Ta Prohm

Ta Prohm

Tearing down the walls.

This is one of the most famous temples in Angkor, made even more famous by the "Tomb Raider" movie. One of the descriptions of this temple is that it is the closest look at what the French archeologists found in the 1860's when they "rediscovered" Angkor. Although there were accurate descriptions of Angkor written by travelers prior to the French, the world became reaquainted with Angkor because of the accounts written by French explorers from the period around 1860.

Ta Prohm is not actually as the French found it. Large portions of it have been reconstructed at the jungle has been held at bay. Still, it is a mesmerizing vision of a true lost temple, evocative, exotic and mystical.

I spent a very long time here, dodging other visitors, finding quiet spots to sit amongst the ruins while flocks of parrots entertained me. I also found a very secret, special place to leave the some of the ashes of my friend Karen Morgan.