Forgotten vibe no more

It looks a little like a mask, but its the north face of the West Gate, approached from the northwest corner shrineWooden struts support the sides of the eastern entrance of the West Gate of Angkor Thom

The embankment pathway from the northwest Prasat Chrung to the West Gate was the best section so far and completed in less than five minutes. I was now well over halfway in my bicycle ride around the top of the walls of the ancient city of Angkor Thom. The last time I'd been at the West Gate was quite a few years before when it was rarely used and quite atmospheric with a forgotten feel to it, nowadays that vibe has disappeared and it's been made safe with lots of wooden structural supports and a wooden driveway that takes you through the gate door and out the other side. This entrance to the city is now much more popular that ever before when only locals rode their bicycles through it, to and from their nearby villages. A popular route along one section of the wall, for walkers and cyclists, ends at the West Gate, having begun at the South Gate. If anyone does venture onto the city walls it is that section they normally choose. However, I hope I've given you a flavour of what the other sections of the wall can offer as well. I hadn't yet finished my cycle ride so after a good sniff around both sides of the gate, I took my mountain bike back onto the wall to complete my journey via the southwest corner temple. Stay tuned for more.

The face of the king looks down on the entrance into the city at the West Gate

This provides a good view of the wooden driveway installed at the West Gate, and the absence of 'atmosphere' there nowadaysLooking at the west face of the West Gate from outside the walled city

The west face has parts of the royal visage missing

Two faces of the West Gate, the south face on the right and the east face

A final profile look at the east face of the West Gate

A broken Lokeshvara pediment at the top of the wall, in front of the south face. You can just make out the torso at the left of center.