In Angkor/Siem Reap, Cambodia

As you can tell, I did manage to make my flight from Hanoi to Cambodia afterall. I ended up on a plane full of a Korean tour group. I was the only non-Korean on the plane. To top it off the flight crew was Russian even though PMT is supposedly a Cambodian airline -- go figure. I think I ran into that same Korean tour group today at one of the ruins. A large group of Korean women were fighting to get into my bathroom stall and didn't seem to want to let me out before coming in themselves -- must have had to go very badly.

In any case, our flight was one of the last international flights to arrive in Seam Reap that evening, but I still managed to find a moto driver who then became my driver for the extent of my stay. However, for someone who should know the area pretty well, he tends to get lost a lot so I've seen some parts of the countryside and villages that many tourists don't likely get the chance to see. Siem Reap is the town that is the gateway to the Angkor ruin area. It is very much geared towards tourists, full of restaurants with forks and knives (rather than chopsticks) and 5 star resorts. There are also the backpacking variety of resorts and cheap eat restaurants and street cafes that I am frequenting, afterall I am UNEMPLOYED. :)

For the last 3 days, I've been exploring the ruins of Angkor. Angkor has 70 ruins uncovered over 200 sq km of area. The most interesting ones are in the same general area -- Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm. The photos posted here in order are: 1) Angkor Wat (the largest of the temples), 2) a monkey visiting Angkor Wat (keep in mind I don't have a very good zoom on my camera, he is really this close) and 3) Ta Prohm Temple (where they supposedly filmed Laura Croft Tomb Raider).

Note the banyon tree growing over the structures in the picture #3. The French had removed vegetation from much of the principle temples like Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, but let this one be. With the sound of cicadas and monkeys in the jungle at dusk, this place was pretty darn spooky -- but very cool!

I'm heading back to Saigon tomorrow to catch my flight to LA on Sunday. Yes, my trip is drawing to a close and was not nearly long enough. My time in Cambodia was way to short, which is why I could only see Angkor and Siem Reap. However, I now have plenty ideas for my next trip (and there will be another long trip in the near future I'm sure). Laos, Thailand and the rest of Cambodia are beckoning.

This will likely be my last post from Asia. Will keep the blog updated on our move across country in late December. Hoping to make a bit of an excursion of it.

Happy Holidays!