Nov 1 - TA Prohm, the jungle temple

In the footsteps of Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft in the Tomb Raiders, we started our exploration at Ta Prohm, possibly the most exotic of the temples in the Angkor Wat complex. Besieged by singing and begging children

...and survivors of Kmer Rouge playing ingenious instruments...

and milling tourists, we made our way into the complex.

Rescued from the jungle a only few decades ago, this temple is a ruin which nature has taken over. Huge blocks of stone (how did they move them?) lie around as if strewn by a giant's hand. Walls with inscriptions and bas reliefs, vestiges of sculptures, pillars...

...all overgrown by tremendous trees. And over the patter of guides and murmur of tourists, the insistent screeching and chattering of jungle birds....

 In a quiet place you could imagine yourself to be in a place before time.....