Cambodia

clipped from us.f621.mail.yahoo.com Giant strangler fig tree roots embrace the crumbling Ta Prohm temple at Angkor. Although the forest has overrun this sacred site, it has largely escaped the looting that decimated many of its fellow Cambodian The hustle and bustle of modern-day Phnom Penh is a far cry from the poor farmlands that stretch across much of the country, most of which still lack infrastructure such as roads, phones, and electricity. A group of monks walks along the wall of the Royal Palace's Silver Pagoda temple complex in Phnom Penh. Most Cambodians practice Theravada Buddhism, which has been popular in the region for at least 1,500 years. Two Buddhist monks relax in the ruins of Bayon Temple. The site is just one of many wonders at Angkor—ancient capital of the Khmer Empire.