16 October 2007

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Today was unique with a vist to the fantastic Bayon Temple via elephant! Bayon is different from most other temples in that it has huge faces on every tower facing north, south east, & west. The faces are serene, not the usual depictions of fierce warrier faces in the carvings on the walls below. We entered the complex through the south gate to the swaying silent gait of our elephants. Once though the gate we were the object of much interest to the other tourists already inside. (Cameron and I now have a nice spot in the vacation video of a couple from Utrecht, Holland....)

About halfway to the temple (it was about a 2km trip), we heard a gibbon calling off in the forest canopy. It really gave an insight to what travelling to the temples must have been like for the elite when the were active in the 1100's. Except that we weren't worried about being attacked by a tiger....

We toured other sites in the area and ended at the Wall of the Elephants.

Because of my heat issue the day before we did this first thing in the morning and finished by noon. We went back into Siem Reap and met the Enslens, a LDS Missionary couple from Alabama at the Blue Pumpkin, a very european looking restaraunt that is popular with the visitors as it is air conditioned and serves guests chilled, wet, cloths to wipe their hands and faces before they order. Heavenly.....

After lunch we toured the Artisans d'Angkor center where they help local residents learn skills in traditional Khmer craft work.

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Photos

Bayon complex south gate
This is the non-elephant's eye view.

Elephant parking only
That's what the big sign to the left says, really! Ok, so maybe not, but you do have to park them somewhere.

Steering system
Yep, two feet & and a stick. And then the elephant still is in charge. Ours did n't want to take the same trail as Kendal & Renee's, didn't walk to walk as fast (ok by me on both counts) and felt it was neccessary to stop for an "in-flight" refueling at a tasty tree.

Big & little.
Cedric the Gnome & Timba the Elephant (actually the elepphant's name was the Khmer word for Peaceful, but I cant' remember what that is now...)

Kendal, Renee, & Kurt
And Peaceful the elephant.

Saddle up!
Kendal and Renee are on their elephants, I'm just gettng on the one I shared with Cameron in the back.

Kendal & Renee
Entering south gate to Bayon complex.

Almost there
Bayon Temple complex just coming into view

Bayon face
close up of the big faces found on every tower.

Bayon-east
This is the entrance used by the tourists arriving by elephant (such as the Cooks from Utah...)

East wall mural
The big picture.

East faces
These guys have been greeting the rising sun since the 1100's. I guess they define being a "morning person"......

East wall detail
Detail from the incredible mural carved into the southeast wall.

South wall
Scenes of every-day life.

Bayon_Apsara_1
Apsara dancers are a common motif found in almost every ruin we visited. They vary from each other from slight costume difference to multiple dancers. The detail regardless is fascinating.

Bayon_Apsara_2
More dancing.

Cam, Kendal, & Renee
Cameron, Kendal, & Renee entering Bayon main tower.

Bayon-main towers
I don't know why, but Bayon has become my favorite (maybe because it was the one day I wasn't heat sick).

Cameron
These temples are not just hge piles of carved stones, but labrythine buildings. Cameron is looking out one of the many windows. The lady on the left was on an annoying tour group from China. My opinion that Chinese tourists are the rudest on earth was cemented at Bayon.

Bayon towers-north
North view of the towers

Bayon north courtyard
Bayon temple was never finished. From all appearances it was 90%+ done when a worker was killed by a lightning strike of the main tower. According to legend it was judged as an omen fromt he dieties that the temple was not acceptable so the work was stopped and everyone just walked away from it.