More Ruins and Fishing Village

Day 11: Siem Reap

Activities:

​​Our ticket for the Angkor ruins enables us to spend more time exploring this memorable archaeological area. It is an early morning start as we travel out to Banteay Srei, famous for its detailed and intricate stone carvings. It is not a big temple, but has been sometimes referred to as ‘the jewel in the crown of Angkorian art’. Back at the main temple complex, Preah Khan contains a maze of vaulted corridors and is another complex that has been largely reclaimed by the jungle. We include a visit to the Sala Bai Hotel School where underprivileged local youths learn skills which will enable them to find gainful employment in the hospitality industry. We also enjoy a lunch prepared by students at the school.

 

******

There are over 300 temples all of massive proportions here in the Seim Reap Area.  We vist Preah Khan after our sunrise at Angkor Wat:

Vaulted Hallways

After exploring these ruins, we head out to the Pink Temple or Banteay Srei   It is known for its intricate sandstone carvings:

Have you had enough temples?  By now we were really looking for something different to see.  As beautiful as these temples and ruins are, we wanted to get a taste of real life with the Cambodian People.  Our guide took us out to the largest fresh water lake in Cambodia.  It is the dry season and the lake is one huge mud hole now about 40 km wide.  It looks like a latte ocean and at this time of the year is only about a meter deep.  The fishing community that lives along its banks are high and dry.  Their homes on stills are bamboo skyscrapers at this time of the year. 

It is the only time they have land around them and the children can run and play.  Otherwise the water comes up to just under their floors in the wet season.  The downside of the dry season is the lack of water.  The people here are very poor.  We enjoyed our time here though.  The people are lovely and work hard.

We board the long boat for our river excursion

Our Group of Explorers

Couple repairs roof on their boat

Laundry Day at the Well

Little Boy Toilets over the Side of The Boat

School Children Just Finished Playing

Village Temple

Downtown

Drying the Shrimp

Boy Learning from Grandpa How to Repair A Boat

Floating Restaurant

Girl paddling home after a trip to the market

Despite their hard life, they were generous with their smiles.

All is well with the Worrall Travel R's

Siem Reap - Temples, Monkeys, Ruins

 

Monday, February 18, 2013

Day 10: Siem Reap

Meals included: 1 breakfast

Activities:

​​We spend a full-day visiting the amazing temples of Angkor on a guided tour. Angkor Thom, the 'Great Royal City', is famous for its series of colossal human faces carved in stone. The impressive Bayon temple is the centrepiece of all this. Angkor Wat is the largest and most complete structure. It is the only one of Angkor's temples with its entrance facing to the west (the others face east), the reason being that it was constructed as a funerary temple for King Suryavarman II and a westerly countenance was seen to represent a sunset. Ta Prohm temple is an incredible sight, with large trees embedding themselves in the stone foundations of the structure, giving the impression of man's creation being reclaimed by the powerful forces of nature. We can end the day with a sunset view of Angkor Wat from Phnom Bakheng.

*******

Siem Reap means Death by Siam.  Cambodia's greatest kingdom of Angkor Thom built in the 12th century was over taken and destoryed before the building of the temple was completed.  Cambodians worked on the temple for 30 years under their king, but when he died the work stopped.  The temple was raided and looted many times over the years and today stands in ruins which the government tries to keep minimally preserved.

Angkor Wat is probably the biggest tourist attraction in Cambodia.  The place has been packed with tourists, many if whom are Chinese celebrating Chinese New Years.  It is quite the international city.  Here are some photos of Angkor Wat during the day and at Sunrise.

Families of monkeys greet us, and try to steal any food or water we carry

After our visit during the day, we revisit the following morning to catch the sunrise:

Next we visit the Temple Ta Prohm which was the movie set for Tomb Raiders.  Looks like something you wold see in a movie set.  It is quite lovely and has more colors than the monochromatic sandstone of Angkor Wat.

We finish our first day at sunset at Phnom Bakheng:

After a full day, we retire to the Mexican Restaurant for a mix of cuisines and Margaritas.

All is Well With the Worrall Travelers

Into Cambodia

Getting Signed In to Siem Reap with Peregrine Tour Group

Sunday, February 17, 2013 -  Leaving Làos and flying to Siem Reap, Cambodia

Day 9: Siem Reap

Meals included: 1 breakfast

Activities:

​You are transferred to the airport, where you say goodbye to your Lao tour leader and fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia. Please note that you are likely to be unescorted on this flight and will be met on arrival in Siem Reap by your Cambodian tour leader or a local representative. You will also meet other members of the group who will accompany you on the Cambodian sector of the tour.

*******

Early Morning Drama - When is a safe too safe?

The alarm beeped early, 4:00 a.m.  We had a taxi to catch at 5:00 and a plane out of Laos at 6:00 a.m.   The airport is small and only a few minutes drive from the hotel, but there isn't a lot of wait time built in to our exit strategy from Laos.  By 4:30, we were dressed and packed  with the exception of our valuables in the room safe.  I tried to unlock the safe.  It beeped back three times and refused to open.  We tried again keying in our six digit code.  Again, no go.  Then Russ tried again, no go.

We have a phone in  the room, but the hotel staff  at this early hour may not have the best English.  We do not have a number for our guide.  We are not even sure she is staying i  this hotel.

Russ went down to reception.  No one accept a man, presumably the night watch, was around and he was sound asleep on the lobby sofa. Russ tried to wake him, shook his shoulder,...nothing.  Russ came back upstairs.  We tried unlocking the safe again, still nothing.  It was now 4:45.  out taxi would soon be here.  Russ went down again and this time succeeded in waking the watchman up, only to be told that the manager takes the key home and wouldn't be back until 8:00 am. and the man went back to sleep!  Russ says he isn't sure how much the night watchman understands.  We are hoping our tour guide will soon be down, but not much can be done in time if i deed the manager has the key.

By 4:50, I am super charged an sweating bullets.  We obviously can't leave without our cash and passports. All sorts of ugly scenarios are running through my mind.   I whip out the Ipad translator app and speak into it.  "Please call the manager.  We need the key to open the room safe."  I have the request in writing and orally.  By the time I get to the lobby with the IPad, our tour guide and everyone else is ready to go.  Russ and the night watchman (prodded by our guide) miraculously found a key for the safe are headed upstairs.  Within the five minutes it took the taxi driver to load our bags into the van,  Russ returns with our passports and money!  Success at the11th hour!  And we all leave on time!

We arrive in Cambodia by 10:00 and have the rest of the day on our own.  We visit the old market, go to lunch and for a swim before heading up to our room for a nap.

Lunch Time in Downtown Siem Reap

Mexican Food?  We can hardly wait!

So Many Kinds of Rice

Colorful Dragon Fruit - Pretty Too Look At,  Very Bland to Eat

 Russ has been sniffing for three days and now I'm getting a sore throat.  I think tonight's dinner will be a cup of soup, a shot of whiskey, and a good night's rest.

Cheers from the Worrall Travel R's