Tuk Tuk Tour

The official tour ended yesterday, and we are flying out today, but not until 11 at night. I wasn't going to let a day in Cambodia so close to such an amazing location. Everyone else was exhausted, so I got a tuk tuk for myself and headed back into Angkor. Forgoing the slow pace we have kept up during this trip, I visited Preh Kan, Neak Pean, Ta Som, Pre Rup, and East Mebon, and was back by 2.

I don't do selfies very well.

Teddy and his tuk tuk.

 Preh Kan was one of my favorites. It had the beautiful overgrown look of Ta Prohm, but far fewer people. The next was Neak Pean, the island temple. There was nothing to walk through here, but you could walk part way around the pool the temple was in. The following two were--I can't believe I'm saying this--standard, and I went through them rather quickly. The last was a very tall temple with lots of stairs. From the top there was an amazing view across the jungle canopy.

Natural framing.

This is more my type of selfie.

I loved the long halls in this temple.

One of my favorite Buddha engravings.

This could be Seattle if we would just abandon it. Of course, I doubt it would stand the test of time quite as well.

I love this tree; it was amazing.

I had to cross a large pond and marsh to get to the Island Temple.

More natural framing. Yeah, I tried to get artsy again.

I got back to the hotel much sooner than I had expected, so I took a walk around town. I didn't find any place that was very interesting to explore--not because there are none, but because I just didn't know where to walk to. After arriving back at the hotel,  we decided to take a tuk tuk to lunch. We had a pretty good meal as our last in Cambodia, and then took a tuk tuk tour of the city. On the tour I found the market, and Sarah and I may go back there later tonight.

Now I am sitting on the veranda of David and Anita's room, right next to where people are arriving for the big New Year's Gala. I'm sure the ticket prices were around $75 per person, but we are not staying here tonight so we do not have to attend. However, I can reach out and touch the nearest table, and from the veranda I have a better view than some who did pay. I just don't get the food and drinks. My next post will be a travel post, and then it is back to the real world. I do have a couple of days to recover and readjust to the time change before heading back to work. Honestly, I would be happy to live here, but my commute might increase a few more minutes.

Tomb Raider

Anita and I started the day off with viewing the Sunrise from Angkor Wat. David and Sarah decided to save their energy for the main tour. We left the hotel at 5:15, and arrived to a huge line of people and a beautiful blanket of stars. The best viewing spots around the reflection pool were all taken, so we sat on the edge of the library to watch as the sun rose over the temple, and the dark outline was slowly revealed the spires and carvings of the massive edifice. After burning the temple into my retinas, we finished our tour of Angkor Wat, passing the four pools and ascending to the second level--the level of kings. We did not go to the third level--the level of gods--because it was closed until 7:45, and we wanted breakfast more than gods. 

The smooth parts are where people touch the carving.

After breaking our fast, we all joined up and continued the tour. We visited three different temples--Banteay Srei, Banteay Samre and Ta Prohm. We were also supposed to visit Prasat Kravan, but everyone (except me) was getting tired. My favorite by far was Ta Prohm, which was featured in Tomb Raider. I didn't like it because it was famous. As a matter of fact, I wish that it wasn't so less people would have been there. I enjoyed this temple because it was being reclaimed by the jungle. Huge banyan trees grew out of the stone, their roots creeping down the walls. It has also only been partially restored, so there were still piles of rubble. I love the restored temples, but the power of nature is also amazing.

A poem carved into the entryway of one of the temples.

These native boys were watching a herd of cattle at one of the temples. They were extremely joyful, and it was infectious.

Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na--Batman!

The rest of these are from Ta Prohm.

We are finishing the day off with a buffet and a native Khmer dance show. Today was the last day of the tour and our last full day here. Tomorrow we leave for the airport, and ultimately, home. However, this doesn't happen until around 9:00 pm, so really I do have a full day. I am going to take full advantage of it by getting a tuk tuk to take me to a few of the more remote temples. Our guide has made some suggestions of ones I might like.

UPDATE:

Well, we went to the show. That's all I can say about it. Okay, you twisted my arm; this was one of the worst dining experiences of my life. There were about 400 plus people all arriving at a buffet with no line organization. I tried to get to a station that had people ringed two deep and not moving. I finally gave up on this, and got in the only line that had a distinguishable end. After a 45 minute wait (not exaggerating here; Sarah actually sent out a search party), I finally got a plate of noodles that I couldn't eat they were so bad. Sarah informed me when I sat down that while I was getting my meal, someone came by and took my glass... and another person came by and took my chair. I did manage to get a small amount to eat, but am still hungry. As for the show, I was already a bit too annoyed to give it a fair assessment. (I almost walked out without eating.) I suppose it was okay, but there was about 5 minutes of waiting between each dance. Plus, we had been put behind a pole holding the roof up, so half our party couldn't see anything. People liked to stand next to that pole to take pictures which created an impenetrable wall. I'm pretty sure one of the performances was a love story about a woman in a fishing village and a 6 year old boy standing on a chair. It took two Mai Tais to get the taste of that out of my mouth.

Angkor Wat

Yesterday I said that Siam Reap was like an amusement park, and today I will confirm it. We started the day waiting in line to enter the park, this one's name is Angkor Wat. After purchasing a three day pass with our picture on it (no arm bands, though), we got in the queue of cars entering the park. Each attraction we went to was crowded with people, and there were often lines just to walk down the halls. Everywhere I looked, there were hundreds of people. We were told that tourism is the number one job in Siam Reap.

Just another theme park?

That being said, lets get on to the attractions. Remember the first time you watched Jurassic Park, and they showed the brachiosaurus, and shivers ran down your back as you though to yourself, "This is going to be a good movie"? Seeing the bridge crossing the moat to Angkor Wat, and the archway through the wall did that for me. The carvings were amazing, and the scale was gigantic. It was nothing like what I had expected.

Our first temple was Angkor Thom, and this actually did remind me of something from Disney Land. I have a feeling the Disney theme parks borrowed from Angkor Wat when creating their world. Huge stone towers with faces and reliefs carved into them erupted from the ground, and towered above the trees. Walking through the halls and up the steep steps is something I cannot describe. It was absolutely amazing... I guess one more thing I need to put on my list of four most amazing things I have ever seen.

We visited The Angkor Wat temple, the largest temple in the world, as well. However, description just doesn't work. All I can do is show pictures.

A line for cars and a line for people.

It is obvious, but actually tell yourself that this was all carved from stone.

I thought this was massive at first, but then we went on.

A little monkey business.

The carvings were extremely detailed and on all of the walls.

This temple was enormous; truly a city onto it's own.

Prince Sedartha being shielded from the rain as he meditates under a tree.

Photo op... not sure who the subject is.

Sarah desecrating a national treasure.

The temples are being restored. You will see a row of ancient statues, and one new one placed where the original had crumbled.

Again, the walls were so intricate.

Angkor Wat.

The ceiling towered above us.

No need to be reminded that this is not just a temple but an ancient city of thousands of people.