Our final stop in our tour of Angkor Thom would be the Terrance of the Elephants, named for the elephant carvings eastern face. It was used by the king as a viewing platform, where he could watch his victorious army return home. Most of the structure has disappeared over time, leaving only the stone foundations.
We left Baphuon, the Mountain Temple, and made our way north toward the Terrace of the Elephants. During our short walk, we passed by the Phimeanakas. This was a smaller mountain temple, said to be the home of a Naga. It is too dangerous to climb in the modern age, so we could only view it from the ground.
I wondered how many temples there were in this are that could no longer be climbed. How many are still hidden in the forest, unseen by human eyes for hundreds of years. How many had Nagas living within them, or if other creatures lay hidden in the depths of these temples.
We approached the Terrace of the Elephants from behind, as the king must have done in days of old. As we climbed the steps, I imagined what it must have looked like to see an ancient army waiting for their regent. An army laid out across the plain stretching out from the base of the terrace.
We walked down the steps to the front to see the carvings that give the terrace its name. There were more than just elephants here, asura carved into the stone hold up the terrace, and the royal family. I thought that, in a way, this places the royals above these divine beings, indicating their importance.
Once we walked the full length of the Terrace, we found our tuk-tuk driver waiting for us. Our tour of Angkor Thom was over. It was time to leave, and see what other remote temples were hidden within the forest.
