Cambodia in February was as hot as Vietnam. +/-100F with intense sun and humidity. I handled the uncomfortable weather better than my European counterparts as we, the tourists, wandered around the ancient grounds of Angkor Wat in Siem Riep. As an African American I seemed to stand out a little further from the rest of the crowd, as witnessed by the amount of stares and smiles I received. Perhaps not many African Americans have come to see what is called one of the world's great wonders. Is it a monument? Is it a temple? It is amazing. Wandering the grounds you see stone buildings and huge trees symbiotically surviving together as one living structure among the temple and palace complexes. I learned Angkor Wat was built to honor the Hindu God Vishnu. My tour guide said Angkor Wat, built in the 12th century, is the world's largest religious building and took some 50,000 artisans, workers and slaves, and nearly 40 years, to complete. He said the temple forms a rectangular enclosure measuring 1,500 meters by 1,300 meters surrounded by a moat 200 meters wide. We entered by way of a paved boulevard bordered by palm trees and lakes. Inside, among the monks wrapped in orange, the structure is three levels with five towers with chambers and corridors. Every surface is decorated or carved depicting myths, battles, people and dancers. I was drawn to the dancers as I looked at their features. Their lips were full like mine, and a close look at their hair showed an intricate design that resembled braids. I asked my tour guide if the dancers were black and he smiled and said maybe. The only souvenir I bought from Angkor Wat was a temple rubbing of one of the dancers that looked like me.

Sitting outside the temple I watched the young vendors hawk souvenirs and before long I was surrounded by a group of children. One beautiful boy held his brown arm up next to mine and smiled. We were the same skin tone. We looked at each other and I wondered. The temple carving, this beautiful boy. Was there a connection? A very talkative young girl managed to keep up with the conversation as she pitched her wares in several languages to passing tourists. She asked my name, where I was from, my age, the usual. She let me ask her the same. When I showed surprise that she was fifteen, she quickly added that she was small for her age. She looked about 10 to me. Then she said, "you sing now." And we all laughed at her request, and with that she stole my heart. After all she is of the MTV generation.

I went dancing that night in Siem Reap (Thailand defeated) to disco and American pop music. I had to get used to groups of girls dancing together and dancing with and around me. Half the time I felt as if I were on stage. Everyone wanted to dance with me, or was it a competition? There were some mixed couples dancing, but it appeared to be more popular for the girls to dance together. I was later told by an American expat living in Thailand that because girls have to be virgins they often work off bottled up energy on the dance floor with each other. Interesting. I thought I was safe drinking bottled beer until I had to use the toilet. Let's just say that I learned to hold it after the first go. I'll admit that I'm spoiled by American toilets. Cambodia can remind you that even a Port O Potty isn't that bad after all. But the unpleasant toilet is easily outweighed by the beauty of an ancient culture best represented by the unquestionable majesty of Angkor Wat.

Click on the links below to see a picture of the Angkor Wat and of a dancer.