Everything Random

This is the third time that I am visiting Angkor Wat in Cambodia. What makes it different though is I am with my family for the first time. My wife Arlen has been here too. And like her, I am fascinated still.

The place is humbling, to say the least. It is a stark reminder to the many of us who prides at our being intelligent, wise, superior, advanced, modern. Here is a 12th century architecture, way of life, spirituality, community, fairly advanced and very much able to stand the test of time. We have never gotten this near.

I remember that the first time I visited Angkor Wat some 20 years ago was on a side trip of an evaluation mission. I stayed four nights. Every day, I ride on a tuktuk at dawn and at dusk, to spend quite sunrises and sunsets in this place.

The place has remained the same, but the way of visiting has been made so “formalised” that I just felt it had been stripped of its authenticity. There is a ticket station that looks like an airport check-in counter, far away from the temples. It felt like visiting a theme park or Disneyland.

Nevertheless, the place is still fascinating. I am so glad that my kids liked it (maybe I have educated them well enough?), and became fascinated like Arlen and I. They remained interested all throughout the visit despite the scorching February heat.