There is a light that never goes out

My room has no windows. The only light comes from the ceiling, and it’s artificial. My bed is way too far from the switch, and I have absolutely no intention of getting up to turn it off. I am tired, lazy, and bored.

I wonder what time it is. I recall having had dinner at 7 p.m., so it shouldn't be later than 9 p.m. — God! I am already in bed. I breathe in and let the air out slowly. From my bed, I search the white walls meticulously for mosquitoes — none to be found. I look at the ceiling and focus on the lamp. For a couple of seconds, I follow its curves before a pitch-white blindness takes over.

I deliberately close my eyes. Inside, all is white. Slowly, reminiscences of the last three days tint the empty white canvas that I am with shades of green and gray. I recognize Angkor. How many temples have I seen over the last 72 hours? Ta Son, Ta Kei, Ta Prohm, Ta Keo, Preah Ko, Preah Kan, Bayon, Baphuon, Ak Yum, Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat. All these names, all this seemingly irrelevant information, ready to be flushed from my recent memory. If only this light wouldn’t go out.

It is 6:45 a.m. I am riding my bicycle through Siem Reap, entering the premises of Angkor civilization, where I shall immerse myself for the next three days. I am not really excited. To be honest, I have absolutely no idea what to expect. The map shows dozens of small icons grouped in three squares: one named Roulos Group, located southeast of Siem Reap; the other two up north, identified as the Grand and Small Circuits.

I pass some street vendors. I buy two vegetable sandwiches and a Vietnamese iced coffee (an espresso with condensed milk). I eat one sandwich, save the other for lunch, and sip my cold, über-sweet coffee. I decide to ride north toward the Grand Circuit. I like the sound of it. "I am gonna do the Grrraaannnnddd Circuit." Awww, it couldn't sound more pretentious, could it?

The road is long, straight, and in good condition. I pass resorts, expensive hotels, party-affiliated houses, Khmer art galleries, Khmer shops, all-in-one shops, and countless street vendors. After 5 km, late-20th-century civilization fades, replaced by trees: huge trees, wonderful trees, strange trees, rare trees, white trees, all perfectly displayed along the road. There are no fallen leaves! I mean, the trees have their leaves, but on the floor, the road, and surrounding earth, there isn’t a single leaf — where am I?!

I reach the first checkpoint, where I show my three-day ticket. “Thank you, sir. Have a nice day at Angkor.” I turn right after the sign “Grand Circuit.” On my left, a long lake surrounds what I imagine to be Angkor Wat. On my right, several women holding brooms are making piles of leaves. Got them! And I thought it was magic.

The gardens, lakes, and surrounding temples make you float in a neverland of pure devotion and mysticism. A big sign reads: “Prasat Kravan.” This is it, the first temple of the Grand Circuit. I stop. Park my bicycle. Say, “No, no, no, no, no, thank you” to the street vendors, and have my first orgasm of the day. “WOW! It’s beautiful.” The temple belongs to the first generation, devoted to Hindu gods and built between 800 and 1000 A.D. There isn’t anyone around, so I take the opportunity to shoot many pictures. In ecstasy, I speed to the next one — I WANT MORE, MOOOORRREEEE!!!!!!

Well… needless to say, it only got better. I finished the Grand Circuit around 5 p.m. At the majestic temple of Preah Khan, I remember running out of camera battery while preparing to take a photo worthy of the 2011 World Press Photo — just like Indiana Jones would have if he had a digital camera. Nature has taken control of the temple: gray, hungry tree roots break into walls, windows, and entrances like gigantic anacondas suffocating their victims.

The second day was reserved for the big names: Angkor Wat; the city of Angkor Thom; and Tomb Raider’s Ta Prohm. The orgasms kept coming… Angkor Wat is impossible! Massive! Overwhelming! Never-ending! It deserves its place as a World Wonder. Angkor Thom, with its Big Brother heads guarding the four cardinal entrances, is equally impossible. The gardens, lakes, and surrounding temples make you float in a neverland of pure devotion and mysticism.

The third and last day was today. I rode to and from the Roulos Group — probably a total of 40 km. And that is why I am lying here with no intention of doing anything whatsoever. I might keep my eyes shut and wait for sleep. I will leave the light on... I will soon go to the toilet…