2011, DEC 15: CAMBODIA, ANGKOR THOM-B

After leaving Bayon, we passed by the Terrace of the Elephants, which served as a viewing platform for royal parties. Its name comes from the elephant statues and friezes, which adorn the face of the terrace.

The Terrace of the Leper King is next. It is decorated with dramatic bas-reliefs. Some people believe it was used for cremation of members of the royal family.

Then we walked over to Ta Prohm. Ta Prohm, meaning the Brahma, it was a Buddhist monastery. A Sanskrit inscription states that it had 18 great priests, 2,740 officials, 2,202 assistants, and 615 dancers, details its wealth.

It was built by King Jayavarman, in the late 12th century, in honor of his mother. Satellite temples were also built to honor his father, guru, and elder brother. All family members were personified as Buddhist deities

Ta Prohm has been deliberately left in much the same condition in which it was found, with gigantic trees growing everywhere, twisted around pillars and other structures.

Delicate stone carvings and bas-reliefs of temple guardians, dancers, deities, and scenes from Buddhist mythology decorate its walls, doorways, pillars, and lintels.