Cambodia so far...
The temples of Angkor are the reason why Siem Reap is THE place to be in Cambodia. We got 3 day passes, saw a hell of a lot of temples (they really are pretty amazing) and, honestly are worth the early mornings.
Day 1 had us awake and very cold on the back of our driver's moto in the pitch dark riding to the river to catch a boat and our first sunrye. No temples, just the locals going about their life - fishing, transporting goods and swinging on hammocks. It really is hammock heaven here! There's even the odd hammock on the streets. Every home on the river had someone swinging in a hammock. After the boat ride and breakfast watching little kids using washing tubs and polystyrene boxes for boats (and having a great time), we started our first bout of templing! Have saved you all most of the temple pics (we filled up 130mb worth of memory card with them - trust me, I'm doing you a favour!). Our last temple of the day on temple mountain (I know I should know the names but there are a LOT of temples to remember!). Our first sunset at a temple? Just grand. Close your eyes and repeat - it's just me, the temple and the sunset. And you still wouldn't be able to imagine that hundreds of other people are there also watching the sunset. Was still brilliant but makes you appreciate the not so popular temples just for the stillness.
Our drivers suggested we go out after for local cambodian food and local cambodian beer but we already had plans. We had a list of LP recommended bars we wanted to check out. The Dead Fish Tower was a cool place but no real atmosphere. We skipped the Red Piano -looked too posh. By the time we got to the Angkor What?, it was definitely hip and happening but we just weren't feelin'the vibe. Hard to really, it's all so tourist targetted. The only locals you'll meet are the children and amputee beggars along the way asking for a dollar. Cambodia is obviously very well developed for the tourist but the amount of begging here (small kids who aren't at school and amputees from landmines) makes you wonder where the money's going. It's not cheap here. Prices are in US dollars and for the tourist. It's a really sad sight. It seemed really strange to me that things were so easy for the tourist - all the info and all you need already there waiting for you. Guesthouses were comfortable and there were bars and restaurants galore. So strange because compared to the Philippines, it's much more developed and comfortable but you hardly see any beggars on the streets and you don't feel so targetted as a tourist. You'll just pay the prices the people pay and travel around the way they would too. Just kept feeling that despite the obvious tourist boom (been like that for a few years too), the money obviously wasn't helping the people out.
Day 2 - more temples (but escaped sunrye). What was supposed to be another full day of templing turned out to be templing for 2 hours and then beer and larks in the countryside from 11 'til 6pm! Mr Man and Sambo's idea and genius it was. Really had a brilliant time hanging out with locals, drinking beer and eating fish. It's so funny because they're as fascinated with you as you are with them. Me and Carly are different though - we look like strange people (so I've been told). I'm not cambodian but look it (no, you look filipino!) and anyone who tries to guess where carly's from thinks she's from India. The end of the night was spent at Martini. Only here can you walk into a club to find 10 cambodian men (no women got up 'til later) dancing their hearts out to techno (really, REALLY dancing their hearts out) - british guys never do this! Was great fun...even with the techno music.
Day 3 and up for sunrye at Angkor Wat - Beautiful! After another day of templing we went to the Seeing hands massage place. Massage by a blind masseur is something else! Felt tipsy after but really just fabulous! Dinner after with some cambodian dancing and the fastest time it's taken for someone to ask me for my number and email address. Must be me looking like strange people again - already had someone saying he wanted to eat my heart - er, quite like my heart uneaten, thanks.
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