Angkor What?

So I have to disclaim that these pics are all backwards and mixed up from real time. They cover the time from Koh Chang Thailand until leaving Cambodia for Laos. The journey from the Thai Island Koh Chang was nuts. We got picked up in this little mini van that had 14 people in it. We were the last to get picked up so we got stuck in the back seat, crammed with two hung over swedish guys that kept falling asleep on us. It was about an hour drive to the ferry station where we drove straight on and then an hour ride on the ferry. Then we piled back in the van for another 4 hours to the border of Cambodia. They brought us to a restaurant where they tried to sell the tourists overpriced visa's, trying to scare people into buying them for twice the price. I didn't buy it and the guy seemed pissed when I told him I would get my visa "at the border." They make it confusing on purpose. We waited for 3 hours at this restaurant while they ferried 10 people at a time to the actual border. THe group who didn't buy the $40 visas were naturally the last to be taken over. So we got there all the same, paid our $20 for the visa and walked into Cambodia, took a shuttle to the bus station and got on another bus for 3 hours to Siem Reap. Then we had to hire a tuk tuk to take us to our hostel. So 8 am to about 9 pm. It was a long day but it wasn't too bad. I was glad to have company. We stayed at a great hostel in a dormitory and spent about 5 days in Siem reap. We had lots of lazy time and did a little shopping. I had the mishap of my camera being broken, probably because of the humidity. I guess camera's can only work in half the planet. I bought a new one and shipped the old one home. I was still able to take amazing pics of Angkor Wat. We rented bicycles and rode at 4 am to see the sun rise over Angkor Wat. What a cool place!!! I loved it! There are several other temples within quite a large area. Most people hire tuk tuks for $15 but we were to cheap and paid $2 for our bikes. It was sweltering hot and we couldn't cover the ground to see all the temples, but we saw the main ones. Overall I think we must have rode 30 km in boiling heat. It was worth it though. It was fun to ride around on a bike in the crazy traffic. Things just flow here, you don't really stop you just pass through like a little quark. We've had some great food and met some really fun people and some people that you have to ask "why don't you just go home if you hate asia so much?" I went to a yoga studio and since I was the only one there I got a private lesson for $6 from a pretty awesome guy from New York. Talk about sweating! It must have been gallons per day and we struggled to drink enough water. The night markets in Siem Reap are a blast and there are tons of people out eating, drinking, and shopping as soon as it gets dark. Prices aren't that cheap at the foreigner restaurants but if you eat at one of the local stalls you can get noodles and a drink for $2. Cambodia only uses the USD. Its strange to bargain in my own currency and I don 't really care for it.

There are spa's all over and you get get a massage for $3 or a Dr. Fish for $3. THats where you stick your feet in a fish tank and the little fishies nibble all the dead skin off you feet. I had to try it and you can't help but squeel, not only because it tickles but because there are fish eating your feet!!!! It makes your feet nice and soft though.

So I have to disclaim that these pics are all backwards from real time. They cover the time from Siem Reap Cambodia until leaving Cambodia for Laos. The journey from the Thai Island Koh Chang was nuts. We got picked up in this little mini van that had 14 people in it. We were the last to get picked up so we got stuck in the back seat, crammed with two hung over swedish guys that kept falling asleep on us. It was about an hour drive to the ferry station where we drove straight on and then an hour ride on the ferry. Then we piled back in the van for another 4 hours to the border of Cambodia. They brought us to a restaurant where they tried to sell the tourists overpriced visa's, trying to scare people into buying them for twice the price. I didn't buy it and the guy seemed pissed when I told him I would get my visa "at the border." They make it confusing on purpose. We waited for 3 hours at this restaurant while they ferried 10 people at a time to the actual border. THe group who didn't buy the $40 visas were naturally the last to be taken over. So we got there all the same, paid our $20 for the visa and walked into Cambodia, took a shuttle to the bus station and got on another bus for 3 hours to Siem Reap. Then we had to hire a tuk tuk to take us to our hostel. So 8 am to about 9 pm. It was a long day but it wasn't too bad. I was glad to have company. We stayed at a great hostel in a dormitory and spent about 5 days in Siem reap. We had lots of lazy time and did a little shopping. I had the mishap of my camera being broken, probably because of the humidity. I guess camera's can only work in half the planet. I bought a new one and shipped the old one home. I was still able to take amazing pics of Angkor Wat. We rented bicycles and rode at 4 am to see the sun rise over Angkor Wat. What a cool place!!! I loved it! There are several other temples within quite a large area. Most people hire tuk tuks for $15 but we were to cheap and paid $2 for our bikes. It was sweltering hot and we couldn't cover the ground to see all the temples, but we saw the main ones. Overall I think we must have rode 30 km in boiling heat. It was worth it though. It was fun to ride around on a bike in the crazy traffic. Things just flow here, you don't really stop you just pass through like a little quark. We've had some great food and met some really fun people and some people that you have to ask "why don't you just go home if you hate asia so much?" I went to a yoga studio and since I was the only one there I got a private lesson for $6 from a pretty awesome guy from New York. Talk about sweating! It must have been gallons per day and we struggled to drink enough water. The night markets in Siem Reap are a blast and there are tons of people out eating, drinking, and shopping as soon as it gets dark. Prices aren't that cheap at the foreigner restaurants but if you eat at one of the local stalls you can get noodles and a drink for $2. Cambodia only uses the USD. Its strange to bargain in my own currency and I don 't really care for it

This is me buying a new camera after mine died just before I went into Angkor Wat. :(

These are the bones of some of the Cambodians that died with the Phol Pot regime. Very sad. Naturally I found some new spiders in Cambodia

Random temple in Siem Reap Cambodia

$2 dinner on the street. These noodles are delish!

Eline feeling exhausted after our long journey from Koh Chang.

Flying from Siem Reap to Vientiane, Laos. I love these little planes, they are so fast taking off and landing.....especially since there are only two planes at the whole airport :)

This is my last tuk-tuk ride in Cambodia on the way to the airport. Flying was $200 but that beats a 22 hour bus for $50!!! Saves me two days!

More yum yum egg noodles and a very fresh and delicious mango shake.

Random Siem Reap street pic. They sit outside the restaurants and as soon as you pay "you need tuk tuk?"

My favorite meal so far....Indian Thali

This is now known through Cambodia as the "Angelina Jolie Temple" made famous by Tomb Raider. She seems to be their national hero. BOOOOO! It was one of my favorites though with the roots growing through the stone and making a really magical eerie feeling.

Giant spider at the tomb raider temple

Another....

This is the Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom with all the smiling buddha faces. It was fantastic! There were so many chinese tourists at every temple because it was chinese new year. I felt right at home, but Eline was wondering why everyone was so pushy and loud. haha.

Angkor Wat...

Bayon....

Ankor Wat...

Bayon...

We were riding our bicycles through all these temples and parked at each one. It was really fun to experience from bicycle, but it was very hot and humid.

Entrance gate to Ankor Thom....

You could get an elephant ride into the temple for $15 Lunch at Angkor Wat....That is nothing but onion, flavored with beats. It was good, but too many onions. The coconuts werent really good either....kind of a bitter flavor.

These are all out of order. We rode our bikes 7km at 4 a.m. to catch the sun rise over Angkor Wat. It wasn't as shockingly beautiful as I had hoped but it was pretty darn cool. I really loved seeing this temple, it was AMAZING!!!!

Earlier....

This is a sign in the bathroom. I understand 3 of them but I don't get the one with the legs......

Angkor Wat...

Gotta love the self portraits.

Just after sunrise...

Sunrise....

Before sunrise.....

Really detailed carvings on everything....