Pandoraspace

  Tip No. 16: Be corny and spare $ 10.00 for an elephant ride. You are sure to impress the kids at  home.  

 For $ 10.00, you can take an elephant ride from outside the east gate of Angkor Thom to the surrounding areas of Bayon. Padma, who had her fair share of elephant rides in the past, decided to forego the ride. I, on the other hand, could not help myself. I wanted to go on another elephant ride.  When I got home and showed the picture that Padma took of me riding the elephant to the kids, they were soooo impressed.

Angkor Thom is a city built in the twelve century by Jayavarman VII. There are five gates that open up to Angkor Thom.  There is a gate on the north, west and south sides and two gates on the east side. Each gate is flanked on one side by fifty-four statues of gods and on the other side by fifty-four statues of demons. The gods and demons are seen pulling the snake-god Vasuki in the scene from the Churning of the Sea of Milk. (See www.sacred-destinations.com.)  I took an elephant ride from the outskirts of Angkor Thom and entered it via one of the gates to get a different perspective of the place. From high up on my elephant, I felt like I was above the gods and demons that lined the entrance to Angkor Thom and that I could reach the sky.  I also felt isolated from those entering Angkor Thom on foot.  Interesting…