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Woke up at 4.30am!! Kelly wanted to see the temples at sunrise! We hired the driver from the day before and he collected us at 5.30am. The guide Mr Sophea said not to go to Angkor Wat as it was very touristy and suggested Sang-Srei which was not that far away and was set in front of a huge lake. It was so dark driving along! We walked up and there were a few tourists there but no way as many as Angkor Wat - we could see all the lights on the tuk tuks heading that way! Was trying out my camera trying to get the flash mode on and then figured it had to be on Auto mode! Anyway, the sun didn't really rise!!... Was too cloudy but got some good pictures with reflections so not a complete waste of time!
At 6.30am the tuk tuk driver came back and took us to Ta Phrom where Lara Croft Tomb Raider was filmed. As soon as we stepped out of the tuk tuk we were swarmed by children trying to sell us things! Was sweet at first then v, annoying! they don't take no for an answer and hassle you into you give in! There was only a handful of tourists so the perfect time to go! Think I liked this Temple the most as you could climb over things and had such a different 'feel' to it! After about an hour and a half we walked back to the tuk tuk driver and started a long journey to Bantrey Srei, this was one of the smaller temples and was heaving with Korean tourists! So couldn't see much! It's the only temple made out of red stone. After the long drive back I went for a nap! Kelly went out to get some lunch.
We then went to have a look around and were told it was the start of the Water Festival. Streets so busy with locals and even people from the country side. Sat on the river front then realised we were sat at the wrong part of the bank so walked up a bit and found another space but standing opposite the stands and. Saw the dragon boats come and then the speeches went on for ages and we couldn't understand what was going on!
After the races we went to the Butterfly Garden again, I really wanted to try fresh coconut juice... When I got it I didn't like it! Not what I expected!
Kelly and I then seperated and did our own things. We met up an hour later and wanted to get dinner. So we bharted with a few tuktuks and got one in the end. At first we didn't think he knew where he was going and was trying to get us to go a Khmer night club! He took us down a really bumpy road which wasn't tarmacked and had loads of pot holes and told us it was our free massage!?
Eventually arrived at the restaurant called Madame Butterfly and was lovely ordered fish again! The tuk tuk driver wanted waited for us and then took us home.
- comments
Gwyneth Reading this brings back good memories :) The first time I went to Siem Reap was in 1995 with Trevor and Alice, and you could count the tourists on one hand. We weren't allowed to go to 'the pink temple' then because of Khmer Rouge activity, so went the second time - with M&D and a few other parents in 1999 (when Dad got 'temple fatigue'!!) More tourists then but still not as many as you describe. Trevor used one of his few Khmer phrases when being pestered by the children but it didn't work as I remember... Anyway, glad you had a good time and sorry it's taken me so long to post a comment but I've only just realised how this blog thing works! xx