Cambodia - Angkor Thom

Three last pictures of Angkor Thom.  

First, new temples have been built around the old temples at Angkor Thom, and that is where we saw local folks (who certainly were paying respects to buddhas at the old temples) paying their most faithful respects.  Like the temples in Thailand, I have never before seen faith like I saw in the pictured temple in the jungle.

Second, the lion statue looks really pissed that I'm sitting so relaxed on what are probably royal steps.  But I was pretty relaxed.

And last, what in the world does that birdman have between his legs?

Cambodia - Angkor Thom - Phimeankas

Here are some pics of the royal palace of Phimeankas.  The palace grounds were surrounded by a wall, a few gates, and the Terrace of Elephants.  And they contained two swimming pools - one for the menfolk, and one (much, much smaller one) for the womenfolk.  Because, you know, they're womenfolk.  Truth be told, though, the palace itself was a bit... well, it was a palace alright, but maybe it was just because it was surrounded by so much dusty land.  I mean, I'm not saying it was small or anything.  It's just hard, because we saw Angkor Wat and the Bayon before seeing Phimeankas, but Phimeankas was built well before Angkor Wat or the Bayon.  So I'm sure it was really neat for its time, but... let's just say that Chris lounges in the gateway to the palace of Phimeankas.  And he has no royal blood to speak of.

We didn't climb the palace.  Oh, and here's a picture of the raised steps leading to the Bauphon, too.  :)

Cambodia - Angkor Thom - Terrace of Elephants

Angkor Thom had a 350m long wall around the palace of Phimeankas where the king would receive the hoi polloi.  Fittingly, it has life-size elephants carved all around it.  Very impressive!  We probably were a bit less respectful than the rank and file were as the approached the royal stone elephants, but what can we say - we like elephants.

Cambodia - Angkor Thom - Bayon IV - Cambodian smile

This is the face known as the 'Cambodian Smile'.  No idea why, although it was particularly ornate, and had extra loads of Frenchman crowding around it.  

It should be said that the Cambodians we met, who are statistically amongst the poorest folks in the world, were almost universally some of the most friendly, gracious, and hospitable people we've ever met.  They smiled like it came straight from the heart, and that's most uncommon these days.  The Cambodian people were truly what made our vacation to Cambodia most special and memorable.  

So if this particular statue is said to represent Cambodia for its warmth and welcoming nature, then we wholeheartedly agree.

Cambodia - Angkor Thom - Bayon III

There is one more particularly special picture of the Bayon which we'll show you tomorrow, but here are a few more that are especially interesting.

One is some folks fishing - not sure why fish carved into rock are so terribly engaging for me, but there it is - I'm a sucker for stone fish.

One is a woman who is bent into a most unlikely pose.  Draw your own conclusions.

And a couple are of the most amazing thing of all - the Bayon, with no other people around.  Did we mention it was teeming with less than perfectly polite Frenchmen?

Cambodia - Angkor Thom - Bayon II

So today we have the exciting sequel of the Bayon.  There are a few more particularly special pictures of the Bayon to show you after this, but today we'll focus on Bodhisattva heads and windows.

It should be understood that both of us had to wait in line to get pictures from this window, amongst some particularly urgent French folks with very French ways about them.  Yes, we care that much about getting you pictures like this.  Such sacrifice, such caring.  Remind anyone of Buddhist saints...?  We welcome all exclamations of thanks.

OK, so I'm not a Bodhisattva.  But darned if the smiling faces at the Bayon don't remind me of Sam when she's content.  And check out the carvings around that window!  

(perhaps now is a good time to mention that most carvings you see of the Angkor cities are in sandstone, which is not known as a particularly easy rock to carve, or, unfortunately for the Angkor legacy, to last through the ages)

Cambodia - Angkor Thom - Bayon I

The Bayon is at the center of Angkor Thom, and despite being somewhat warm in April, is terribly pleasant to visit.  It's to do with the faces - the happy, smiling, peaceful faces staring down at you from 54 multi-faced towers no matter where you are.  I read it's the face of a Bodhisattva - it's a Buddhist thing .  A Bodhisattva is not Buddha per se but a would-be Buddha who instead of realizing Nirvana sticks around to enlighten every other living being else first - in other words, a really, really nice guy.

Here you can see our approach to the temple, and Sam showing us what a tree-hugger she really is, and a few of the famous faces.  More to come...!

Cambodia - Ground control to Angkor Thom

So the whole time we were at Angkor Thom that David Bowie Song was going through my head.  You know - "Ground control to Major Tom..."  Every time we saw something cool, David Bowie would sing in my head "This is ground control to Major Tom".  Talk about distracting, especially since Sam had no idea what I was talking about.  I'd turn to her, and say "This is ground control to Angkor Thom" and she'd give me the 'whatever' look.  After 11 years of marriage I guess she's used to me saying strange things.  "Tell my wife I love her very much she knows..."

So Angkor Thom is huge - even huger than Angkor Wat (and keep in mind, kids, Angkor Wat was once a city of a million people, at a time when even the largest cities in Spain or Italy had at most half that number).  "For here... Am I sitting in a tin can..." 

Here are the gates to Angkor Thom, and a bit of the wall around it.  The dudes looking like they're playing tug of war with a multi-headed snake are really just churning the ocean of milk.  It's a creation of the world thing.  Sam felt bad for one that was missing his head, so she filled in as best she could.  The world has to be made, you know.

"Can you hear me, Angkor Thom..." and in we went, under the gate with the friendly looking fellow smiling down at us, and David Bowie urging us onward.