Day 89: Mild Adventure to West Baray

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Welcome to Yvonne this week...a new volunteer who works as a tour guide in Belgium and has traveled all over Europe and made a living sharing the history of places. If you sense some envy in my text, you are CORRECT! We asked Yvonne to join us to our day out at West Baray and spent the 30 minute Tuk Tuk ride hearing her incredible stories of volunteering with the Mercy Ships (boat hospitals) which have brought her to the Congo, Madagascar and also her volunteer time in India (again yes a little envy...but only a little maybe). West Baray is a reservoir outside of Angkor Thom and was built around the 11th century and is the world’s largest handcut reservoir measuring 2.1 km by 7.8 km. There is a small island which you can boat out to with a Hindu temple on it. The other thing that people still like to do is spend the day out at the water, rent a square thatch and relax swimming, laying in hammocks and having lunch. We walked a bit trying to see how far we would get around the outskirts before dying of heat fatigue and surrendering...not even one of the 7.8 sides. It was great to be there early and watch as people trickle in and start to order food and the kids LOVING the water that I was having second thoughts about entering. My my in my old age I have become a bit of a water snob to murky water. These kids reminded me that water is just fun especially on a hot day. So many little water fight battles and running and face planting right down. Older kids trying to be the cool kids on inner tubes only to get sucked into the water banter. The food came in large containers meant to feed a family...not individual portions. This was almost an epic disaster as we tried to order 3 things but change our minds when the cost was $25...nothing has been that expensive. Then she pointed to the FULL chickens roasting and the big containers of rice and things started clicking. There was also a place to rent inner tubes, life jackets, swim trunks and t-shirts for the girls. A couple girls just went in the water jeans and long sleeves. It was a great day for swinging and seeing a typical Saturday for many!

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