The faces of Bayon
ENI wanted to see the temples of Angkor again. In particular the Bayon and its towers, sculpted with faces with enigmatic smiles. Seeing and seeing again... I love it!
mountain temple
The Bayon is the first temple we asked to visit. A "temple-mountain" of the XIII-XIV century. This is my third visit, and I am not jaded. It continues to fascinate me.
On the first level, a maze of gray stones, in which one loses oneself a little, between the pillars decorated with apsaras, the celestial dancers, and frescos representing scenes of the daily life and episodes of the Hindu mythology.
Inside, you can offer some incense sticks to Buddha, Shiva, or whoever you like...
The faces of Bayon
You have to climb some steep steps to access the upper terrace ... A magical place!
There, huge faces with benevolent, slightly enigmatic expressions observe you. Each tower is decorated with three or four faces. There would be nearly 200 in all.
You have to take your time on this terrace, stroll quietly, stop, look up, turn around, to discover a different, unexpected perspective. With each turn, it is a new string of smiles. The stone is grey-green or golden depending on the orientation of the sun.
The whole thing has something soothing, serene, really fascinating. The Bayon is one of my favorite temples.
But already, tour groups are coming ... Too many, too noisy.
Better to leave, in order to keep the magic of the place intact!
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I'm planning to go there soon... Those enigmatic smiles are already appeasing me in photos, I can't wait to see them in person 🙂
By the way: I really like your blog and its tone, thank you!
Nice post, Corinne. When's immersion?
Beautiful and mysterious at the same time ❗ ... Ah yes when will the next bubbles ❓ 🙄
Fascinating indeed the Bayon, I think it's the one I'll go and see again first when I go back to Cambodia. I'll have to sort out my temple photos... 🙂
The Bayon... I have fond memories of this temple... but when I went there, it was indeed a little too crowded for my taste. I imagine that this temple is one of the site's must-sees. As a result, I didn't linger there, preferring to get away from the crowds and walk a few kilometers further to some of the more remote and less popular temples... And there... it was magical! Feel free to push further... Anyway, I don't have any advice to give you... you're an expert!!!!
Ah là là... thank you for all these photos... I'd love to go back there one day...
Biz!!!!! And... I'm waiting for the photos from Krabi...
Beautiful, Corinne, thank you 🙂 😉
@Lili: Thank you! As soon as I find a little time in my busy holiday schedule, I'll post a new entry on other temples...
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@Philippe: First immersion today, on Koh Phi Phi, before the Similan dive cruise in a few days.
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@auxBulles: The next bubbles are coming soon... First dives today on Koh Phi Phi: two turtles! Then on to the Similan Islands in a few days' time.
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@David: Me too, must I class my photos ... What a job!
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@ Helen: Absolutely... By the way, I've got a lot to say about the invasive tourist groups. I'm preparing a post on the subject...
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@Ysbilia: Yes, the Bayon is magnificent... But there are plenty of other temples, too. To be discovered in future blog posts!
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Ah, my favorite temple in Angkor!
Seeing the sun shine on each face at dawn is magical....
@Fabrice and @ Marie-Julie: Magic, that's the word! There are many of us, I see, who have adored the Bayon.
My other favorite temple was Ta Prohm... but... but... Many things have changed since my previous visits... I'll have to talk about this in a future post.
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I also have fond memories of it. I got there when it was dark. Impossible to forget the changing faces at sunrise... No doubt about it, it's also my favorite.
@Fabrice: Almost... 😆
they turned the roots?
Yes, it's quite magical. You turn your head, the stone looks back at you; you look up, it flashes you a mysterious smile; you scan all those faces, then you see that they're actually looking much further away.
Yes, when the tourist crowds arrive, they make you dizzy. You lose your travel buddy because you'd rather flee to the other corners of Angkor Thom 😀 I savored my little stroll to the Baphuon via a long mineral alley, then the shady paths, the sacred pool that gives a refreshing impression, the hesitation "should I climb or not?" in front of the Phimeanakas....
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My favorite temple in Angkor! There's such a peaceful atmosphere here...strange, in fact, knowing that you're being watched with all your eyes!