Day 18 - Angkor Wat (Updated)

     This morning we flew to Siem Reap; about a 40 minute flight north of Phnom Penh.  Siem Reap is home to the Angkor Wat which is the largest Khmer temple complex in the world and is considered one of the eight wonders of the world (along with the Great Wall of China, and the Terracotta Warriors).  After checking into the hotel we hired a tuk tuk and a guide to take us to three temples (to include the Angkor Wat).  The architecture was amazing, especially when you consider the temples were built in the early 12th century.  It wasn't until the early 20th century that European explorers discovered the temples and began the process of restoring them to their present condition.  Unfortunately during the conflicts of the past 40 years, several temples sustained damage, to include bullet holes and shrapnel damage.

      We have really enjoying getting to know our tour guide Bou.  His grandparents where killed in 1979 during the Khmer Rouge in a killing field similar to what we visited yesterday.  They were killed because is his grandmother had a light complexion from China and his grandfather was Vietnamese.  Every family was affected in some way by the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge.