DAY 10 (continued) - After driving through Angkor Thom's south gate, we pass an elephant transporting tourists

It is raining when we arrive at Prasat Bayon...has our luck with the weather finally run out?

Bayon is at the heart of Angkor Thom (which translates literally as "Great City"). The temple itself has no walls or moat because those of Angkor Thom provides all of the protection it needs. Built later than Angkor Wat (during King Jayavarman VII's reign) as a buddhist temple, it features a very different style of architecture than what we have previously seen.

Chen and Valerie take turns holding the umbrella over my camera so I can get these shots as we approach the temple from the south

We climb steps leading to the collapsed gopura

Collapsed gopura

Columns

Naga and lion statues guard the Bayon

Aspara engraving

Aspara engraving

Rain has stopped long enough that I no longer need someone to hold an umbrella over my camera

The faces on the towers become clearer as we approach, but I am more intrigued by the many doorrways seen from this location

Bas-reliefs along Bayon's outer gallery are a bit more exposed to the elements than Angkor Wat's

Bas-reliefs along Bayon's outer gallery are a bit more exposed to the elements than Angkor Wat's

There are over 200 faces decorating the towers of this temple

The faces would be easier to see under more direct lighting

Valerie and I add our faces to the shot (Photo by Chen Sokhoeun)

One of Bayon's collapsed libraries lies to the east

Rubble