17 October 2007

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Finally, I'm starting to make some headway on the backlog of postings.

My second bout with heat exhaustion on this day wore me out and I stopped worrying about trying to do everything (such as a daily blog) and concentrated on trying to make the most of the remainder of the trip.

We've been staying at the Casa Angkor, a very nice, modern, hotel in the old part of Siem Reap. They have the best continental breakfast we've had anywhere. Our only beef with them was the lack of hot water in the morning. (Renee complained the 2nd morning and they fixed my room, but never seemed to make her hot water work.) Other than that it was very nice.

Today's schedule called for a morning visit to the Artisan d'Angkor silk farm in the morning, a stroll in the Royal Gardens before lunch, lunch at the Blue Pumpkin with the LDS Missionaries (oour treat), and finally, a visit to Angkor Wat itself (we had been driving by it for two days and I couldn't wait to get there!). Our plan was for a later afternoon visit to hopefully avoid the midday heat and to catch the sunset. Unfortunately I couldn't handle what heat there was and we left before the sun set. My picture taking, mediocre at best, really suffered at Angkor. I'm sure there were many shots I could/should have taken, but I was having a hard time thinking due to the thundering headache that sprang up by the time we had strolled to the main complex. I finally aborted the whole thing by the time we got to the base of the main tower and got out as quickly as I could (all downhill, or downstairs actually, at that point) in an effort to not be publicly ill (it worked).

I recovered well enough with a long shower and a nap to join Renee and the boys and go to a local restaurant that had an Apsara Dance show. The restaurant was more or less outdoors (overhead covering, but no walls, and HUGE. I bet it could seat 500. It was a buffet and we got there just before the tour buses showed up and unloaded.

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Photos

Course silk
Silkworm cocoons have two types of silk threads, course and fine. The course threads are extracted first.

Fine silk
By the time I got to this stage I was totally in awe of whatever person/persons in the past not only figured out that silkworm thread was useful but figured out just how in the world to extract it.

Gnome & silkworm
Cedric, the ubiquitous Travel Gnome, and a silkworm. They are kind of ugly close-up......

Silkworms
The artisan center had two trays of silkworms, all fed by fresh handpicked leaves.

Silkworms_2
The silkworms hardly move at all when they are eating, so it was not the creepy-crawly feel to watch them as one might think. And if everyone stood really still we could actually hear them chew the leaves.

silkworm cocoons
After 20 some odd days of non-stop eating, the silkworms spin their famous cocoons. This shows some cocoons spun in woven baskets. As most folks know, the pupae must be killed in order to prevent them from chewing their way out and destroying the continuity of the threading. This silk farm allows 20% of the cocoons to mature to perpetuate their "livestock".

silk costumes
The end result of the silk process, gorgeous fabric and incredible possibilities.

silk looms
this was truly fascinating to watch (especially since I can't figure out how a sewing maching works, let alone a loom.....)

Spinning wheels
Notice what the spinning wheels originally were, Cambodians are a very practical people!

School
This is typical of the schools we passed in the provinces. Schooling is not compulsory in Cambodia, you have to pay if you want your children to be educated, but from the fact that schools hold two sessions a day, and every time we passed one it was packed with kids, Cambodians seem to be willing to go to great lengths to educate their children if at all possible.

Recycle guy
While walking around the Royal gardens in Siem Reap the recycle guy walked by. They are everywhere in towns of any size and in a country where people believe vehicle horns are meant to be used, a lot, these guys (and some women) honk those little plastic tricycle horns to announce their arrival. If you have recyclables you bring out and they pay you for it. Imagine, being paid to recycle........

Big load
Cambodians are the masters of putting big loads on bicycles & motorcycles. This had to be about the biggest bicycle load I saw. Motorcycle drivers were far more daring, but after all, they don't have to pedal....

Siem Reap Temple
This rather active temple was located just under the trees the bats were roosting in.

Siem Reap_bats_1
Just like on nature shows, these guys were noisy and squabblely (sp?) in the daytime

Siem Reap_bats_2
More of the critters

Angkor_2
Magnificent, what else can be said?

Angkor_1
This is the view from the west, where most visitors enter.

Angkor_Emily_1
This was taken for Emily Navaro and her class at Cincinnati's Maddux Elementary School

Angkor_gnome
OK, Cedric had to have his day too.

Angkor_inside main entrance
Inside main central entrance looking east. The areas under the green tarps/awnings are currently being restored.

Cam, Kendal, & Kurt
After we came through the Elepant entrance, we cut back to the main causeway and posed for the camera.