It feels very rural here with dogs yapping and the occasional cat fight and a stream of visitors through the communal eating area. Very friendly and relaxed. Delicious breakfast once again: the omelettes are sensational plus fresh baguettes, a custom from French days in Cambodia, and fresh fruit. The locally grown Cambodian coffee smells sweet and is a little sweet to taste and really delicious. Free tea and coffee and water for guests.
Our lovely tuk tuk driver from yesterday, Chia, was ready to take us on the Grand Tour and to the War Museum as per our request. As we had the 3 day Angkor pass, it was good to make use of another day through ancient ruins.
We set off in the cool of the morning but the day soon heated up. Another perfect blue sky day, tuk tukking along forest roads and past temple ruins, monkeys and little road side stalls. We were really pleased to have decided to have another day exploring other temples. They are all unique and the kids love the challenge of scrambling up almost insurmountable ancient stairs (with no rails) and walking around unguarded heights. What a lovely freedom we have - to explore these amazing temples in such a way that we cannot do at other world historical sites which are usually cordoned off.
 |
| "Halfway down the stairs is a stair where I sit..." |
 |
| Pre Rup from a different approach |
First stop was the temple we finished at yesterday from a different approach. The stairs were awesome: steep, risky and FUN! Pre Rup was excellent to scramble through the four towers which previously housed buddhas. Excellent fun going down! Annika and Karl took the wooden steps but the boys and I did the scrambling. Little kids at the base asked for money - always sad. We walked around the base reflecting on the number of others who may have done this over the past 1000 years!
Next stop was Neak Pean. We walked across a causeway, over a lake of twisted vines and branches, still in the quiet morning. Cambodian land mine victims were playing traditional instruments to add to the atmosphere. Neak Pean is water temple which has been significantly restored and has four pools. Surrounded by roots and trees, there is archaeological work still underway and probably much more to uncover.
East Mebon was next and again different from the others. There was elephants guarding four corners of the temple along with lions and again, it was great scrambling territory. Our temple climbing muscles are well developed now!
 |
| Kids sell anything from water to keyrings - only go to school in the afternoon. |
 |
| East Mebon |
 |
| Note elephants guarding the temple. |
 |
| Family photo squinting into the bright sun, but all looking to the front! |
Ta Som was most notable for the huge strangler fig twisted through the wall - impossible to remove and maintain the wall at the same time...but the fig will keep growing...mmm...a dilemma!
For Preah Khan we were dropped off at the West Gate and walked through to the East Gate. This temple had long corridors and fertility gods all over the walls. We are so used to stepping over ruins and touching these amazing constructions. Karl and I keep reminding ourselves and the kids that these were all built somewhere around 1000 years ago and that is amazing. How is our big question! The kids will remember this temple for the terrific vine swing they had at the exit - just hanging in the jungle!
We then asked Chia to drive us to town for lunch and he dropped us at Pub Street, near the Old Market. We wandered for a little but Luke and Annika found the smell of durian fruit in the market rather powerful and needed lunch. Lunch was AMAZING. Khmer sour chicken soup served in half a pineapple ($3.50US) was scrumptious and the fruit smoothies ($1US each) so nice that Karl had 3! But it was Luke's ecstasy at being allowed to order two whole crabs ($6US) which is the highlight! - not that he ate much of them but proceeded to do a scientific presentation about their exoskeleton, their pincers, how their joints work and their predators. It was hilarious. Wish I'd videoed the little scientist at work. Fortunately, he did drink the watermelon smoothie and ate some garlic bread so at least he did have some lunch. He is so fussy with new foods that we do struggle to give him adequate nutrition without too much sugar while we are travelling.
 |
| Motor bikes everywhere |
 |
| Huge variety of rice at the old market in Siem Reap |
 |
| The Old Market, bit stinky because of Durian! |
 |
| Menu books! |
 |
| Tim's squid soup |
 |
| Annika's chicken and cashew nuts |
 |
| My amazing Khmer sour chicken soup served in half a pineapple! |
 |
| Luke's crab before dissection |
|
After lunch, we piled into the tuk tuk again and trundled off to the War Museum ($5US) and a free guide. It was well worth the free guide who himself was a land mine victim and showed us his rather old fashioned prosthetic leg. He explained about land mines and weaponry and the history of Cambodia. Since 1999, they have lived in peace. For Tim to reflect that only in his life time have they known peace made him think a bit. From 1975 until 1999, the once peaceful country here had been at war in one way or another. The guide also reminded us that boys as young as 15 joined in fighting and it was the poor communities who lost so many people. Over 2.5 million were killed by the war. In our life time, Karl and I remember news coverage of the killing fields and Pol Pot. There are many on the streets selling postcards and other souvenirs who are amputees. This IS confronting for the kids and is evidence of the horror of war.
 |
| Grim reminder of war. |
 |
| War Museum |
 |
| Old army truck |
 |
| Our land mine amputee guide did an excellent job. |
No comments:
Post a Comment