Vishnu...Buddha...Vishnu...Buddha..smack!

One of the most amazing thing in all the temples is the switching of deities throughout the years. One king would build something as a Buddhist temple, and the next guy woulld come along and remove all the Buddhas and replace with lingas and statues of Brahma, or Vishnu. Then the next guy would decide to take the linga away and put a Buddha there. Eventually some of the temples just merged both, sitting side by side, interchangeable. Some of the Buddhas look Hindu, some of the Vishnus look Buddha-like. And in the end it doesn't seem to matter what is being worshippped....

Angkor Wat

Built as a temple to Vishnu by Suryavarman 2 in the 12th century, it's name means Temple That Is A City. It is completely overwhelming, and mysterious. It is thought to be a mausoleum for the king who built it as well, as it faces west, which is unusual, and symbolizes death. The murals, the statues, the huge walls that have survived all these centuries seem very much alive.

Everybody loves Cambodian Food!

Angkor Thom

The first of the temples we saw. Built by Jayavarman 7 - builder extraordinaire, whose temples are like fortresses and cities. At one time, an estimated million people lived here. We entered by the south gate, by a bridge that shows 54 gods on one side, and 54 demons on the other, holding the snake Naga, churning the Ocean of Milk. Oh, and the bridge used to be over a moat filled with crocodiles. When you enter, you walk through Bayon, which houses 216 faces of Avalokiteshvara, Bodhisattva of Compassion. Apparently the faces look, oddly enough,like Jayavarman 7. It is simply astounding.

Siem Reap

I didn't know, but Siem Reap means: "Conquer Thailand". Apologies to my friend Kit, but this did seem a reoccurring theme for many of the in depth history lessons received by our otherwise lovely guide through out the weekend touring the temples. I love Thailand, too, so in order not to feel as if I was betraying either, I decided I would think of Siem Reap as "Beauty Everywhere" as that is what I saw, every day, in Cambodia.

Hutongs of Beijing

The alleyways and small streets that make up the traditional neighborhoods are fast disappearing. Some are done up like a clean, sanitised version of what once was, and some of them are crumbling and exist outside of the tourist's normal view. We did the tourist thing and got a tour of what must be the Beverly Hills of Hutongs...very beautiful area next to HuoHai Lake, where Madame Sun Yat Sen once lived. It was calm and quiet and hard to believe anyone would prefer the huge boulevards and highrises that are replacing these.