An American Abroad

Cambodia: Angkor Thom, Part 1

Angkor Wat is stately, symmetrical, and tasteful, a formal masterpiece — but Angkor Thom, just a few kilometers away, is a feral looking pile of stones.

2014-04-30 20.20.44e2

Angkor Wat is Queen Elizabeth: dignified, careful, and articulate. Angkor Thom is your crazy uncle who wears mismatched socks, drinks too much, and is given to ranting in the supermarket.

2014-04-30 20.53.00e

2014-04-30 20.36.48e

Angkor Wat is the Taj Mahal. Angkor Thom is a folly like The House on the Rock.

2014-04-30 20.26.45e

2014-04-30 21.04.25e

Angkor Thom is a crazy-making place, one that looks to’ve been designed by an alien madman. It’s the least earthly structure I’ve ever seen. In its confounding layout and rugged design, it looks like something from the Stone Age.

2014-04-30 21.12.02e

And what it lacks in Angkor Wat’s symmetry, size, and fame it makes up for in massive Buddha faces carved into its spires. (The facial recognition option on my Sony NEX 5n picked them out immediately.)

2014-04-30 20.28.43e

2014-04-30 20.25.09e

2014-04-30 20.32.35e

2014-04-30 20.35.59e

2014-04-30 21.54.07e

2014-04-30 21.42.48e

2014-04-30 21.27.13e

2014-04-30 20.59.09e

2014-04-30 21.10.26e

There are also some outbuildings that provide a calming classical contrast to the wildness of the main building.

2014-04-30 20.46.07e

2014-04-30 20.37.30e

[Go on to Cambodia: Angkor Thom, Part 2]

Comments

  1. Mary Cole says

    Mount Rushmore of Cambodia.

Speak Your Mind

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.