Ta Prohm

Ta Prohm

Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat – an HDR Photo

Small Children at the Big Entrance, Cambodia

I know why I took this photo.

The rain has just stopped. We were approaching one of the entrances to Ta Prohm, Cambodia.

The two lines of columns on both sides of the road were impressive. The puddles on the stained color road reflected part of the surrounding were also interesting. I like the green foliage on the trees and also the fallen leaves on the ground.

However, they were not my reasons for taking the picture.

There were two small children on the right side of road edge. I didn’t have the faintest idea why they were there; they look so tiny when compared with the columns and trees.

They were the reason for taking this photo.

I was wondering why they were on the street, why they were not cared for by their parents. My mind wandered far and wide. Could they have been orphaned by the civil war? I have seen many children and adults there maimed as a result of accidentally contacting the mines left over from the war.

Or is this  just a normal thing to let children wander on the street. I don’t know.  . . . . . . . . . . . As a tourist, I knew I have to move on and I could only say in my heart – take care, children!

For every trip, there are two journeys – a physical one which will end when the trip ends, and also a sentimental journey which will never end.

A Word A Week Challenge: Underneath

The challenge from Skinnywench’s A Word A Week is “Underneath“.

We all know that underneath the tree trunk are the roots.

It is no exception for the trees in Ta Prohm , Cambodia, only that their giant roots are exposed. The giant roots find their way around an opening.

And underneath the roots are the ruins of the once forgotten temple.

Black and White Photo Challenge: Texture

This week’s Black and White Challenge at Sonel’s Corner is Texture.

Sonel’s choice to have this challenge in B&W is great; when color is removed from an image, we concentrate more on the quality of the image and the texture of the objects on the photo.

At Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat the walls and trees form a system which depends on each other. The trees grow around, on and in the walls. Removal of the trees would probably destabilize the walls but some trees growing abnormally, for instance, tilted at an angle or trying to force the masonry blocks apart which may stress the walls and destabilize them.

The walls have a rough texture but some of the carvings on the walls have a finer texture.

The giant roots which engulf the wall also have a texture which is quite characteristic. Together, they give an eerie and crumpling feel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  .