1) ANGKOR WAT - The Angkor Wat temple seen at sunset from the Phnom Bakeng temple hill. Angkor Wat literally translates into "Capitol City Temple." It is part of a series of ancient temple ruins built in the northwest Cambodian region in the 8th through 13th Centuries. Angkor Wat was built in
the mid 12th Century and is listed as one of the "Forgotten Wonders of the World" -- equivalent with The Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal in India. It served as one of the backdrops for the recent movie "Lara Croft - Tomb Raider" starring Angelina Jolie.

2) ANGKOR WAT - The interiors of Angkor Wat are amazingly well preserved. I spent hours drifting through the complex maze of hallways looking at the handicraft. The entire complex is several acres in size, and all handcrafted from sandstone. There were several moments I found myself speechless.

3) BAYON - The temples ruins still serve as active places of worship. In the Bayon Temple ruins, I found several people offering incense to preserved statues of Buddha.

4) BANTEY SREI - It's Scott Takeda...Tomb Raider! Actually I'd prefer the name "Colorado Takeda" in reference to the Indiana Jones trilogy, however the name sounds too corny.

5) ANGKOR WAT - Cambodian film star Sophea David in a movie scene with actress Ryda. He plays a spurned lover trying to win back his former girlfriend. The entire production for this movie took place on site in Northwest Cambodia -- including several scenes at Angkor Wat. (Movie1.jpg)

6) BAYON - Friends of bride-to-be Mei help her get dressed for wedding photos outside the Bayon Temple. She had several changes of clothes for the shoot requiring multiple set-ups.

7) SIEM REAP - The bridal party for the wedding greet guests as they arrive for the wedding reception. The bride Mei is fourth from the left, and her new husband Heng is at her side.

8) SIEM REAP - The bridal party hands out little gifts to all of the guests. These gifts were heart shaped candies packaged with lace and bows.

9) SIEM REAP - More than 850 people showed up for the two-hour wedding reception feast. That's a lot of food and drink when you consider the nine-course meal and the unlimited open bar. After the meal, guest put money (usually American dollars) into an envelope and file out. As they pass the bridal party, they hand them the envelope.

10) SIEM REAP - I don't know why a Traditional Cambodian wedding served chow mein as one of the courses, but it was AMAZING!

11) SIEM REAP - This is my table at the wedding reception. Most of the men are uncles or other family members of the groom. Only one of them spoke a little English. However after several rounds of beer, we were all best buddies.

12) BAKONG - In the shadows of the 9th Century Bakong Temple ruin sat this one-room, open-air school. Despite the rustic look and dirt floors, the students were studying pre-Calculus!

13) SIEM REAP - The city streets were full of young men and women flitting around town on bicycles and motor bike on their way to school or work. This youthful, frenetic energy added to the bouncy "Happy Place" feeling of Siem Reap.

14) SIEM REAP - An older Cambodian woman walks home at sunset after a long day working in the markets of Siem Reap.