Those trees are unnerving, in a sense. They don't appear as the more familiar new life reclaiming old ruins, but they seem to mirror the age, the dissolving and shifting of form, the overall energy of the place, as if the stone is alive and they are feeding upon it, encasing it in a web and transmuting it to trunk and root and leaf.
You’ve very aptly touched on something I didn’t quite have the space to fully explore here. There is something uncanny about the trees, which I think is partly related to the fact that they’ve actually been so carefully preserved and propped up by the people restoring the temples. If the forest had its way, probably the whole structure would collapse, but today’s arrangement (paired with the crowds) gives it sort of a strange almost manufactured quality. It’s a strange dance of nature, ancient craftsmanship, and a modern effort to keep it all safe for tourists… a strange blend, but ultimately, I think, the beauty overpowers it all.
Aw so glad you enjoyed this and Cambodia! It place really stole my heart and is very special. Thanks for reading, and glad it could be a reminder to you :)
Those trees are unnerving, in a sense. They don't appear as the more familiar new life reclaiming old ruins, but they seem to mirror the age, the dissolving and shifting of form, the overall energy of the place, as if the stone is alive and they are feeding upon it, encasing it in a web and transmuting it to trunk and root and leaf.
You’ve very aptly touched on something I didn’t quite have the space to fully explore here. There is something uncanny about the trees, which I think is partly related to the fact that they’ve actually been so carefully preserved and propped up by the people restoring the temples. If the forest had its way, probably the whole structure would collapse, but today’s arrangement (paired with the crowds) gives it sort of a strange almost manufactured quality. It’s a strange dance of nature, ancient craftsmanship, and a modern effort to keep it all safe for tourists… a strange blend, but ultimately, I think, the beauty overpowers it all.
One of my favorite places I've ever traveled to! Thanks for sharing your impressions and photos here. It took me back.
Aw so glad you enjoyed this and Cambodia! It place really stole my heart and is very special. Thanks for reading, and glad it could be a reminder to you :)