Cambodia : Part 10 - Day 3 Morning : Ta Prohm

20.01.2017 - Next temple is Ta Prohm. Why did I choose Ta Prohm? Because it was made famous by Angelina Jolie in her Tomb Raider movie where there are huge trees growing amongst the temples structure. It was a 10 minute tuk-tuk drive from Bayon to Ta Prohm. Here, there were lots of stalls selling food and drinks. I was so tempted to get some but I decided to wait after the last temple.

Ta Prohm (Khmer: ប្រាសាទតាព្រហ្ម, pronunciation: prasat taprohm) is the modern name of the temple at Angkor, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia, built in the Bayon style largely in the late 12th and early 13th centuries and originally called Rajavihara (in Khmer: រាជវិហារ). Located approximately one kilometre east of Angkor Thom and on the southern edge of the East Baray, it was founded by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Ta Prohm is in much the same condition in which it was found: the photogenic and atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings have made it one of Angkor's most popular temples with visitors. UNESCO inscribed Ta Prohm on the World Heritage List in 1992. Today, it is one of the most visited complexes in Cambodia’s Angkor region. The conservation and restoration of Ta Prohm is a partnership project of the Archaeological Survey of India and the APSARA (Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap)

After the fall of the Khmer Empire in the 15th century, the temple of Ta Prohm was abandoned and neglected for centuries. When the effort to conserve and restore the temples of Angkor began in the early 21st century, the École française d'Extrême-Orient decided that Ta Prohm would be left largely as it had been found, as a "concession to the general taste for the picturesque." According to pioneering Angkor scholar Maurice Glaize, Ta Prohm was singled out because it was "one of the most imposing [temples] and the one which had best merged with the jungle, but not yet to the point of becoming a part of it".[8] Nevertheless, much work has been done to stabilize the ruins, to permit access, and to maintain "this condition of apparent neglect."

The trees growing out of the ruins are perhaps the most distinctive feature of Ta Prohm, and "have prompted more writers to descriptive excess than any other feature of Angkor." Two species predominate, but sources disagree on their identification: the larger is either the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra) or thitpok Tetrameles nudiflora, and the smaller is either the strangler fig (Ficus gibbosa). or gold apple (Diospyros decandra). Angkor scholar Maurice Glaize observed, "On every side, in fantastic over-scale, the trunks of the silk-cotton trees soar skywards under a shadowy green canopy, their long spreading skirts trailing the ground and their endless roots coiling more like reptiles than plants." Source from Wikipedia.

A signboard to explain the 'before' and 'after' photos of the restoration work.

And, the sister and her friend were more interested in the birds in the temple. They attracted other tourists' attention who were wondering what are they staring into the sky on their left when the ruins were on the right. Some of the tourists also attempted to snap photos of the birds.

I am trying to understand why are there holes in the stones. I cannot seem to find the answer in Google.

We were walking around trying to find the famed huge tree with its roots enveloping the ruins. One has to be careful walking inside this temple, because as Wikipedia described, the temple is being maintained as much as possible in its original state i.e. there are stones piled up here and there. It was a labyrinth inside this temple. Every turn and corner looks almost the same to me. Every tree begin to look alike. 

My sister was keen on finding the tree where a monk was photographed sitting under the tree. I was not aware of the monk photo but we managed to find it and there was a huge crowd!

This tree is famous because apparently one of its roots were as white and look as smooth as a female's thigh.

After our one hour walk, we bought ourselves a coconut each. They are huge for USD1 / RM4.50. In my mind, I was thinking this is how God ensures that the people of Cambodia survive the heat. Coconuts are good for reducing body heat. This fruit is abundance in the country. 

I must tell the story of this 8-year old girl who approached us as we were drinking our coconuts. She asked me if I wanted to buy some fridge magnets. She mentioned the price in USD. She took out all her fridge magnets. She spoke fluent English for a 8-year old. I asked her where is her mother. She pointed to a stall and said - Selling. I asked her selling what. She said - Cold drinks. I thought her English was amazing with no accent. Then, she spoke Mandarin to me. I was gobsmacked. Actually, it goes to show the amount of China tourists that visit Cambodia.

She knew I was from Malaysia and I was wondering if she was going to speak Bahasa to me. So, she offered 3 fridge magnets for RM10. She actually mentioned the currency 'ringgit'. She could not speak Bahasa. I bought 3 fridge magnets for RM10 and she tried to convince us to buy postcards. I told her that she can attempt it to other tourists. She was persistent but I convinced her that there are other tourists at your mum's stall and you can show them your postcards. She was a funny girl that I thought the whole situation was hilarious. 

Then, we were on our way back to Mad Monkey Hostel where we slept in the living room because we have checked out earlier this morning, and showered in the toilet which was next to the swimming pool. Thank goodness for these facilities.