Cambodia - Angkor (Day 2) & Siem Reap (Day 3)

Again, I am days behind.  I am in full swing touristing now so barely any time to write stuff down.  Currently in Phnom Penh again, heading to HMC in the morning.  But let's back up a few days..

When last we spoke, I was woefully ignorant of Angkor geography.  The next morning, I had arranged to meet (Mr.) Lee at 4:45am for the 5am opening of the park.  When I got downstairs, I found a different tuktuk driver, Tom.   (Mr.) Lee was too hung over from his wedding to make it so he sent a replacement.

Off we went to the park.  He took me to Angkor Wat.  I said I had already seen it (I hadn't but from  a distance) but he insisted it was the best place to watch the sunrise. So I headed over the floating bridge again.  This time I went through the first building because that's what everyone else was doing.  It was dark, I hadn't brought a light so it was rough going.  But I followed the pathway and could see where the crowd was gathering.  In front of Angkor Wat.  Ok, now I get it!

Fortunately a coffee seller found me and lighted a path down the stairs to the 'lake' in front of the Wat.  He showed me the best place to stand and then brought me a coffee.  I think I have found my perfect man.

So, I was already late to the game, I was off to the side, watching the crowd get bigger and bigger, everyone with their at the ready, pointed at Angkor Wat, which I definitely knew where and what it was now.  Then we all waited, for an HOUR and a HALF for the sun to rise.  Which it did not.  Well, I suppose it did but behind clouds so who cares.  Eventually, the crowd trickled away. 

The Crowd waiting

'Sunrise'

Crowd dispersing

I headed into the Wat.  A million pictures to follow:

I did see the rising sun from inside the temple so a half victory.

Then I wandered through the market and bought a Cambodia shirt because one of my t-shirts is too stretched out to last the whole trip.  Then back to find Tom (Mr. Tom?  oh, never mind, Tom it is).  So, tuktuks have to park in the huge parking lot of each temple.   I forgot to mention that the ancient city of Angkor is huge.  I think 42 sq miles?   So it is bit of a drive to each temple and each one has parking lot, some food stands, gift stalls etc.  I still have my map so I will try to remember what I saw (it was a lot!).

But first here's a chicken & some myna birds.

Anyway, first task, find Tom in a sea of tuktuks which all look the same.  Once that was achieved, off to the South Gate of the Angkor Thom Complex. This by the way, is the best gate (or so I'm told).

Warriors guard the bridge to the gate

South Gate

This is where my first battery died.  At 9am.  Oh dear!.  I promised myself to be more restrained with my photos and then promptly took a million pictures of a monkey with twin babies.

It was really hard to get both babies in one photo
This terrible picture is the only one where they are both in the shot.

Then into Bayon Temple.  They were already looking somewhat the same but I looked at them all so you will you.  Just be thankful you can look from a comfy seated position.  I wasn't wearing my fitbit this day but I can probably confirm that I walked 10 million steps.

Bayon

There are lots of heads in Bayon

Thom complex

This time I couldn't find Tom forever so I just gave up and had some lunch.  I found him eventually. Then onto Prah Kahn which I don't remember at all so let's go to the photos, shall we...  Oh, yes.  There was this cool swamp outside of the fence so, of course, I walked outside of the fence and found a cool statue.  No birds though, but tell me that this isn't a good bird spot!

Any sane bird would be lucky to live in such a lovely swamp

Crazy bird-man statue hidden outside of the fence, into the swamp

a ruin, I guess

Next stop Neak Pean.  The temple itself is small and not too exciting.   But you have to walk across a lake with spooky dead mangrove trees in it to get to it so that made it worth it. I was getting pretty tired by this point.

The long causeway across the lake 

The temple, barely a temple.

These super cool bird things.  I bought one and
that was the beginning of my shopping downfall

Then there were two similar temples.  I think I stopped at Eastern Mabon to see the elephant statues but when we drove up to Pr Prerup, I just looked at it and said - Nope.  Here are photos of Eastern Mabor (probably).  There were eight elephants all together, one at each corner of two levels

This is a recreation of some lost detail

I had planned to stay for sunset again but at about 3pm I knew I couldn't do it.  I was dying.  Plus, it was cloudy so I suspected it was going to be another wait for 2 hours for nothing.  So, we did our last stop at Ta Prohm, where they filmed the Indiana Jones, Temple of Doom scene.  It was a madhouse of people.  I hate people taking selfies.  Really, does EVERYONE need a photo with the tree growing out of the temple.  Apparently yes.

Oh, it's getting late and I have an early bus to catch and some high skill level packing to do.  But let's just finish up Siem Reap so I can close this post off.

That night, I just stayed in. I was too bagged.  I also cancelled (Mr.) Lee for the next day.  I just wanted to wander around town a bit and take it easy.   Next morning, I was up and ready to go explore.  I think a committee made Siem Reap town.  They said to themselves, let's make this city all about tourists.  What do tourists need?  Hotels, food, booze, shopping and laundry.  Done, they cried and thus is Siem Reap. They even named the streets for extra dumb tourists, Pub Street and Night Market Street.

I did manage to wash all of my clothes (in two batches) for $2.75.

I lost my head a bit in the market.  Now I have a huge box to lug around.  A disgusting box I found in the street.  For those of you who will receive gifts out of this box, it seems to be clean on the inside and it passed the sniff test.

Apparently, these are the only photos of Siem Reap I took.  Pub Street and a sleeping tuktuk driver

Pub street

That night, I signed up for a cooking class. When Val and I went to one in Thailand, it was awesome.  This one, not so much.  First problem, I was the ONLY person.  I had hoped to have some human conversation but no, not to be.  It wasn't nearly as hands on as our Thai one was either.  But the food was good so it was fine.  Plus, an excuse to show you some food.

Chef Charlie

My spring rolls.  Not tight enough but I know the secret now.  

No human interaction, just a snowman face to eat and a begging cat to share my fish with

Cooking School Cat

My gifts:  recipes, a box of spices and a certificate of completion
(Completion, what am I supposed to do with that - Look at me! Grade me! Evaluate
and rank me! I'm good, good, good and oh so smart!)

Then I went home and saw the Super Blood Blue Moon, the first one since 1866, but by chance.  I was looking out my window just as the clouds parted for a minute or two.

Then to the night market.  I really needed a belt.  I lost the one I brought in some room or other.  But my Walmart special Capris have no waist so I spent the day at Angkor pulling up my pants.  I found an awesome belt made out of some unnatural material, mis-stamped so the fake brand is askew.  $5, at least $4 more than it was actually worth but my capris are basically garbage without a belt so I bought it.

And to finish up, here is the disgusting box.  This led to me carrying three (THREE!) bags onto the bus to Phnom Penh.  Two tuktuk drivers saw my luggage and asked, incredulously,  if I was alone.  Yes, I am, this is ALL my stuff, mind your own business.  I think I have managed to get it back down to two bags for tomorrow's bus ride but they are FULL!

Ok, it is after 11pm and I have an early morning but back to HCMC, Vietnam in the morning.  I have gotten myself organized up until I arrive in Hanoi.  Quick itinerary:   HCMC city for one night.  Train to Da Nang for three nights, three nights in Hoi An, three nights in Hue, fly to Hanoi (for $39 thank you very much), then I will see what is what in and around Hanoi.

To bed!