2013, Day 34 - Serenity

Angkor Wat by night is a marvel.  It is, strictly speaking, not accessible at night but with the right connections anything is possible even if the heads of state for a dozen nations and the US Secretary of Defense are being entertained a half mile away.  With the assistance of a general in the Cambodian army we made our way into the temple complex.  It was remarkable how still it was under the towers of the ancient edifice that is now the symbol of the nation.  In the distance the drumming of the apsara performance was almost drowned out by the drone of crickets, the barking of geckos, and the call of "tree snails."  The stars in the sky were broken by clouds and the occasional stray firefly would blink to life and then disappear.  If I could have stayed all night I would have, it was a unique experience and the calming influence and the relative cool of the night was magical.

Canon 1D X, Canon 24-70/f2.8L Mark II
24mm, f2.8, 120 sec @ 400 ISO