Tomb Raider

tomb raider 666
(1/400, F5, ISO800, 15mm)

Last year we visited the ruined city of Angkor and its famous temples in Cambodia. I never met anyone who had been there and wasn´t enthusiastic about it and we were also totally mesmerized by this magical place.

My personal favorite of all the temples was the Preah Khan complex, which we saw on the second morning of our 3-day visit.
At sunrise we had breakfast on its steps and spent hours alone wandering the corridors with all its statues and crumbling walls before the next visitors arrived.

The photo above was taken near the Eastern entrance of the Buddhist temple where one tree was still standing on top of the ruined wall.

PS. The Tomb Raider movie was actually shot at the Ta Prohm temple.

Tags: Angkor, Asia, decay, Nature, Photo, Ruin, temple, Tree, Wat

63 thoughts on “Tomb Raider”

sevenroses on October 28, 2016 at 21:23 said:

mesmerising

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- Ron Hillmar on October 28, 2016 at 21:41 said:
  
  Thank you very much, if you skip the crowds this is still a magical place 😉
  Enjoy your weekend,
  Ron
  
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kimmyuanonline on July 12, 2016 at 09:23 said:

Impressive shot!

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- Ron Hillmar on July 12, 2016 at 11:12 said:
  
  Thank you very much, Kim, such an amazing place, especially when alone 😉
  Greetings from KL, Ron
  
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  - kimmyuanonline on July 12, 2016 at 16:31 said:
    
    Sounds interesting! Looking forward to visit the place too. Thanks, Ron
    
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- Ron Hillmar on August 5, 2016 at 09:48 said:
  
  Thanks a lot, Kimmy, safe travels!
  
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lucyhb on April 10, 2016 at 16:15 said:

Thanks for the like! You have some incredible photos on here 🙂

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- Ron Hillmar on November 2, 2016 at 11:01 said:
  
  You´re welcome, and sorry for late reply, thanks for taking a look!
  Hope all is well, greetings, Ron.
  
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dunelight on April 7, 2016 at 19:57 said:

This is an absolutely stunning image. Great work and I like the post processing.

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Dalo 2013 on April 6, 2016 at 20:10 said:

Absolutely stunning post Ron ~ you’ve made me want to return to Cambodia and revisit this magical place that you’ve created with your photos.

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Albatz Travel Adventures on April 2, 2016 at 12:23 said:

Fabulous shot! We were there and didn’t see anything like that…

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- Ron Hillmar on November 2, 2016 at 11:02 said:
  
  Thanks very much, it was inside the Preah Khan temple, which was a great choice to go at sunset, cuz nobody there and only after almost 2 hours another couple arrived 😉
  All the best,
  Ron
  
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Josh Gross | The Jaguar on April 1, 2016 at 00:40 said:

This photo is fantastic. I love the view: looking up at the beautiful tree perched atop the ruins.

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- Ron Hillmar on November 2, 2016 at 11:03 said:
  
  Thank you very much, Josh, interesting to notice that although there are millions of photos out there, this very obvious shot is nowhere to be found 😉
  Greetings from KL,
  Ron
  
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Malin Ellisdotter H on March 28, 2016 at 22:45 said:

Stunning photo… amazingly beautiful place.

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Nomads By Nature on March 28, 2016 at 14:54 said:

That photo is amazing and totally draws you in!

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Alexandra on March 28, 2016 at 13:55 said:

you really have a way with such complex angular compositions… love it!! and the light is very special too…

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- Ron Hillmar on May 7, 2016 at 17:46 said:
  
  Thanks so much, Alexandra, sometimtes I think I aim to put too much in a photo, but this was just begging to put all in with the light , tunnelvision and tree being so specific for the location 😉
  Have a great weekend,
  Ron
  
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bluebrightly on March 28, 2016 at 09:42 said:

I’ve always longed to go there (like so many others). I like the way you did something unique with a much-photographed site – not easy! Obviously it helped being there before the crowds. Fantastic photo!

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Louise Terranova on March 28, 2016 at 06:58 said:

You have some amazing photos. I love South East Asia it is one of my favourite travel destinations. I had wanted to go to see Angkor Wat for years and it seemed so far off and exotic I never thought I would get there. Finally went there about four years ago. Loved all the temples and until we started researching didn’t realise there were so many. I was pleasantly surprised by Siem Reap.

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LB on March 28, 2016 at 06:32 said:

Rascinating!

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- LB on March 28, 2016 at 06:32 said:
  
  of course, I meant Fascinating! 🙂
  
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  - Ron Hillmar on March 28, 2016 at 09:57 said:
    
    Haha, I liked Rascinating already, sound rad or radical, thanks a lot, hope youre doing fine,
    Greetings, Ron
    
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Chillbrook on March 27, 2016 at 16:25 said:

Superb photograph Ron!

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- Ron Hillmar on May 7, 2016 at 17:15 said:
  
  Thanks very much, Adrian, hope all is well with you (but seeing your travels and photos, it must be 😉
  Cheers,
  Ron
  
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Louis on March 26, 2016 at 19:46 said:

Intriguing atmosphere enhanced by the lighting effects.

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- Ron Hillmar on May 7, 2016 at 17:13 said:
  
  Thanks, Louis, the light was pretty special at sunrise and with the sun shining thru the entrance from the right!!
  Greetings from KL,
  Ron
  
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Photobooth Journal on March 26, 2016 at 09:09 said:

Fabulous photo! What an amazing place to visit!

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- Ron Hillmar on May 7, 2016 at 17:15 said:
  
  Hi Katherine, it´s a very special place indeed, felt fortunate to be there!
  Thanks so much, all the ebst,
  Ron
  
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greenmackenzie on March 25, 2016 at 15:38 said:

It looks enchanting and inspiring✨💕

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- Ron Hillmar on May 6, 2016 at 17:07 said:
  
  Thanks very much, Seonaid,enchanting is the word that describes walking around this place alone in the early morning, very special!
  Have a great weekend, Ron
  
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YellowCable on March 25, 2016 at 07:16 said:

Very interesting angle..

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- Ron Hillmar on March 25, 2016 at 11:09 said:
  
  Thank you, YC, was just checking on google image search if somebody shot it like this, and only found one out of first 100 or or so that shot thru this hole 😉
  Have a great weekend,
  Ron
  
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Lisa Gordon on March 25, 2016 at 05:25 said:

This is a stunning image, Fernando!

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- Ron Hillmar on March 25, 2016 at 10:13 said:
  
  Hi Lisa, alhough I like the name Fernando, its Ron(ald) 😉
  But thanks for the compliment, hope all is well
  Ron
  
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Truels on March 25, 2016 at 05:09 said:

Impressive photo. I wish to see this amazing place too.

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- Ron Hillmar on March 25, 2016 at 11:11 said:
  
  Hi Truels, if you have the opportunity, you really should, absolutely a SE Asia highlight and I like the fact it´s so big and so much amazing temples and ruins to visit that it´s fairly easy to skip the crowd by changing the regular visiting route 😉
  Enjoy your weekend,
  Ron
  
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Mark Simms on March 25, 2016 at 03:22 said:

Who do you think you are Indiana Jones? Or should that be Lara Croft…….no that’s wrong on a number of levels. Nice shot though, you’ve managed to capture the mystery of the place with that passage disappearing intriguingly into the underworld.

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Paula on March 25, 2016 at 01:16 said:

I’m so very glad to see a fresh post from you, Ron. I’ve seen this place in photos from other bloggers, but trust you to come up with something different. Yes, sunrise is the magical word for avoiding crowds. Maybe I’ll follow your example some day. Congratulations for leaving me breathless one more time. 🙂

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- Ron Hillmar on March 25, 2016 at 15:43 said:
  
  That´s so kind of you to say, would you beleive I really thought it was like last week I posted here? Guess I was a bit optimistic as I had a short break in Thailand in between as well 😉
  Well sunrise is pretty busy in Angkor, but most people would go to same place and the rest you can have for yourself, which was worth it for sure.
  Don´t want to be cheeky always, but I guess the photos you´ve seen from the tree overgrowing the ruin are most likely from the more famous Ta Prohm temple, which has queues of people waiting to be portrayed in front of it, I stood in line and when it was my turn I took a photo without anybody in it, you should have seen the Asian, especially Japanese tourists, haha, guess it was weird to them!
  Enjoy your weekend,
  Ron
  
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Sue on March 25, 2016 at 01:03 said:

Your shot exudes atmosphere, Ron!

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- Paula on March 25, 2016 at 01:16 said:
  
  Couldn’t agree more 🙂
  
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  - Ron Hillmar on May 12, 2016 at 21:02 said:
    
    Makes me very happy when the two of you agree 😉
    Thanks so much, all the best to you,
    Ron
    
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rutakintome on March 25, 2016 at 00:14 said:

Stunning shot!

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- Ron Hillmar on March 25, 2016 at 17:08 said:
  
  Thanks a lot, Carlos, such a stunning expansive place too!
  Have a great weekend,
  Ron
  
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harrienijland on March 24, 2016 at 23:56 said:

Mooi, Ron. Adios..

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- Ron Hillmar on March 25, 2016 at 16:23 said:
  
  Dank je, Harrie, altijd goed om te horen; ben ietsje minder actief dan jij, maar doe me best 😉
  Fijn weekend!
  
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  - harrienijland on March 25, 2016 at 21:14 said:
    
    Ben bijna door m’n 2 weken Maleisië heen.. Ook een goed weekend!
    
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Candace on March 24, 2016 at 23:52 said:

That’s really phenomenal!

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- Ron Hillmar on March 25, 2016 at 16:35 said:
  
  Thanks very much, Candace, very kind of you to say, hope you´ll have a great weekend!
  Warm greetings from Malaysia,
  Ron
  
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noellevignola on March 24, 2016 at 21:22 said:

I love when you land some place and luck into being the only one there, if it’s luck really. I think sometimes places are eager for our silence and our singular appreciation and somehow ward off anyone else until we’ve fully embraced what it had to give us. Beautiful image.

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- Ron Hillmar on March 24, 2016 at 21:27 said:
  
  Hi Noelle, totally agree with you, the experience in such a place to be by yourself is unbeatable, we got to wander this almost 1000 year old complex alone, which was so magical!
  It was not total luck by the way, because Angkor is so big it was easy to skip the crowds who were lining up in rows to watch the sunrise at the big Angkor Wat, and go to other places first!
  Thanks and greetz from KL,
  Ron
  
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  - noellevignola on March 24, 2016 at 21:31 said:
    
    But you see, it’s because you didn’t line up like the crowd and instead sought out solitude and silence that made your appreciation of the energy there, singular and unique. She was waiting for you….
    
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    - Ron Hillmar on March 24, 2016 at 21:33 said:
      
      Oh so true, wish I had your way of saying things 😉
      But indeed I rather go to 2nd best or 3rd best anwhere to make it my ´own´!
      
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      - noellevignola on March 29, 2016 at 20:49 said:
        
        I feel you on that!
        
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Br Andrew Efo on March 24, 2016 at 19:45 said:

Reblogged this on Br Andrew's Muses and commented:
When I saw this image in my reading pane I was intrigued.

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Br Andrew Efo on March 24, 2016 at 19:44 said:

Great perspective

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- Ron Hillmar on March 25, 2016 at 16:10 said:
  
  Thank you Andrew, very flattering to get a reblog too, enjoy your weekend,
  Ron
  
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  - Br Andrew Efo on March 25, 2016 at 17:59 said:
    
    Enjoy yours too
    
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Retired2Travel on March 24, 2016 at 19:16 said:

That looks awesome. We’ll be going there later this year – thank you for the prelude 😊

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- Ron Hillmar on March 25, 2016 at 16:14 said:
  
  Hi Sonya, that´s a great prospect, you will enjoy for sure, such an amazing sight, going only to Siem Reap/Angkor or visiting more of Cambodia/SE Asia?
  Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend,
  Ron
  
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  - Retired2Travel on March 25, 2016 at 17:22 said:
    
    Hi Ron, happy Easter to you 😊 going to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, so it was great to read your post. Thanks again!
    
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    - Ron Hillmar on March 25, 2016 at 18:00 said:
      
      Oh thats amazing, Laos was a favorite of mine too, were you´re going there? We only visited the Northern parts, but that was something special. Vietnam I´ve only seen the Mekong area, going to Hoi An end of the year 😉
      Cheers, Ron
      
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