I went with my longtime friend Carolyn who had already visited Cambodia 3 other times...She arranged for Tony Re-al and Sethisak to accompany us to Siem Reap.. Not only did Sethi and Tony accompany, navigate and arrange the hotels, they were my models...Especially Sethi, who is an Opera Tenor...and a natural model as you will see in the gallery. By the way, Naga is a sort of Cobra snake used in Khmer symbolism, apsara are divine dancers, and Avalokiteshvara (Boddhisatva of Compassion) is one of the kings Jayavarman VII who built the Bayon Temple part of Angkor. Once a king dies he becomes a divine being (boddhisatva) and gets a new name designating his status. Bayon temple has 54 towers with 216 Faces of Avalokitesvara. Sculpture in the Bayon style is marked by intense spirituality. The serene, contemplative expressions of the figures reflect the humility and compassion associated with Buddhism, and perhaps even with Jayavarman VII himself. His concern for his people led to the construction of 102 hospitals, pilgrims' rest houses, bridges, and other public works. Sculpture of the time also became more individualized, as in the two heads thought to be portraits of Jayavarman VII and the possible portrait of his deceased wife, Queen Jayarajadevi in the guise of the Buddhist deity Tara.