ANGKOR (Day 16 - part 4)

Chetra took us back to town for some lunch, then we returned to Angkor Thom, this time via the east side Victory Gate

Again the gods and demons continue in their tug-of-war.

Nearby was Thommanon, a Hindu temple built in the early 1100s. It's dedicated to the gods Shiva and Vishnu.

Chau Say Tevoda, a Hindu temple built in the mid 1100s, was under renovation.

These are the remains of an old stone bridge. Long ago the river changed course so a new bridge (for cars) was built about 300 feet further.All the stones were quarried and carried from 50 miles away.

Ta Prohm (ancestor Brahma) is one of the site's most famous temples. It began construction in 1186 under the name Rajavihara (monastery of the king). The king, Jayavarman VII, built it as part of a massive public works program. Intended to be a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university, it at one point housed more than 12,500 people. An additional 80,000 people lived in the surrounding villages, providing services and supplies.

After the fall of the Khmer Empire in the 15th century, the temple was abandoned and neglected for centuries. When conservations efforts began, it was decided that Ta Prohm should remain mostly as it had been found.... partially reclaimed by the jungle. The ruins were stabilized but the dominating trees were left standing.

Box elder bugs swarm a tree.

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