Outside Angkor Wat/Thom

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Second full day in Siem Reap/Angkor area. Today we headed out first to see Ta Prohm temple, also known as the 'Tomb Raider' temple...as in the Angelina Jolie movie, which was partially filmed there....and it's easy to see why! The jungle has encroached with huge trees growing up, in, around and over most parts of the temple...such that removal would certainly knock the structure down. It's a fantastical sort of place, and of course each tree formation has been given a name by the local guides - which in turn generates just about perpetual picture taking by tourists, especially with themselves in the pictures. Selfies are also quite common! I opted for just temple/tree photos...and chose a few to post.

As a side note...all of the temples that I have visited on this whole trip, and I do mean all, have treacherous footing....steep stone steps, often with no handrail, uneven stone floors (well ya gotta admit the temples are 1,000 years old give or take), and low ceilings over the door frames, not a problem for me, or the locals...but my 6 foot plus friends would be challenged. In the U.S. undoubtedly there would be walkways and handrails, and warning signs galore, but not the case in Southeast Asia, and I for one, am glad...it adds to the charm and real world nature, and it pretty much puts a stop to the usual iPhone/and everything else multi-tasking that is so common, and irritating, these days. If you multi task here you are likely to end up with a twisted ankle, or a mlld concussion!

After Ta Prohm we visited some easy to see along the way temples...I included one photo from Pre-Rup. At each spot the local children and/or adults would perpetually try to sell you something...a guidebook, or postcards, or souvenirs. At first I just kept saying no thank you, and they kept following me. Then my guide told me that my best bet was to simple ignore them and not say anything. Apparently the theory is that if you keep saying no thank you, they figure that eventually you will feel guilty enough to buy something. I told him that the more they push, the less I want to buy. He said the Chinese tourists were the opposite - the more you pushed...the more they bought!

Last temple for the day (and probably the trip), as the guide books say, it is easy (at least for some of us) to get 'templed out.' We went to Banteay Srei. This temple is smaller, but the incredible detail and carving on the temple are fabulous. It was built in the late 900's, and is another Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. It is mostly made from red sandstone, which is much more easily carved...apparently like wood, so the detail is amazing! Again...don't forget to look further down for all the photos.

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Photos

Ta Prohm
A.K.A. Tomb raider temple