The Forgotten One
After witnessing the greatness of Angkor Thom and the charisma of Angkor Wat, Siem Reap still manages to surprise me with another of its treasure.
On contrary to the glorious and grand temples and palaces, Ta Prohm is the one that was forgotten by people and time. Undisturbed by humans for centuries, the ruins of Ta Prohm is abundant with nature.
Walking within Ta Prohm is a magical feeling, knowing that people have not touched this piece of land until the 21st century. The sunshine and moisture have fueled trees to grow between the cracks of the stone structures and roots to expand out of the ground. It is as if the nature has consumed the place in the end of the day. The collapsed rocks and outgrown trees stir one's curiosity to know what has happened here.
Maybe groomed and artificially preserved aren't always the best way to go; sometimes it's beautiful to let nature makes its own path through us.
PS. Of course, many of you may recognize, this temple is made famous by Angelina Jolie's Tomb Raider. At the first sight, I couldn't exactly picture which part of the temple was in which scene. Later I realized that it has been over a decade since the movie was shot, the nature and time never stopped and continued the way of life.