27 April Temple Explorers

The tour leader picked us up just after 8am, and I was told that I needed a t shirt that covered my shoulders so I had to race up to the room and quickly get changed. (Phew, I don't even wear armpits in Auckland in summer, how will I managed in this heat).

Vanny the tour leader talked to us as we continued on the short drive to Angkor Wat.  There are only 5 on the tour which is nice. Lance was extremly excited as this temple has been on his bucket list for a while.  We had also watched a National  Geographic Doco and were pretty amazed by the engineering involved in the building. It was built 1100 and something as a Hindu temple, later to be converted to a Buddist temple. 

Vanny took us in through the back gate and explained that Angkor Wat was discovered in 1908 by the western world. There were hardly any people on this side so we got a good look around. The carving detail and the stories that they depict are great. At this stage, 9:30 am, we were awash with sweat. We continued through the temple to the centre and climbed the stairs to the top.  I had been looking forward to these challenging stairs as they are only about 6 or 7 inches deep and very steep. But they had built wooden steps over the top of them to protect the temple. Still very steep though. 

We wandered through the vast open corridors and it was a very calm place, with a few monks here and there. Amazing to think the king built this just for himself and no one else. 

I spotted a small crowd of people and wandered over to see what they were looking at.  There was a small child, and I mean small. It was the size of a newborn baby with little skinny legs, he or she was sitting up and had unusual features.  I would he was at least 3 years old and people were handing him/her money and the mum would whip it away ready for some more.  I thought this was a kind gesture, but did not like the people taking photos like he/she was a tourist freak show. Further along was another baby this time with a huge head. Poor little bugger, and again people handing money over and taking photos. 

As we arrived on the other side of the temple, at the front gate, we could see more and more people arriving. A few classic Angkor Wat snaps were taken and I spotted a large  macaque monkey sitting in a statue. 

Angkor Wat exceeded our expectations. A unique place to visit and often thought to be the eight wonder of the world. 

Not far away was the next temple, Angkor Thom.  This temple was a bit more crumbly but equally as beautiful. The towers all had large faces carved in them. 

By now we were dripping with sweat, it was just pouring off us. 

A welcome stop for lunch by the lake and what do you know, the Cambodian guy that greeted us off the bus had a NZ tshirt on.  He had lived in Hamilton for 2 years and his brother has 2 bakeries there. 

Small kids attached themselves to us trying to get us to buy things, they were very persuasive but not enough for us to part with our money.  Lunch was okay and a little more like Chinese food.

After lunch we drove to Ta Prohm Temple. This is the temple from the movie Tomb Raider. Immediately you felt like you had been dropped into the movie, it was exactly the same.  

The temple was a bit crumbly, but under repair. The huge and ancient trees that intertwine through the stone work are spung trees and hollow inside. They have been the cause of a lot of the damage. Of course they were not there when the king was here back in the 12 century, but grew from seeds dropped into crevices and have now become a distinguishing feature.  

I also felt like I I had dropped into the Disney movie The Jungle Book in the monkey temple and I could hear Baloo singing away in my head. 

Back at the hotel Lance and I headed straight to the pool, it was a trifle tepid but better than nothing.  While our stinky sweaty clothes soaked in the bath tub we enjoyed a cocktail and beer by the pool. 

We ended the evening in Pub Street with Emma at an Irish Pub.  We just needed some western food. The food was ordinary but sat well in our bellies. I also visited the friendly pharmacist for ear drops. I have a bit of earache from my cold. Luckily medicine is cheap. $3.90.