Wonder

Their are no words to describe a Wonder of the Word beyond the wows I uttered as we made our way through Ankgor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon, and Ta Prohm.  The majestic, spiritual temples sit in ruins, a shadow of what they must have looked like in their original state before the towers were pillaged by warring Thais, artifacts stolen by the French and diamonds and gems looted from dark circular chambers.  And yet, it was one of the  most splendid sites I have ever seen.   Our guide referred to the foreign stone masons who erected these magnificent Wats as volunteers, a polite word for slaves.  The artisans who carved stories of war, religion and dance into the temple walls were all Cambodian.   I imagined them toiling in the moist heat and said a silent prayer for their souls.  I thought about the power of faith, and the inspiration it took to build these remarkable structures.  And then we came upon the swimming pools, one for the king and another for his two thousand concubines, and I was reminded of the power of the ego.  Even in the name Vishnu or Buddha, man's desire to mark his territory and protect his fortress is visible in every square mile of Angkor Wat.