Bakheng-Angkor Wat

So one of the main reasons we traveled up to Seim Reap was so that we could go to Angkor Wat. It's a big temple complex outside of Seim Reap, Cambodia. So my first exposure to Angkor Wat was to Bakheng for sunset. Bakheng is a temple on top of a hill inside the park. When we were driving out to the temple it was pouring rain. We sat on the bus for a while debating whether or not to go up the hill. No one wanted to go out and get wet, but I didn't want to 'come all the way to Cambodia to see the sunset on top of Bakheng' and decide that a little rain was going to stop me. I also didn't want to be the only person to go up the hill and make everyone else wait for me on the bus. Surprisingly when I stood up most of the people on the bus followed me. Actually once we decided that we were going to go the rain stopped. The hike up to the top of the hill was a little muddy, but not too bad. Once we got to the top of the hill we had to climb to the top of the temple. The stairs up the side of the temple were a little crazy. They are incredibly steep it almost means you have to climb up the stairs like a wall. Someone said they were designed that way to humble people before they greet the gods (heads bowed). I can say that the view from the top was definitely worth the hike up the muddy hill. The sunset wasn't all that amazing, but because of the rain there was a really cool mist rising up from the surrounding jungle. Actually the rain was a blessing in disguise. Typically the top of Bakheng has a few hundred people for sunset. Due to the rain there were only about 20 people that ventured to the top of the hill. The view was amazing and we had fun taking some pictures with the umbrellas we brought up. We weren't using them to stay dry from the rain so we figured it would be fun to take some pictures with them.