The ruins of Angkor Wat are astonishing because of their massive size and also the beauty of their detailed decoration. Imagine towers shaped like intricate lotus flowers, several stories high--and every inch covered with carved-out figures or trippy, paisley-like patterns.

The whole area is a miracle of planning; I seem to remember something about how they lined up their towers with compass points and kept track of time with their arches, Stonehenge-style. And to top it off, these lotus towers poke out of lush, intense jungle. That picture shows me, all alone with the ruins, the spirits, and the monkeys, at sunrise.