Cities of temples
Trip Start
Sep 23, 2004
1
64
77
Trip End
Ongoing
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Siem Reap,
Cambodia
Thursday, January 24, 2008
The detail inside the temple was incredibly fine and intricate; carvings covered almost every surface, detailing apsara (heavenly nymphs), and various myths, including the Ramayana, Mahabarata, and the churning of the ocean of milk (where gods and demons play tug of war with a giant snake to rotate a mountain and churn up an ocean to produce the water of immortality). Some of these bas reliefs were polished from the hands of thousands of worshippers. Amusingly, this effect extended to the breasts of some of the apsara. We explored galleries and libraries, and gazed at the reflection of the temple in ponds filled with lotus blossoms. The main temple towered above us, but sadly was closed. It was wonderful. But there was more to come.
Mr Bon drove us on to Angkor Thom, a city which once housed a million people within its walls. We entered via a gate topped with the four faces of Avalokiteshvara, symbolising truth, hope, charity and equanimity. On either side of the gate, the ballustrades were carved into demons and gods holding a serpent- the ocean of milk again.
Angkor Wat in the early morning
Once inside the walled city, we came to the Bayon, a magnificent temple. Ornately carved, though not as delicately as Angkor, the carvings were lively scenes of everyday life in Cambodia 800 years ago- hunting, fishing, celebrating. A man bent on one knee, proposing to a woman, Chinese merchants carosing tipsily, armies mustering and a poor unfortunate fisherman being bourne away by a crocodile. A myriad of faces stared down at us- more carvings of Avalokiteshvara- and every new angle revealed different and photogenic views. It was a beautiful and magical place, and its evocative atmosphere appealed to me even more than that of Angkor.
Next we visited the Bauphon, a temple under major reconstruction. It was a pyramidal temple-mountain, its shape representing the mythical Mount Meru. Much of it was fenced off, as archaeologists and engineers attempted to reconstruct the 3D jigsaw of pieces. Afterwards we visited the equally mountainous Phimeanakas, a pyramid- shaped royal palace with steep sides. Rick scaled the vertiginous south wall; I tackled the stone steps of the slightly less daunting western wall. The gentler wooden steps added for tourists were completely taken up by petrified Koreans inching their way down.
We walked to the Terrace of the Elephants, to see a multitude of carved pachyderms and get amazing views over the central square, where military maneuvers were once played out under the watchful eyes of the king. Beyond were the towers of Prasat, which tightrope walkers had balanced between for the entertainment of monarch and nobility.
Eventually it was time to tear ourselves away. We went to Dead Fish Tower for dinner, a kitsch and eclectic restaurant. It featured assorted floors, levels and mezzanines, linked by a maze of stairs and served by pully-driven dumb waiters and a very attentive live waiter service. We sat on cushions on the floor on the uppermost level; far below us, crocodiles wandered round in their pool. English Health and Safety inspectors would have had a fit at the lack of railings around the upper floors; we decided it was a wonderful place, but certainly not one to get drunk at! I wouldn't want to emulate the crocodile bas relief...
