Siem Reap and Angkor #2

I almost bought a goat today. A guy was selling them outside one of the temples. I think, his English being a bit sketchy, that they were being sold to be someone's dinner. But there was this tiny little one with black and white spots, and he came up and head butted my leg, and sweet baby jesus I just wanted to pick him up and bring him home with me. For the briefest second I actually thought - how hard could it be to get him home? Luke, who had flown in from Kuala Lumpur a few days before, looked at me and shook his head like I had lost my damn mind. My rational brain kicked back in and I realized that I could not bring a goat home from Cambodia. Sigh...I would have named him Freckles.

My days in Siem Reap seem to unfold in a definite pattern. Temple trekking in the morning. I love wandering though the temples imagining the people who built them and worshipped there. They are all different, all unique, all gorgeous. After temple trekking it's lunch, swimming in the pool, massage, and happy hour. I'll admit it, life could be worse.

The two temples that we saw yesterday are two of my favorites. One has the most delicate carvings in gorgeous pink and red sandstone. The other is an unrestored temple in the middle of a jungle. It's called Beng Mealea and it remains largely unchanged from when it was discovered. It's wild and beautiful with trees and roots growing all over the rubble and crumbling facades.   

We went tearing across the Cambodian countryside in ATVs today and it was incredible. Remote and undisturbed countryside and villages. Passing rice paddies and stilted homes. And we were doing pretty well handling the sandy and rolling terrain until Luke swerved to very, very narrowly miss running over a chicken and nearly sent me head first into a rice paddy. Jerk. After a few hours, we stopped at a small primary school and I got to hand out the coloring books, colored pencils, toothbrushes, and girly bows and hair ties that I had brought with me. The kids were delightful and chattered away like it was Christmas day. It was truly a great experience.

And that's about it for Siem Reap. The days here have been easy, soothing and calm, and thoroughly relaxing. They have been near perfect days for me. And I'm so grateful that I was anywhere near lucky enough to get to have them.

P.S. Update of Fred the gecko. Damn it Fred, I told you to stay off the floor! What's the matter with you dude?!? I realize that almost stepping on you likely scared you much more than it scared me, but c'mon man...please just stay on the wall.