were "tomb robbed" for a quick buck during the years of the civi war. Some, like this one have been reborn. Still ugly as sin though..

That's a re-leaf... 

Framed

BAYON TEMPLE; the famous smiling Khmer stone

Elephant Terrace, at Bayon Temple

BAPHOUN TEMPLE;

Meeting the locals

They seem really impressed

The 3 little princesses 

TA PROHM; the famous trees

Some bonsais are bigger than others

Root over Rock

De-feeted

ANGKOR WAT; the most famous of them all and the biggest religious building in the world. Built around the same time as the Notredam Cathedral.

I always wanted a Khmer scarfe

The monk

The monks monking about

40 winks

Going up

The endless struggle of good and evil... Not so endless

 

OUR GUIDE; Jack Thiv our cheerful guide, was born during the Pol Pot era. His mother named him Jack which apparently means banana in Cambodian as there was no rice to eat so he lived on bananas. As with almost all Cambodians, his family was separated and several were never seen again. He also told us that the Cambodian word for foreigner, "barang" literally means "French Man".

Jack was a good guide with lots of facts and figures and historical and mythical stories to tell. Naturally, we were interested in understanding the religious side of things. Of the over 1000 temples, most started off Hindu and then switched from Hindu to Buddhist and back again depending on the rulers of the day... Finally ending up as Buddhist. Seems difficult for us to comprehend how Buddhists who profess to profess "peace" could be happy worshiping in Hindu buildings encrusted in bas-reliefs depicting war, war, and more war. The endless cycle of "gods" fighting demons. But it's not a problem evidently. After all, the Buddha was a Hindu meditating under a tree before he was enlightened. Can you imagine worshiping in a Kingdom Hall that was a gothic cathedral stuffed full of Babylonish icons. No.

Given the history of Buddhists destroying Hindu sacred texts and vica-verca, and the fact that the whole civilization had long since collapsed leaving a bunch of decaying temples asked the guide "which gods do you think are strongest, Hindu, Buda, or (referring to the beautiful trees slowly crushing the Ta Prohm temple) these trees?... "the trees" he responded. Then pointing to the carvings we said, "they have eyes but they cannot see, ears but cannot hear and a mouth..." and Jack finished the sentence "but cannot talk, "So why did they not protect the temples" i asked. "they need the people to do the things for them". Mmm...

Next stop, Phnom Pen

We are so looking forward to seeing friends, going to a meeting and in the field.

Love-you-bye

Lloydnalex