We had a group of about 20 people who headed to Cambodia at the beginning of December to run in the annual Ankor Wat Half Marathon. There were also 10 km and family options. We spent a long weekend which gave us time to visit most of the more famous temples in the heritage site and then take a bike ride south of the city. This is a place that you could explore for a quite some time. There are many temples that are not part of the complex (and free) but we didn't have the time. The cost for Ankor Wat complex is $20 US/day which is steep considering the country. I'm hoping that locals have a different deal.
Once again we rent some trusty steeds a $1-$4/ day. We used US $ here which I was surprised at but also forewarned of.
We rode out to the most famous, Ankor Wat which was immense. The moat alone is gigantic and this is the pathway over.
A view from the far side of the most. Lots of visitors.
Ankor Wat...a small part.
Being tourists.
Everything from the walls to the structure is fascinating.
Reclining Buddha
From the top. Incredible to imagine life in the 1100s.
A stupa.
It go so hot that I though I was going to combust. Fashion went by the wayside and my scarf became my protector. We had just picked up my race pace which, thankfully included a nice cotton scarf and visor. It's a dry, dusty city.
Many long tunnel-like hallways.
View from the top. The reconstruction is huge and ongoing.
The stairs up/down were not for the feint of heart.
We ran the race on Sunday morning and that afternoon joined up with Emily and rented a tuk-tuk for the "outer loop" of temples which are further away. It's exhausting to visiting both physically and mentally.
Our ride. Look carefully at the back of the seat. The motorcycles here have many attachments for carrying people and things but in every case we saw the driver has the towing ball in his/her back.
Bangkok tuk tuk block your view...these are nice and high.
Eerie tress grow over the walls.
One, Ta Som I think was in the middle of what felt like a like but I think it was a huge moat.
Tired and thirsty.
Ta Phrom made famous by Tomb Raider
Vince inspecting the construction.
The couple on the right then climbed over the fence to get a picture....interesting.
Headless statues became a theme.
Vince holding up the walls.
Looking at some of the less restored temples you get an idea of the amount of work that has been done.
We kept getting in front then behind this huge tour group. The monks in the back were nice enough to pose with them.
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