Sunset at Angkor Wat
At sunset, the day’s visitors ascend to a plateau of temple ruins, atop a complex which overlooks Siem Reap for miles in every direction. Exhaustion is the common tongue now. Representatives from every nationality strategically situate themselves facing west, vying for the best view of the setting sun. The stone and history vanish beneath us. Incessant questions for patient tour guides cease. Sweat dries on dampened shirts.
All eyes turn to the clouds covering the sun’s rays. Somehow a barely visible sunset -- literally a daily occurrence -- captures our short attention spans. When we didn’t hear a certain tower’s explanation, we listen to faint thunder. When we failed to notice a meaningful inscription, we appreciate the dark, distant rain. When we barely understood this place’s significance, we sit united, ready to take in a natural wonder. Even though some of us insist on bearing witness through a camera’s digital lens and beeps and shutters hammer on, the scene retains its integrity: just some twenty-first century people sitting on an ancient temple watching a beautiful sunset. |