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Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Angkor Thom, Cambodia

Detailed map of Angkor Thom.
Larger map of the whole area; Angkor Thom is directly north of Angkor Wat at the center of the map.
Southern gate to Angkor Thom.
Monkeys enjoying the garbage spoils.
First view of Bayon, the main temple in the Angkor Thom complex.
Caryl kissing one of the carvings at Bayon.
Ania trying the same thing.
Us together, in front of another face carving.
Even more face carvings, the distinguishing feature of Bayon.
Partial face.
Dancing carvings in Bayon.
Royal palace area in Angkor Thom.
Another modern day "artist" adding their mark...
Cool doorway.
Entrance to Baphuon Temple.
Walkway to Baphuon.
Another angle.
View from the top of Baphuon.
Carvings at the top.
Reclining Buddha at the back of Baphuon.
Same picture with the face outlined, since it's a bit hard to see.  The sculpture was partially destroyed a long time ago - above the black line the bricks are not original.
Another view of the back of Baphuon.
View from the Terrace of Elephants - Tuk-Tuk drivers wait in the shade of a tree for their tourists to finish up the day.
Elephant fountain sculptures at the Elephant Terrace.
My favorite structure - The Terrace of the Leper King!  Inside, this structure feels like a labyrinth filled with amazing carvings.  The modern day name of this structure comes from a 15th century statute that was found here.  The statue was of the Hindu god Yama, the god of death.  The sculpture was covered with moss and was discolored, which led to it's name.
Carvings inside the Terrace.
A carving of a Naga, a multi-headed snake inside the Terrace of the Leper King.
Every store in Cambodia sells elephant themed clothing, and every tourist in Cambodia wears them.  Here, a souvenir shop sells mix-and-match elephant attrite.
And at the end if the day, here's Ti-Ti, our Tuk-Tuk driver, ready to take us home!

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Wesołych Świąt!

Meanwhile, in Fresno, Xavier also wishes you a wonderful holiday season!

Angkor Wat

Hot air balloon rides!
Famous Angkor Wat wall carvings.
Quick note - this picture shows what unregulated tourists do - this crappy horse scratch is clearly not hundreds of years old.
Umbrella for the unrelenting sun.
Front of Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat means "Temple City" or "City of Temples" in Khmer.  It was first built as a Hindu temple complex by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century and was dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu.  It was later converted into a Buddhist complex and today it is the largest religious monument in the world.  Angkor Wat is only one of the many temples in a huge complex that covers many square miles starting about 15 miles north of Siem Riep - even more smaller temple complexes lie to the east and south of the city.  Unlike other temples, Angkor Wat faces to the west, though we don't know exactly why.  It is the best-preserved temple in the area. The temple has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on the national flag and on their best beer (in our opinion).  It is definitely Cambodia's primary attraction.