Cambodia – Siem Reap – November 12 – 17, 2002

Some of the ruins have been famously neglected.

These tree roots have been growing here for the last 300 years or so, and the conservation decision has been to not restore this temple!

L This also allows the government to let filmmakers use these spots for sets – this ruin was the setting for parts of Tomb Raider .

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The ruins in some areas are incredibly well restored, but others neglected. All of them suffer from wholesale pilferage, with many statues and heads of statues being stolen on a regular basis. The restoration is entirely funded by foreign governments, and the United States is doing almost no work there. One set of ruins is scheduled for a restoration project that is supposed to last for the next 60 years, funded by the Japanese government.

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