Basic HTML Version
66
{ }
T H E S O U L O F C A M B O D I A
Bayon
To infinity and Bayon! The stone
faces carved onto the walls of
the Bayon are a must-see
Good thing our next and last stop
that day was Bayon in Angkor Thom.
Literally meaning “Great City”, Angkor
Thom covers a vast area of the park.
Entering any of its five 20m-high gates
decorated with enormous faces gives
you a glimpse of what awaits inside.
Bayon, which is at the center of this
ancient city, is known for the many
gigantic faces of Avalokiteshvara, a
bodhisattva
(or “enlightened being”
in Buddhism) that represents the
compassion of Buddha carved on its
many stone towers. Either that or it
depicts the Buddhist king Jayavarman
VII, who built Bayon.
Visitors typically enter from the east
gate, but our driver dropped us off at
the side where only a couple of people
were entering. It was an interesting
spot to begin exploring the temple as
there wasn’t much foot traffic. By the
time we reached the upper terrace, the
multitude of faces was all around us.
As one traveler remarked, it felt like
there’s always someone looking over
your shoulder. The magic of Bayon is
especially felt at dawn or sunset. When
everyone else is in Angkor Wat and
Phnom Bakheng, you can spend time
gazing at the faces drenched in soft
sunlight. It’s enough to make you forget
to go back to town.
PHOTO
JOREM CATILO
CLOTHES
TOP BY KEOK’JAY (WWW.KEOKYJAY.COM)
ILLUSTRATIONS
MAPS BY KASEY ALBANO.