Standing under a giant tree at Ta Prohm (yes, Lara Croft does come here in Tomb Raider)

What I feel more than anything else is a tremendous sense of fortune. The fact that I am here, bearing witness to the accomplishments of 600 years of Khmer Empire, is awe-inspiring.

Here in Siem Reap is the world's largest structure devoted to religion: Angkor Wat. Thousands of iconic photographs have been taken of the temple, giving the rest of the world a basic idea of its glory. While these depictions are enough to bring almost any avid traveler around the world to see Angkor Wat, it isn't until one climbs those steps that its actual beauty and wonder can be realized.

From its towers that jut into the sky and into the reflective water below, to the many elaborate corridors that run throughout, all the way to the carving of "Churning of the Sea of Milk" (a wonderful, if not somewhat unusual story), Angkor Wat is as gorgeous as it is expansive.

However, what has really made my time in Siem Reap worthwhile are the many other temples that I visited. A good day here can lead one through an indescribable variety of sites.

While I would like to tell my story about each and every one of them, some thoughts about my very favorite temple should suffice.

It is called Ta Prohm, and it's unlike anything else I've ever seen. Built in the 1100's it has since been left to the forest and the colossus trees that grow there. While something like this might be seen as detrimental-- almost parasitic-- on any monument in the states, is in fact seen as the exact opposite at Ta Prohm. I see the temple as a testament to the dedication and inspiration of human creativity, and the overgrowth as a lesson in the impermanence of things. Just as easily as something can be created, it can be lost to time and the world itself. I appreciate Ta Prohm for the lesson it teaches; a lesson that can be learned from Buddhism, and a lesson that can be learned from this country that I am falling in love with.