The feeling you get at the Temples of Siem Reap cannot be underestimated. It’s an awe inspiring place and we thoroughly enjoyed our many hours spent there today. 

We started early – up at 4.30 and on the road by 5.  The weather was cool in our air conditioned tuk tuk! We had to use our newly purchased kroma to keep us warm on the 1/2 hr drive out to the Temples. 

The hotel provided us with a picnic breakfast and with our guide Sok’s help we found a spot along with hundreds of others to view the sun rise over the largest and probably the most famous of the Temples, Ankor Wat. 

    
Our guide a lovely gentle father of 5 boys and one adopted baby girl was full of interesting stories and good ideas for getting the most out of a trip to the amazing site. 

We moved off and visited the first of the temples deciding wisely , to leave Ankor Wat itself to the end. 

The pace was good and the feeling gentle and hushed as we moved around the partly restored Temples. 

There were hundreds of saffron robed monks ranging from about 7 years old up. Quite a spectacular show. It was a day of blessing for the monk and nuns and they were all out in force. 

It didn’t bother us in any way as the area is huge and we really only saw this gathering when we returned to our tuk tuk to drive to the next temple. The one made famous by Angelina Jolie and Tomb raiders. It has started restoration but has  a long way to go. It’s the one with gnarling tree roots pushing through the building knocking over stonework. 
   
 
I loved this temple. It had a very eerie feel to it. 

   
   
We stopped for lunch before arriving at the grand Ankor Wat temple. What a place it is. 

We climbed yet more steep steps.  All the way to heaven! 

El had her fortune told by one of the young monks. Not sure she loved what she heard…… But ……

Then as we walked out towards the tuk tuk we crossed the moat and Peter and El stopped and walked to the edge. We kept walking and and fifteen minutes later a very excited Pete and El arrive to tell us he had proposed and El had accepted. How lucky are we to be with them to share the love. 

El having her fortune told by a young monk

very excited El and Peter after annoucing their engagement.

We returned to the hotel tired, dusty but very excited. 

A night to celebrate.