Cycling, temples and circus skills with a side order of gooey green fingers

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The day started with possibly the best breakfast I've ever had. Such variety and with an 'egg station' where you could have your eggs cooked however you liked. Bliss. I had some kimchi too for my daughter's sake and boy was it spicy! We could see some of the tourist scum laying out towels on the sunbeds outside to reserve their spots. Honestly, you come to the site of some of the most amazing sights in the world and you want to sit by the pool in a spot you're sad enough to 'reserve'?? You may as well naff off to Rhyl then you can play bloody bingo at night as well you bunch of peckerheads.

It's like these people who say ooooo I'm going to Mexico or Egypt for their holidays and then don't see anything of the culture cos they stay in their swanky hotel all the time sitting by the pool eating roast beef and sodding chips. You may as well save your money and go to Spain because you haven't really been to Mexico or Egypt if you're too uncultured and bone idle to go out of the sodding hotel complex.

And, calm down, relax.....back to today. If I've offended you with the above I am deeply, deeply not bothered in the slightest.

After that we were standing in reception listening to some wonderful traditional music that I presumed was being piped in. When I turned round and saw it was being played live by a lady playing a curved xlophone type thing (actually called a roneat) my day was made already.

We then met our next guide Nin. Nin had seven siblings slaughtered in the killing fields as well as his parents. He alone from his family managed to escape to Vietnam, returning when the atrocities were over. Now he works as a tour guide but also volunteers and teaches local underpriviliged children. He is wonderfully enthusiastic, knowledgable and also something of a photographer as he has been finding the best shots for us all day.

Anyway, we piled in tuk tuks which took us to pick up our cycles for the day and off we went! Apparently the first part of our journey was ten miles but it really didn't feel like it....until we came back that way later......

The clouds were sheltering us from the sun and even loud claps of thunder failed to produce any rain which would have been refreshing but not very nice as the humidity wouldn't have let us dry out at all. At the end of this bike ride our American companion was quite rude to our guide so we boosted him up by telling him to ignore him. I won't go into details in case he reads this but he was, and is, rather a rude chap at times.

Anyway, temples time, starting with Bakong then to Prsat Preah Ko and finally to Lolei. The temples here are stunning and these aren't even the main ones. There are hundreds, some of which still haven't been found but they know they're somewhere because it says so in the sanskrit that is still visible 1200 years later.

The temples actually remained hidden and unknown to the civilized world for four whole centuries and it was the French that rediscovered them in the 19th century. The locals knew they were there of course but were afraid to go near as they thought they were inhabited by gods.

Wonderfully ornate with tons of character and lots of parts still intact, the temples here are simply incredible. You stand there in awe of things around you and pinch yourself to make sure you're actually here. Fantastic.

Lunch was interesting but not for Helen and Andy although they won't forget it in a hurry. Helen had a prawn curry and Andy ordered a similar dish but with crab. Helen likes prawns but she doesn't like them still in their shells....so Andy peels them for her....even when they're covered in green goo. There were only four prawns but Andy was covered and had to wash his hands before he attempted to eat his crab. And he hardly found any meat and they were both very disappointed with their meals.

And then the bill came.....unfortunately they hadn't noticed the prices and their meals were three times the price of ours. $53 for not very much when our bill was just over $20 didn't make them very happy. And rightly so poor buggers.

The sun had come out by the time we headed back to the hotel and that was a long and painful ride. Not sure what the problem is with the bottom of my spine when I cycle too far but I could hardly move when I finally got off. It does annoy me! Won't stop me doing these things though, although I won't be booking a cycling holiday in a hurry.

After quick showers we were off out again. Passing Angkor Wat, which we will see tomorrow, we next stopped at Angkor Thom. What an incredible sight! The largest religious site in the world is awash with 216 smiling Buddha faces and that's just for starters. The bas reliefs are still very much intact too and they depict life as it was then in intricate, carved detail. Stunning. We spent some time taking pictures and exploring including trying to get the classic shot with the temple reflected in the water as the sun goes down. No sunset tonight, but hopefully the shots will turn out okay. Claire even used her gorillapod so I'm expecting big things of her pictures!

After even quicker showers we were soon off out again. Our guide took us to another restaurant which again was just okay. I think he's taking us to places where we won't get ill which is fair enough but the portions were paltry tonight, but at least nobody's bill came to anywhere near $53.

And then to the circus, yes, the circus! The Phare circus was set up to help disadvantaged children and the money raised helps to send kids to school and then to gain employment. Not all of them become performers but far more children are able to gain an education thanks to work like this.

The show was told in the style of a story and was accompanied by live music. The young performers had some incredible circus skills as well as a fine line in comedy as they told the story of a group of kids trying to scare off two ghosts. Occasional words came up on screens and the odd bit in English was spoken in what was a fantastic performance. If you're in Siem Reap and you want to do something other than sit your fat arse by the pool, go to the circus. It's entertaining and for a good cause and you can always put your towels out on the loungers when you get back.

Another incredibly hectic day with so much packed into our schedule that it was a three shower day. The humidity is meaning we're needing to wash clothes as who can pack enough for three changes a day? The 'tourists' probably saunter from one air conditioned place to another as none of their clothes are hanging out on the balcony....unless they can afford the expensive laundry service of course.

I don't think I mentioned that one hotel we nipped into earlier in the trip had a happy hour....for laundry... Between 5 and 9pm they were offering a whole 20% off laundry....bargain! Not sure how a happy hour lasts for four but still, what a super offer!

Anyway, we're being picked up at 5am in the morning....yes, that's FIVE am so best say goodnight. Apologies for days when accompanying pictures don't appear. I try every day but don't have much luck.

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