0855hrs: Left Angkor Wat and onwards to the south gate of Angkor Thom , one of the largest of all Khmer cities. Angkor Thom is like a square approximately 3km on each side. The walls surrounding it are pierced by four gates at the cardinal points, and the roads that pass through them converge o the central State Temple - the Bayon.
On either side of the road leading to the South Gate of Angkor Thom, lines statues carrying the body of a giant serpent - a seven headed Naga in a form of a tug-of-war. The figures on the left are gods, while those on the right, with fierce grimaces, are asuras (demons). This depict one of the story engrave in the walls of Angkor Wat about the Churning of the Sea of Milk, a battle between human and demons to wrestle for the amrita, the elixir of immortality. Of course, humans won and thus they became gods.
Top-Left: Statues of gods in tug-of-war position. Top-Right: Close up of the god statue. Bottom left: Statues of asuras against the backdrop of the moat which surrounds the whole City of Angkor Thom. Bottom-Right: Statues of asuras in tug-of-war position.
Having said so much, here's a close up of the Southern Entrance to Angkor Thom (About time too... geewhiz.....)
Entry via the Gate is shared by both Vehicles and Pedestrians, so we had to take turns (so-call) to pass through it. But once over, we saw throngs of buses and vans parked right at the side of the road, waiting for Tourists (like us) to walk thru the gate and board it so that we can be on our way to the next ruins.
Of course, among the tourists and vehicles, you must expect the entrepreneurs from Cambodia.....
The group of hat sellers....... waiting to pounce on any innocent tourists who may stray into their path. And of course, for the adventurous, you can also pay between USD15 - USD20 to hitch a ride on an elephant into Bayon, the main Temple of the Angkor Thom city.
As you can see, entrepreneurs are not restricted to adults, well you will see more of such 'salesperson' all over the ruins.
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