Right outside the small city of Siem Reap in the jungles of Cambodia lies one of the most amazing temples in the world – Ta Prohm.  I had the incredible opportunity to visit Ta Prohm only two weeks ago with my family.  Most people may know this temple as the backdrop for the movie, “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider”.  Although after watching the movie and seeing this temple in person, I must admit the movie does nothing to give this temple justice.  The abundance of trees alone creeping through the crevices and huge stone boulders of this temple astounds me.  How can nature be so menacing and at the same time bring so much beauty to this temple…it’s breathtaking!  The Ta Prohm temple, or Rajavihara (“royal temple”) as was called during its construction, dates back to 1181 A.D. when Jayavarman VII, after ascending the throne of Cambodia, decided to construct the temple to honor his family.  However, in the 15th century after the fall of the Khmer empire (one of the most powerful empires in Southeast Asia), the temple was abandoned and left to be claimed by the jungle.  For centuries it was left undisturbed by man which allowed nature to take its course as trees began wrapping their large roots and vines around the stone walls, almost as if to hide the temple and protect it from outsiders.  But years later, the temple was rediscovered and now has become one of the most sought-after tourist sites among the temples of Angkor.  When we visited, it was evident that restoration of this temple is aggressively underway.  Most of the plants and shrubs are being cleared and sadly, there are plans for some trees to be removed.  In addition, walkways, ramps, platforms and roped areas are now set up allowing for a safe view of the temple by tourists.  But with all these changes taking place, the temple’s beauty and mystery can not be altered.  Standing below one section of the temple, looking up at the roots of the trees threaded between each delicately placed piece of stone laid centuries before, I wondered…how could anything be so amazing.

Some pictures of the moss-covered stone that has grown rapidly over this temple during Cambodia’s rainy season.

Entering the temple, you are faced with a maze of alleyways.  If you look towards the sunlight shining through, it will guide you to the temple’s sanctuaries.

After a quick afternoon shower, the sunlight starts to peak through the trees and glistens along the moss-covered stone walls.  As I peer above I see…

a new sprout of life trying to push its way through the stone again.