Sunset and a Temple (Cambodia)

,Our first night in Cambodia. A very rainy sunset. After purchasing our park tickets, our taxi driver took us to a temple on a hill to watch the sunset. We have been in Southeast Asia long enough now to know that the sky was getting ugly and the evening rain was coming. It stayed away long enough, though, for us to get a beautiful view of Cambodia, Angkor Wat and of course the sunset. It was also an introduction to just how popular the temples are. We have been virtually alone in our travels -- but not here. Everyone is here. And rightly so, its an amazing country.

Obviously, I have not climbed Mount Everest, but from every book I have read, or tv show I have seen, the backlog in getting to the top always comes up. After climbing the temple, I now understand a little of that mentality. The stairs at the temples are so small. You can barely put one foot on the step, and even then it has to be almost perfectly sideways to even begin to fit! (And I have big feet -- which doesn't help!) Add to this -- the stairs are nearly vertical, making hand and foot placement and coordination key. Top it off with some hilariously dressed tourists, both in their fashion sense and their belief that it might just be okay to wear high heel flip flops to the top, and well, you can see the problem!

But in the end, its worth it. Even if there is lots of laughter and eye rolling getting to the top!

The mighty thunderstorm! But isn't the countryside just beautiful?

Angkor Wat. Absolutely why we are here!