Cambodia

Cambodia was like a walk through an Indiana Jones movie. The ancient ruins of Angkor Wat with their intricate forms overtaken with jungle vines felt like and epic adventure. Entire trees 60 feet tall have grown on top of these ruins with their roots covering entryways and extending down the walls. It truly felt like we would have to fight bad guys or pull out our whip at any moment to save the day. I’ve been to many ruins around the world and we decided that Angkor Wat is the most impressive. The entire complex extends far beyond the moat into the jungle. It would take a lifetime to explore it all. Great stone elephants guarded palaces alongside live troops of monkeys. One temple had hundreds of faces carved into the walls and spires. From bigger than me to smaller than my palm, the face cravings remind visitors that the gods can see everything, no matter what. At a certain section, each entryway had rows of stone statues larger than life holding a giant snake back from attacking the city. It was at one particularly hidden archway that I spotted the gliding lizards that live there. They spread out skin flaps on their sides and dive from tree to tree, like base jumpers. It seemed a particularly exotic thing to stumble on. Exploring around corners of the ancient temples, we commonly found golden statues with incense burning quietly in the heat. Trays of fruit, cigarettes, and drink left by worshippers gone by show the living spirit of the place. My favorite thing was to see the monks clad in bright orange, standing like jewels in front of the Angkor Wat center temple. I felt inspired by people so devoted to their beliefs. Sometimes I feel unusual or old fashioned in my dedication to the gospel of Jesus Christ, but as I travel to more places around the world, I see that devotion is respected in most cultures. I felt thankful to have crossed paths with those holy men standing orange against green jungle.