Around the back side of Beng Mealea is a long, ancient path that had been some sort of grand entrance; it is lined with the remains of stone carvings and enormous trees are growing up into the path. Mike and I wandered down this path, leaving behind the groups of tourists who had overrun the temple. We sensed that the path must lead somewhere, and that it was still being used by locals. At the end, we came to a small river or creek, where the last of the ruins of Beng Mealea had tumbled into the water. We sat on these ancient stones and, below us, we watched two Cambodian children fishing in the creek. They soon noticed our presence and Mike invited them to look at the pictures that he had taken of them. The photo above is of their interaction, and it is perhaps my favorite image of my entire trip to Cambodia. Tourists come to Siem Reap to see the remains of a lost civilization, to take pictures of sandstone carvings and glorified rubble, but there is another layer to this place; there is life and...new growth.