For our next adventure, we bussed to Cambodia. 
We had heard the roads were terrible, but the main road had been partially repaved making the trip much shorter than all the scary estimates. You need to stay on main roads in Cambodia, as this country has the dubious distinction of having more landmines than any other country. We are told never to wander off well-trodden areas. Even if you are lucky enough to avoid any explosions during an amble, Cambodia is still blessed with numerous venomous snakes, and the walk could kill you anyway. We listen to a number of bands comprised of landmine victims,
which reminds us that although the mines were left years ago, their killing continues today. Like this country hasn't had enough troubles. We learn of the 1 - 2 million people killed by the Khmer Rouge, who the people had originally welcomed as their saviors. This after invasions by Vietnam and carpet bombings by us.
Where in the world are Ethan and Siena?
This temple complex is a short tuk tuk ride north of Siem Reap. The Khmer dynasty which built it lasted from 800 A.D to 1400 AD, which is a long time, as empires go. We are informed that the city here was the most advanced city of its day. Of course, this corresponds to a rather dark period for Western Europe, so not much competition from that quarter. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most awesome places we have visited. We hear it is the largest religious structure in the world. There are over 100 different temples in the area. It is commonly known by the most famous of the temples: Angkor Wat. when the temples were constructed.
The temple of Ta Phrom was our first stop, and my favorite. Have you ever seen Tomb Raiders? I guess this is where some of the scenes were filmed. It has been left largely as it was when re-discovered in the early 20th century. Here, we were able to explore everywhere, crawling into small passages, climbing to the top of steep towers. Here, towering trees threaten to topple the ancient temples. It looks like
some sort of demonic giant sea creature engulfing the walls with their huge tentacles. There are lots of tall towers, and we tire ourselves in the hot humid weather, scrambling to the top with incredibly steep stairs. But, luckily, refreshment is close by...
Khmer food (the language and the food are referred to as “Khmer” not Cambodian) is similar to Thai food (as they say in this part of the world “same-same…but different). They use more spices, lots of coconut milk and less chilies. It is a bit more oily and blander, but still has a really fresh taste to it. We tried a Khmer Cake, which was like an heavy crepe, filled with chicken and shredded vegetables and topped with a sweet peanut sauce. Fabulous! The beer is very good, too. It is a bit confusing, as the two most popular lagers here are Angkor and Anchor. You try specifying which one you want after downing a couple! The town of Siem Reap has a party town atmosphere to it—like a Ft Myers Beach mixed with the French Quarter of New Orleans (before Katrina). Which means cheap beer was to be had everywhere. We had two for one and 50 cent drafts at several venues. We were also fortunate to see a traditional Khmer song and dance
show. I think it must be hard wearing a replica of Angkor Wat on your head whilst dancing. As for the singing, I kept looking for the cat, which sounded like it was in horrible pain. No, the arts here are probably not my favorite (other, of course, than the culinary arts).
We rented bikes for a day. The back roads are a bit rough, and we had to return two bikes with flats, but had a marvelous experience riding on a dirt road, alongside the river. We attracted lots of school children practicing their English and felt we were miles and years away from the tourist trail. The houses are built on stilts both to protect themselves from floods—this entire area is less than 100 feet above sea level-- as well as to prevent the snakes from getting in.
We had heard the roads were terrible, but the main road had been partially repaved making the trip much shorter than all the scary estimates. You need to stay on main roads in Cambodia, as this country has the dubious distinction of having more landmines than any other country. We are told never to wander off well-trodden areas. Even if you are lucky enough to avoid any explosions during an amble, Cambodia is still blessed with numerous venomous snakes, and the walk could kill you anyway. We listen to a number of bands comprised of landmine victims,
which reminds us that although the mines were left years ago, their killing continues today. Like this country hasn't had enough troubles. We learn of the 1 - 2 million people killed by the Khmer Rouge, who the people had originally welcomed as their saviors. This after invasions by Vietnam and carpet bombings by us.Where in the world are Ethan and Siena?
This temple complex is a short tuk tuk ride north of Siem Reap. The Khmer dynasty which built it lasted from 800 A.D to 1400 AD, which is a long time, as empires go. We are informed that the city here was the most advanced city of its day. Of course, this corresponds to a rather dark period for Western Europe, so not much competition from that quarter. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most awesome places we have visited. We hear it is the largest religious structure in the world. There are over 100 different temples in the area. It is commonly known by the most famous of the temples: Angkor Wat. when the temples were constructed.The temple of Ta Phrom was our first stop, and my favorite. Have you ever seen Tomb Raiders? I guess this is where some of the scenes were filmed. It has been left largely as it was when re-discovered in the early 20th century. Here, we were able to explore everywhere, crawling into small passages, climbing to the top of steep towers. Here, towering trees threaten to topple the ancient temples. It looks like
some sort of demonic giant sea creature engulfing the walls with their huge tentacles. There are lots of tall towers, and we tire ourselves in the hot humid weather, scrambling to the top with incredibly steep stairs. But, luckily, refreshment is close by...Khmer food (the language and the food are referred to as “Khmer” not Cambodian) is similar to Thai food (as they say in this part of the world “same-same…but different). They use more spices, lots of coconut milk and less chilies. It is a bit more oily and blander, but still has a really fresh taste to it. We tried a Khmer Cake, which was like an heavy crepe, filled with chicken and shredded vegetables and topped with a sweet peanut sauce. Fabulous! The beer is very good, too. It is a bit confusing, as the two most popular lagers here are Angkor and Anchor. You try specifying which one you want after downing a couple! The town of Siem Reap has a party town atmosphere to it—like a Ft Myers Beach mixed with the French Quarter of New Orleans (before Katrina). Which means cheap beer was to be had everywhere. We had two for one and 50 cent drafts at several venues. We were also fortunate to see a traditional Khmer song and dance
show. I think it must be hard wearing a replica of Angkor Wat on your head whilst dancing. As for the singing, I kept looking for the cat, which sounded like it was in horrible pain. No, the arts here are probably not my favorite (other, of course, than the culinary arts).We rented bikes for a day. The back roads are a bit rough, and we had to return two bikes with flats, but had a marvelous experience riding on a dirt road, alongside the river. We attracted lots of school children practicing their English and felt we were miles and years away from the tourist trail. The houses are built on stilts both to protect themselves from floods—this entire area is less than 100 feet above sea level-- as well as to prevent the snakes from getting in.
Next, we are heading down the Thai peninsula to try out some beaches
Lerk Guy Oh! (cheers, in Khmer)
The Beatties
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