Angkor Wat - Am I Proud of Myself!

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Well arrived at Siem Reap airport after quite a bumpy flight and remember a really early start - so not in best mood. Well we had to get a visa on arrival and to be honest not looking forward to it. However, all I can say is I was totally wrong it was really smooth and efficient not at all what all the books said it would be like.

We go outside the airport arrivals hall which is so sweet - and there is a board with our name on it. To say we just booked the tour over the internet a couple of days ago and all correspondence had been through email with no deposit left - I was pleasantly surprised.

We had to get some American Dollars to pay for the tour so the driver dropped us off at the ATM - yes ATMs are everywhere - got the dollars out as Cambodia only uses dollars (well mostly).

The driver took us to our hotel and again what a surprise really nice room and over looks a swimming pool - yes I did say swimming pool - bonus or what!

So first trip was to Bakong and Lo Lei which are both 9th century temples and it was nice and peaceful there were hardly any other tourists and our guide Narin gave us a knowledgable tour telling us about the history and religous elements.

We then went for somewhere to eat and the food was really nice and afterwards we relaxed in a hammock - think this is the first time Mike has got into a hammock but to be honest it was so peaceful I could have stayed there all afternoon swinging away in the breeze.

But no we had to go to visit Angkor Wat. We are driving along (well Narong is driving and we are just passengers) and the heavens open and I mean the heavens open. So we take shelter (remember still in the van) under a canopy that had a couple of benches around it. What do we do pull up between the benches in the van and wait until the rain stopped. So what happens next we get stuck in the van and cannot get out for ages whilst Narong finds some branches to put under the wheels.

So off we go to Angkor Wat which is a magnificient ancient archaeological wonder of the world. Well if I am going to be totally honest and I said I would give warts and all - it was totally overrun with hundreds and I mean hundreds of tourists and remember the rain had only stopped a few minutes ago.

So we weave our way through the hoards of tourists and turn around and there are more hoards of tourists following us. Our guide is really good and weaves us into spaces where no-one else was but you have to remember this is a holy city which the temple is over 900 years old - and there are hoards and hoards including us of tourists climbing over this archaeological and holy site. I will admit I was a little disappointed I think this wonder is going to be ruined unless the Cambodian governement or some archaological group get a hold on this and stop people climbing all over it and maybe, yes maybe, restrict the numbers. I am now feeling guilty as I have some great photos and to get around I had to climb over it as well - am I proud of myself NO.

We are back at the hotel now and I think I am going to go down to the pool to chill out before we go out Dinner at a local restaurant - we are also supposed to watchin a cultural dance show. I really hope it is not just put on for the tourists but what can I say or do when I have booked a tour and I am a tourist.

Mike has fallen asleep so am going to try to sneak out of the room so I do not disturb him. Well did not make that so we both went down to the pool and met some Australian prison wardens (we do meet the most interesting people). Anyway after a good chin wag we went up stairs and got ready to be taken out for a meal with our guide and the driver. Great meal and thank god we could go back to the room instead of watching a cultural dance as we are both knackered.

Hope everyone is well - we tried to catch the opening ceremony yesterday and caught snippets hope someone has recorded it and we can see it when we return.

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Photos

Angkor Wat
See the shadow in the water!

One of the holy temples
Angkor Wat one of the temples I could find that had no one around for a second so I could press the shutter on the camera.