Blogs from Tonlé Sap, North, Cambodia, Asia - page 4

Day 2 started at 4.45 am in the pitch. We arranged to see the sunrise at Angkor Wat. Well just our luck that it was a misty day and no sun was to be seen. The place was pretty special at that time of day so the early start was not a complete waste. By 6.30am the sun had risen and the hordes of tourist were piling into the main temple. At this point we made a swift exit and headed onto more temples inthe Angkor area. We saw Preah Khan, Preah Neak Pean, Ta Som & Eastern Baray all by 11am. It was a really good time to do this as all thecrowds were in the main temple. For most places we were the only ones there - pretty special even if a little spooky. ... read more

The torrential rain last night had created a small lake outside our bedroom window and the local frog population had moved in keeping us awake all night with their load croaking. During the morning the local children came to paddle in the filthy muddy water squealing with delight as they played. We visited the local market in Siem Reap to buy tomatoes and couldn't quite believe what we saw. In the oppresive heat and semi darkness were pigs heads, disgusting looking offal and chunks of fatty meat all crawling with flies. The smell was foul. Moving onto the vegetable section was not much better, most of the produce was in a worse state than stuff I throw away at home! Back in our room we struggled with a 2 inch pen knife to make cheese slice ... read more

We got a 6hr bus to Siem Reap this is a mecca for tourists people vist angkor wat all the time it would have cost us 50 dollers i know it is going to be a new 7th wonder but, we could not justify paying that kind of money when we know we will return some day so instead we asked a tuk tuk driver what else could we see and he brought us to a great place were so many tourists miss the landmine museum its run by a great man called Ai ra as a child he was made lay mines and now he clears them both his parents were killed by Khmer rouge he had to work in the army he does not know his real age he thinks he is 29 ,30 ... read more

18/09/06 Tonle Sap Lake The lake is a huge area; 175 x 82 km when flooded in the wet season with glacial waters that have run down from the Tibetan plateau high up in the Himalayas. The lake is home to thousands of Cambodians and illegal Vietnamese immigrants all living on boats or floating houses. Families many fish to survive and there are also industries such as cat fish farms and crocodile farms. A crocodile is worth about $300 for it's skin to make purses, shoes (feel free to break into Jimmy Nail song), wallets and belts. Children play in small boats and washing up bowls and come rowing over to tourist boats to beg. At the end of our day in 'Pub Street' in Siem Reap we encountered many children begging, often missing limbs from ... read more