Angkor Wat…..You buy! You buy, cheap price for you!

5am departure organised with Meryl, Jon, Lindy and her faithful tuktuk driver, Sokheang, unfortunately I was the one who did not hear her alarm clock and had to be woken whilst the others waited down here.In my haste to dress and shower I managed to get aneyeful of cream which has caused me major eye irritation and then to crown it all I forgot the sun specs which are essential here to protect the eyes from sun and dust, consequently my eye has been very sore and closed up, but recovering now, two days later.A little later than planned we set off to join the string of tuktuks to buy our pass and join the monied throngs, mainly Japanese with Oz and other Europeans thrown in for good measure.

It is a vast complex of temples and shrines that date back as far as 10th Century, maybe longer, we spent about 10 hours visiting 4 sites, two of the major ones and two lesser ones where there were less tourists and aggressive selling.

The early start was worth it as the colours were wonderful and there were fewer tourists about. As soon as we arrived we were ambushed by Cambodian selling - children from pre-school to teenagers rush towards us waving books, postcards, scarves, and so on shouting, "'Best prices' , You want coffee?, Book cheap, only $10'Fortunately the prices quickly go down as no interest is shown, but as this goes on all day it can be rather wearing. It's amazing how they miraculously appear from nowhere as soon as they smell/hear/see a group of unsuspecting people arrive.

As soon as we arrived we did succumb to a small coffee at the roadside, rather expensive, but a lifesaver at such an early hour and one so rushed for me. After many photos trying to capture the sunrise behind Angkor we headed into it. Since my previous visit 5 years there evidence of much restoration work and parts that I was able to climb and explore then are out of bounds at the moment.I need to look back at those pics as it looks to me that the depositions on the buildings are far greater than then, but it may be just I had rosy specs then. Many are currently being renovated by foreign states.The size, magnificence, labour, workmanship are mind boggling and most walls have amazing carvings telling some story from the past, usually mythical, but rarely on one piece of stone. The skill of those ancient stonemasons must have been immense. From them you are able to develop clues as to what life was like and the sorts of tools and lifestyles available at the time.Nothing I can write or photograph can show that.

Once we left the tuktuk the heat began to rise and by the time we entered Angkor Wat we were desperate for shade, the first time for many the sky was cloudless and humidity still high. So everything had to be done slowly, and the climbing of the many steps was far more difficult than usual.From the different tops you could see other temple tops in the distance and the jungle covering the land and that which had enveloped the temples for so many centuries.

The temples were built by different kings, some as funereal ones, but also to show their wealth and intellect, but presumably the life of the ordinary people was no different than today - a daily struggle to survive, and of those employed to build the temples goodness knows what their life survival prospects were.

Unfortunately, little of the money spent by the majority of the tourists who visit here benefit the local economy, except in the numbers who are employed in the hotel industry and possibly the construction one, but Korea seems to be heavily involved in all of it, so how much money stays in the country I do not know.Angkor Wat Heritage Park is run by Korea!

However, the children we are helping to teach English to may be able to get employment within and so they and their families opportunities may improve.I hope that is the case, but also I hope we can improve their education so that they can become the leaders, doctors etc of their countries future.

On Sunday we are off to continue our viewings of the temples, two days have been needed as rest days as Jon has been struggling, possibly from the heat or a mixture of that and diet.

Meryl and I did venture out into the countryside yesterday on our bicycles, but it was a very place to one I know, many places were closed because of the festival and during the morning everyone was either heading to or from the various pagodas with their food offerings.It was very much a day of celebration and partying.When we arrived at Temple Athwea families were picnicking and children were running and scrambling over the ruins.Siem Reap was a ghost town as far as locals were concerned and only the hardened tourist cafes etc remained open.Tuktuk prices increased so we decided to give them a miss and eat up the leftovers from Lindy's leaving do the previous evening.Meryl and I also managed to fit in a wonderful foot reflexology and leg massage before we returned to wish Lindy bon voyage as her time at Globalteer and ABC's and Rice was over.

Sat, am I am having a lazy time, Meryl and Jon are visiting the National Museum and I intend to plan work for Mon and go to buy my breakfast for next week.If the cloud cover and threat of rain lifts I may go for a swim.

Tonight we are going to Dr Beatocello to listen to Beat Richner play his cello and talk about the children's hospitals that he runs and funds and without many thousands of Cambodian children would die unnecessarily. Convert free, but donations needed along with his plea for blood donations too.

Have a good weekend, love to all, J