Angkor Wat - Inside of Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat was built symmetrically like a fortress. Out most liner of walls was far away from the temple, it kept the temple within with a lake in front of it at one side. You can enter the temple from east or west. We entered from the west side which has no lake in front but a campus like lawn area where it was huge piece of land you can see locals and tourists walking around; bloom over the sky… Once you enter the temple, you can see carvings up close everywhere on the outside of the wall that built the temple. Notice those carvings on top of each door are especially complicated. Once you enter the temple, the tour guy will take you to those huge walls down in the Corridors that was filled with carvings which gives detailed records of stories after stories and stories…. Walk around the corridors, some corridors are filled with Buddha sculptures, some of them without heads since they were built long long time ago. Some where there, you can see a monk giving blessing to people who pay him a small fee. If you want to go farther into the temple (center of the temple and get close to the towers), you are required to wait in line to a single entrance which is a door above a set of stair approximately 30 – 40 feet high. You will wait in a long line under blazing sun and heart with humidity till you reach the bottom of that stairs where you will receive a badge from tourist from other half side of the stair who just came down. Once it was your turn, you will then claim up on the right side of the stairs to reach the entrance door. Once you got on top, you get to enter the corridors that connects to all towers and it goes all around. From there, you can have the opportunity to see the towers up close and then walking around and look outside through the window and get a glimpse of the temple (section of it) below you from above. In the body of each tower lays a Buddha. A gate separates the Buddha from outside people. You can knee outside the gate to face the Buddha and have your prayer. Interestingly, there are many statues of lions set in front of each door of the temple and each of them has perfectly shaped butt that is more beautiful than Kim Kardashian’s butt. However, they do not have tail. I forgot the story why they lost their tail. Also noticeably as popular as those lions at the front the door, there are also sculptures of cobras, which are just exotic and beautiful.

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Angkor Wat -Seen from outside

Angkor Wat, Siem Reap

When I learned Angkor Wat was once listed as one of Seven Wonders in the World, I wanted to visit it.  I got my wish as the result a trip to Southeast Asia this fall. 

Angkor Wat is a temple complex located in Siem Reap, Cambodia and is considered to be the largest religious monument in the world. 

Angkor Wat was built in the first half of the 12th century (113-5BC). Estimated construction time of the temple is 30 years by King Suryavarman II, dedicated to Vishnu (Hindu),

This website gives very detailed information on Angkor Wat:  http://www.tourismcambodia.com/attractions/angkor/angkor-wat.htm

Angkor Wat, the largest monument of the Angkor group and the best preserved, is an architectural masterpiece. Its perfection in composition, balance, proportions, relief's and sculpture make it one of the finest monuments in the world.

Wat is the Khmer name for temple (the French spelling is "vat "), which was probably added to "Angkor "when it became a Theravada Buddhist monument, most likely in the sixteenth century. After 1432 when the capital moved to Phnom Penh, Angkor Wat was cared for by Buddhist monks.

It is generally accepted that Angkor Wat was a funerary temple for King Suryavarman II and oriented to the west to conform to the symbolism between the setting sun and death. The bas-reliefs, designed for viewing from left to right in the order of Hindu funeral ritual, support this function.

Magnificent Chicago- Interesting sculptures in Grant Park

Lovely and interesting sculptures in various subjects in Grant Park (from Millennium Park to Museum campus.

Magnificent Chicago - Buckingham Fountain at Day

Magnificent Chicago - Buckingham Fountain at Night

It is one of the largest fountains in the world. Built in a rococo wedding cake style and inspired by the Latona Fountain at the Palace of Versailles. The fountain is considered Chicago's front door, since it resides in Grant Park, the city's front yard near the intersection of Columbus Drive and Congress Parkway. The fountain itself represents Lake Michigan, with four sets of sea horses (two per set) symbolizing the four states—Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana—that border the lake. Water shows occur every hour on-the-hour and last 20 minutes. During shows, the center jet shoots up vertically to 150 feet (46 m), and after dusk shows are choreographed with lights and music. The last show begins at 10:00 p.m.