On the postcard above is the causeway leading into the entrance of Angkor Thom, which according to Uncle Wiki, "is the last and most enduring capital city of Khmer Empire". This fact actually didn't sink in to me while I was doing the tour. Through reading, I learned that Angkor Thom literally means "Great City". I thought Angkor Thom is the name of that temple we visited inside the complex. We were brought to that temple specifically because it is one of the locations for Angelina Jolie's famous Lara Croft: Tomb Raider movie.
For a closer look into the figures on the towering gate and the causeway:
The postcard in the middle is viewed from one of the sides of the tower gate. There are Buddhas facing all four cardinal directions. For the causeway, it is lined with asuras (power-seeking deities) on one side and devas (benevolent deities) on the other side. They are "holding a naga in the attitude of tug-of-war.". The causeway appears to be from the Hinduism myth, Churning of the Sea of Milk.
~maria
Wow, this looks gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the 2015 A to Z Challenge!
A to Z Co-Host S. L. Hennessy
http://pensuasion.blogspot.com
Yours is always the first post to arrive in my feed for any letter! Cambodia is definitely on my wish list.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how where movies were shot makes some sites more popular. I never saw Laura Croft though - was it similar to what the movie was like? Can you believe you're already on C? The challenge is going fast :-) Cheers - Ellen
ReplyDeleteIt must have been a very interesting trip to a land so different than your own.
ReplyDeleteHi Maria - what a fascinating city - I'd love to see it and to understand more ... those deities lining the causeway are quite incredible .. gosh what craftmanship ... I see it was established in the 12th century ... amazing - and thanks for highlighting for us ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteHi Maria, These are great images for "C" ... Nice work! This place looks so interesting. Thank you for your comments on my blog and answering my questions. Wow, wonderful that you might be coming to Seattle for training. If I can help you with any questions about Seattle, please let me know. jrcoast @ gmail dot com Maybe I could treat you to a cup of coffee at the original Starbucks store? :-) Have a great weekend! John
ReplyDeleteWow, these images are amazing. It's hard for me to believe they are real! Keep going on the A to Z challenge!
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