The stairs to the third level of Angkor Wat are almost impossibly steep!
By OHIO Center for Law, Justice & Culture in Cambodia
Last week we had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the Angkor Archaeological Park, comprised of the more than 40 temples and ruins that once made up the capital cities of the Khmer Empire.
From the 9th to 15th centuries, this empire ruled the lands of Southeast Asia, stretching across what is now Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and southern Vietnam. Many of the temple ruins were originally constructed or reinterpreted as Hindu or Buddhist religious sites, as these were the primary religions of the Khmer Empire. For many, these are still sacred sites where religion is actively practiced.
Throughout the three days permitted on our pass, we explored nearly a dozen temples, from the small to the grand to ones named for the mountains on which they stand. Here is a collection of some of the best photos of the week, most of them taken by Danielle Fultz.
Like many other temples in the park, Ta Prohm has slowly been taken over by Banyan trees (Sam for scale). This temple is possibly best known for being the site where Tomb Raider was filmed!
Our week in Siem Reap (the city near the park) wasn’t all lighthearted tourism. Most of us met with at least one source for our projects, and Katie Conlon was particularly successful. But that’s for another post!
Now we are safe in Phnom Penh, happy to be back in a city that feels like home. We have only two weeks left in our program before we depart, so we’re making all efforts to make our time left count!
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