The narrow gate topped by four massive faces is reached via a 100-meter-long stone causeway flanked by huge statues of almost-shaped eyed gods and round-eyed demons. Unfortunately, most of the statue heads are replicas because the originals have been stolen. The remaining originals have been moved to the Angkor Conservation for safekeeping.
At the heart of Angkor Thom is the Bayon Temple, the very last Angkorian temple to be built. Most distinctive features of the temple are the four giant stone faces at the towers. Who the faces represent is a matter of conjecture but it is generally believed to be a combination of its builder Jayavarman VII and Buddha.
Bayon’s biggest claim to fame are the bas-reliefs on the exterior walls of the lower and upper levels. The themes vary from historical battle scenes and the like, to ordinary domestic settings.
The state temple Bayon is definitely the crown jewel of Angkor Thom.
Ta Prohm has the most haunted look among all the temple remains in Angkor today. Originally constructed as a Buddhist monastery in the late 12th century, it is now known as the jungle temple. No tower has remained intact. Huge trees grow from the terraces, towers and walls, their enormous roots climbing to wherever they could go, framing doorways and tearing apart giant stones.
Collapsed masonry, caved-in galleries, broken statues, moss-covered stones, age-old trees… these are all part and parcel of its charm.
The hauntingly poignant scenes in Ta Phrom can best be described thus… "stone and wood clutch each other in grim hospitality."
Away from its temple ruins and ancient wonders, there’s another face of Cambodia to see – life around the Tonle Sap Lake, 30 minutes south of Siem Reap. Considered one of the largest fresh water lakes in the world, Tonle Sap, cyclically swells from 2,500 square kilometers in the dry season to more than 12,000 square kilometers in the wet season.
This dimension of Siem Reap revealed a scenery of floating fishing villages and impoverished inhabitants living in cramped houses that are equipped to float to safer ground each time the lake swells. I couldn’t help but compare them with our own seaside inhabitants who are just as pathetic.
The boat ride was an eye-opener in so many ways. It showed that there is a thriving life along the lake with "floating schools" for the children, "floating stores" for the residents, and yes, "floating restaurants" cum souvenir shops for the tourists. The people, though living in misery, are making do with what they have, and they seemed contented enough.
Once again, I found reason to pause and ponder but this time it was not caused by the romantic streak in me, but by concern and compassion.
Though Angkor Wat is hailed as one of the greatest wonders of the world, nothing really prepares you for its majesty and imperturbable appeal. When I stood before this masterpiece of Khmer architecture a few weeks back, what immediately caught my eyes were its five distinctively-shaped towers (shaped like lotus buds), rising gracefully against the backdrop of blue, blue skies. And then I noticed the huge moat surrounding the complex and the way it captured a stunning reflection of the temple on the water. The entire scene seemed surreal promptly awakening the romantic in me, making me pause and ponder.
What myth and mystery surround this "temple-mountain" in Cambodia known as Angkor Wat? Did King Suryavarman II build it as a place of worship dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu, or was it supposed to be his funerary temple as some scholars opine? Did it really take 30 years to complete after construction began in the early 12th century? What if French explorer/botanist Henri Mouhot had not "stumbled" on the complex in 1860?…. would it have remained hidden from the world?
I found myself getting deeply engrossed in Angkor history, and thanks to our well-versed guide Nik, most of my questions were answered and I got an over-all picture of the Khmer empire.
Once inside the temple ruins, we headed to the gallery where bas-relief panels relating tales from Hindu mythology were delicately carved on the walls. The detailed artwork boggles the imagination.
More stone carvings in the form of apsara figures (mythological celestial nymphs) came into view as we continued our tour and took a closer look at the walls on the different levels. The artworks represent some of the finest examples of apsara carvings in the Ankorian era. What an artistic feast!
We proceeded to the garlanded statue of Vishnu, standing tall and proud with its distinctive eight arms. Though the temple was originally dedicated to Vishnu, it has served as a Buddhist temple since the 14th century when Theravada Buddhism became Cambodia’s dominant religion.
SilkAir and Singapore Airlines organized the familiarization trip to Siem Reap in Cambodia, and Danang in Vietnam. Nabil Rohman, manager-Phils. of SilkAir, and my good friend Rita Dy, Singapore Airlines’ marketing services and communications manager, led the group of media invitees from Cebu and Manila.
Our home in Siem Reap was the sprawling Sofitel Royal Angkor, a five-star hotel sitting in the midst of a lush garden made more picturesque by a man-made lake dotted with Khmer-inspired pavilions, beside it. It was just the perfect place to relax and recharge after a tiring day at the World Heritage sites in Angkor.
