2012, Day 340 - Sky temple

This is the view of the third tier of Angkor Wat from the terrace on the second tier.  The name Angkor Wat actually refers to a city temple where the two are one in the same but the beautiful morning clouds make it look like some celestial palace.  The size is really awe inspiring and the stairs to the top are even more steep than they look.  A second set of wooden stairs has been built atop the existing stone on one side to allow for a safer ascent.  It is still steep and though the climb only takes a minute it can be brutal once the sun hits the stairs.  The purpose of the steep stairs is to remind those climbing that they are rising closer to the divine and that is certainly the impression one gets visiting these amazing temples.

Canon 1D X, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f4, Merged layers of 1/3200 and 1/800 @ 100 ISO