ANGKOR TEMPLES

Author: Deb /

Saturday, January 30,2010


SMILING BUDDHA I FOUND POKING OUT BEHIND A TREE ROOT.

MAJESTIC SOUTH GATE OF ANGKOR THOM TEMPLE COMPLEX

JUNGLE GROWTH IN THE PREAH KHAN TEMPLE

SIGN I FOUND HANGING ABOUT THE TOILET IN A BATHROOM STALL

VIEWS FROM THE BACK OF MY TUK TUK

IN FRONT OF ANGKOR WAT

JUNGLE INFESTED TA PROHM

ROOTS INTERTWINED IN BETWEEN THE STONES

MOVE OVER LAURA CROFT.....


I went back into the jungle today to visit the rest of the temples. Ta Prohm was the coolest of the bunch. You'll recognise it as the backdrop from the movie Tomb Raider. This temple is interesting because unlike all the other temples that were cleared of most of the invading jungle growth in the preservation efforts this one was purposely left the way it was found, other than clearing out what was necessary to prevent further damage to the temple. It is a tangled mass of tree and stone intertwined...the jungles are in one way breaking apart the stones and toppling the temple but also the tendrils of the jungle are holding things up. It's been invaded by 200 year old Spog trees and strangler figs....these trees can grow on rock or on top of other trees. It's incredibly atmospheric and eerie. You can see things the way things must have looked for those early explorers that first came across these temples shrouded in jungle growth....the complete disrepair makes it really beautiful and fun to explore.

I had my weirdest "fellow tourist" experience here....as a single traveler you really depend on other people to take a few photos for you so you can be in them. No where I have ever been in my life has any one ever responded to my request for them to take quick photo of me with anything other than graciousness...today there was this really cool area of Ta Prohm where the roots fell over a wall like a waterfall and you could climb in and get a great shot so I wait for some one to come up that isn't in a large tour group. I asked him if he would mind taking a photo of me in the roots and he looks at me, glares and gives me the rudest NO I have ever heard and struts away to spend the next 10 minutes with his girlfriend right beside me taking the same shot of each other. I was so insulted I couldn't believe anyone would be so cruel and mean! I was obviously alone, how else can I get that photo of myself?! What's he doing that he can't spent 10 seconds taking a photo for someone??? What a horrible person...it's sat with me all day I was just so hurt by it. So I waited around for a bit hoping someone else would come and never did find someone to take the photo. I hope he gets malaria. I expect karma to take it's revenge. There. Vent over.

I had a lazy late afternoon reading and relaxing by the pool complete with papaya shake and really yummy chicken sandwich(I know... I was craving some American food) and now I am going to have a bubble bath on my patio before bed!! ha ha.... My favourite feature here.