A newsletter da Lonely Planet desta semana, sob o titulo de Vanishing history: the most intriguing lost cities, dá destaque a um conjunto de 10 cidades que misteriosamente perderam o poder que detinham e desapareceram nos meandros da história. Entre elas está a enigmática Angkor, perdida na selva do Cambodja.
Fala-se assim dela:
6. Angkor, Cambodia
Crumbling stone temples in the python grip of jungle vines, a flash of turmeric-coloured robes disappearing into the alcoves of ancient temples. Angkor has its fair share of tourists, but its size means you’ll easily find a place to get lost in the distant past. The greater city was enormous, new research suggesting it covered 3000 sq km. Built by a succession of Khmer god-kings from AD 900 to 1200, it had a population close to one million, and was the capital of the Khmer empire. It’s been suggested that climate change (affecting water supply) caused the city to be abandoned some 500 years ago.
Angkor is 20 minutes north of Siem Reap. Guided tours abound, from helicopters to tuk-tuks and elephants.
Em Julho de 2010, também os meus Trilhos andaram por Angkor, no Cambodja, e também se perderam no emaranhado da selva, dos tempos, e da história dos Khmer.
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