The Smile of Angkor
Surrounded by a moat and a small jungle and guarded by 5 towers, Angkor Thom, the Great City, stands for almost a thousand years in Siem Reap.
As 54 statues of gods sit on the left and 54 of demons on the right, I walk along on the stone causeway marching into the city. Through the guard tower, the 4-faced statue and three-headed elephant welcome us to the Great City.
The craftsmanship on the statues and walls lived through the centuries and continued to tell a story of a great empire over and over again.
In the center of the city, the Bayon temple sits and houses 54 towers with over 2000 faces carved on stones.
Meandering around the elevated layers of the temple, under over 2000 smiles from the Avalokitesvara buddha. There is a sense of balance and harmony in the air. Let go of the negativity and embrace the smile of Angkor.