Given my interest in archaeology, this topic was a difficult one for me to narrow down a single photo or locale for. Most ruins in any part of the world still standing today are built of hearty stones which have withstood the tests of time, be they erosion or geologic upheaval. I like to seek out these sites, analyze them as best I can from a semi-educated archaeological standpoint and also from that of a traveller.
Very rarely do I get sent on a wild goose chase though. I happened upon a postcard in a back alley of Khao San in Bangkok one time. One this postcard was a series of rock towers that looked like they had to be artificially carved. The name had no meaning to me though. I didn’t know it. Phrae Muang Phi.
Phrae Muang Phi translates to Phrae’s Ghost City. It was named for the fact that it looks carved, artificial and deserted, That isn’t the case, though. It is a natural formation, no matter how manmade it may look.
Still, it was worth a trip to Phrae just to see what it was that had caught my attention so much.
Very cool, Ben! Love those colors.
janet
Having been to 100s of archaeological sites, I had the same problem! ;o)
There is another site very close to the Vientiane border called Phu Phra Bat which has similar geological formations but have been occupied and used as a religious centre for various cultures. Haven’t been there yet, but I’ll certainly be checking it out soon.