Siem Reap and Angkor #1

So apparently everyone in Cambodia drives their motorbike with hundreds of dead chickens slung over it. Just one of the many visual delights while traveling on the bus in Cambodia.

Getting from Kampot (my last town) to Siem Reap (my current town) was, I'll admit, a bit of a chore. Bus travel in a foreign country can be stressful under the best of circumstances. Bus travel in SE Asia can be enough to make you want to murder someone with your bare hands. It is an exercise in true patience and a kind spirit, neither of which (my friends will tell you) come very easily to me. I think that one of the problems with bus travel lies in the fact that there are literally no rules. You want to pass on the left? Go for it. You want to pass on the right? Knock yourself out. You want to pass on the "shoulder" and nearly slaughter a man walking his cow? More power to you. By the way, I do believe that avoiding the cows crossing the road takes Mario Kart level talent. I do have to give mad props to our driver for that. But inevitably, a two hour bus ride easily turns into five, and a six hour bus ride turns into all damn day.

But I made it, safe and sound, to Siem Reap. Some of you may know from my previous trip, but Siem Reap is the gateway to the temples of Angkor.   Again, not to bore anyone, but Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world. Built in the early 12th century, it was originally constructed as a Hindu temple but was later changed to a Buddhist temple. There are over 50 sites open to tourists and most people spend a few days puttering around the most famous temples.

Today was my first day of temple trekking. I got up at the crack of dawn, met my driver, and we raced to stay ahead of the eight bazillion buses of Korean tourists. They. Are. Everywhere. I decided on this visit to try to hit the major temples very early or very late to try to avoid the tourist hoards and stick to some of the tiny, off-the-beaten-path ones during the day. I'm not going to bore you with all of the different temples and their names and why they are important. I've included photos at the bottom that you can check out if you are interested.

I am staying in the same hotel as last time, only one room away from my previous room, and am sharing my room with a gecko whom I am calling Fred. Fred's pretty cool. He just chills and waits for me to come back to the room. Sometimes he's on the lamp, or the desk, or the wall. Here's hoping he stays off the floor...I'd hate to squish Fred.

Fun things that happened today:

1. A monkey stole and ate my banana at Angkor Wat. I shrieked like a little girl and jumped about three feet in the air when it landed on my shoulder and swiped my banana. Little jerk almost gave me a heart attack.

2. A French woman yelled at a cow at Angkor Wat. I mean, she was really screaming at it. It was just trying to cross the road. And I think she was french. I mean, I don't speak french, so I can't be certain. Come to think of it, I doubt the cow spoke french either.


Nice things that happened today:

1. I got a foot massage for $3.

2. I found a fruit cart that sold me half a cut up pineapple and half a cut up mango for $0.25.

3. I got to swim in my hotel's rooftop pool, which was just as deliriously delightful as I remember it being.

4. I bought some souvenirs. I might need an intervention.


It was a wonderful, wonderful day and I am happy and exhausted. One more week and I am homeward bound.