The Angkor Wat Temples

My two whole days in Siem Reap were so packed, that I thought writing about them would only make a long, wordy entry. In this case, there's no better way to tell the story than through pictures.

As early as 5am, Angkor Wat, the gateway to the Angkor Wat complex, is already teeming with tourists. The lake -- which I found out later on was constructed to maintain water levels and to ensure longevity of the temple -- is misty as the sun is about to rise

Angkor Wat is not a mere facade. It's made up of three clusters of majestic temples, and this structure is located at the heart of the temple. It took me a while to take this photo as I had to wait for other tourists to clear the area.

A courtyard at the Angkor Wat.

Next to Angkor Wat is the Angkor Thom. These carvings mark the walls of the Terrace of the Leper King (or Terrace of the Elephants?). The wall looks like a jigsaw puzzle after archaeologists tried to put things back, piece by piece.

Inside the Angkor Thom is this structure called the Royal Palace. A Khmer kid told me of these intricate carvings. So mean of me, that I didn't even hand her a dollar

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The Bayon is also a part of Angkor Thom. This may look like a heap of stones that are about to crumble from afar, but this is definitely one of the most beautiful among other temples within the complex.

The "halls" of the Bayon appear like a maze. The action is really upstairs, where visitors can take a closer look at the stone faces.

The carvings at the walls of Bayon. This one depicts the apsara dancers.

Two of the 200-or-so humongous heads at the Bayon.

Inside Ta Prohm is where the battle between man-made structures and nature takes place.

Still inside Ta Prohm, tourists are allowed to enter inside portions of the temple. I've read somewhere that there are intricate carvings in the interiors. I wasn't actually able to see them as I was so amazed at how the roots of the trees are overtaking the stone structures.

The is the site made famous by Angelina Jollie. It took me a while to be able to take a picture of this. There were lots of Koreans lining up to be photoed. Ta Prohm is one of the most visited temples, especially after Tomb Raider.