I’m hoping Mark’s photos from the day give the things we saw today a better showing than I can give them with words, so I’ll skim through a very full day.
After breakfast at a small shop where everyone was watching TV, we swung by a pharmacy and got mosquito repellent and a rain poncho. We then started walking in the direction of Angkor Wat.
It was not long before we were accosted by a driver. We hired him for the day for $15. His name was H. He started by swinging us by the ticket booth where we picked up our three day passes for $40 each. He then took us to the Angkor Wat. Huge moat. Huge stones. Acres of intricate stone carving. We tried out a freelance guide. Friendly fellow, but I think Mark and I are not the guided types.
On our way out we were accosted by sellers. We ended up purchasing a guide book ($10) and two 1.5L water bottles ($1 each). Later in the day we saw these items being hawked at smaller temples for half the price. It is hard to turn down children who are trying to sell you 10 postcards for $1.
We ate a good (if overpriced) lunch before continuing on to the South Gate of Ankor Thom. Again, impressive. The wall and moat around this ancient city are about 3 km to the side.
In the heart of the city we first stopped at the Bayon. Wow! Devils’s Den to the 10th power! Winding, Twisting, ancient corridors. Stairs up. Drops down. It was here than an older hippie woman offered us a joint. She said she hadn’t smoked for 6 months, but this just seemed the place.
Leaving the Bayon, we walked past Bapuon (closed for renovation), through Phimeanakas, and along the Elephant Terrace, and the Leper King terrace. Any of which would have been impressive on their own, but were lost on me amidst the wowness of everything else.
From there we exited the East Gate (also impressive in grandeur) and proceded to Thommon and Chao Say Tevoda. Here I was most struck by the very different styles of restoration in two very similar temples.
Next we stopped at what I believe had been a bridge. Fun. Mark’s remote controlled camera was quite useful.
We proceeded on to Ta Keo, a sight that would not be open to tourists in any nation with a lawsuit epidemic. The steps up could be likened more to a steep stone ladder with tall uneven rungs than to steps. Dangerous = Fun. Being high up, it was fun to sit and look across the tops of trees.
Approaching the end of our day we ventured into Ta Prohm. The large wall around it was considerable in itself. The ruins at the center were . . . were . . . Words fail me. The ruins have been preserved in their state of decay. Massive trees grow out of the walls. Covered pathways end in a collapsed heap of rubble. The numerous twisting dead end passages add a perhaps exaggerated impression of the largeness of the place.
We wrapped up the day by swinging by Banteay Kdei. The temple would be impressive elsewhere, but its wonder is perhaps missed amid the other wonders of the area. At this site some young girls (13ish) worked hard to make the temple memorable. They walked along with us trying to sell us who knows how many different things. However, instead of attacking us with sad begging faces, they came at us with playful, even flirtations banter.
Darkness closing in, we retreated to our hotel. In the dark my sweaty forehead picked up a number of gnats. Back at the hotel our driver tried to contract with us for the next day. We were not ready to have our plans cast in stone.
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