(Read 'em 'n weep, in) Siem Reap...

The day after Angkor, we rose early in attempt to catch a bus on to the next locale -- we'd done enough temples in one day for what felt like a lifetime, and we felt ready to conquer a new locale. So much moving, all the time. We really didn't set up our idea of "Southeast Asia" with the freedom to relax and stay put much. Always needed to reach certain destinations by certain dates.. bought our visas to each country in advance (which locks you to a date). Now that we are more learn-ed from our first traveling adventures, we would keep things much more open ended with permission to stay and relax More on that during my over-all musings blog of the travels, which is to come (if you can believe in it).

After many attempts to book a bus out, we realized we hadn't planned ahead and our "gooses were cooked", as they say. So we resigned ourselves to the idea of a day in the tourist city of restaurants and knife swallowers. We switched from our nice "expensive" ($15/night) hotel to a cheaper (and still not bad, private bath, cable tv, etc) room and set about meandering:

If I'm being honest, dear reader (that may or may not exist at this point)... everything written until this point was written almost a year ago. And now I'm having trouble remembering the days, which is why I began my first ever blog to begin with. I have always had serious trouble remembering the events in my life, which is also why I click them cameras so often (although have little interest in buying a fancy camera or learning "how" to photograph). Luckily, my traveling companion has a brain quite capable of remembering events to the tiniest detail, and has offered to assist me with this project. I waited so long, essentially giving up on remembering it and completing this blog to any real satisfaction... but even though the trip is now two years past, once I reach the end (and share a few video blogs for your entertainment) I will hopefully feel a slight sense of pride and completion. They do say better late than never, don't they. Although they probably don't mean "take two years off and then finish your last few tasks once the world has lost interest", but I digress.

After the second day of touristing the city, (I remember I haggled my Cambodia shirt down from around $5 American to $3, which felt like far more of a difference then and there than it does now... but it's my favorite shirt, and it's gotten more use than all of my Southeast Asian-made-but-expensively-American-bought-at-Target garbage). I believe we bought our ticket out of town from our guesthouse fellow for the following morning, and watched some of "Monsters Vs Aliens" I believe it must have been?

Alrighty, "Reader". I made some notes from the companion with the magic mind for memory. We found a canned stout called "Black Panther" which was extremely cheap ($1?) and delicious, and higher alcohol content than you usually find out there (8%!). We got a bit drunk and (apparently) grouchy. These things happen. Trying Travel Times, you know. We had a TERRIBLE dinner at a sidewalk eatery.Which may have been the cause of the unfortunate scientific happenings the following few days .. (the rest of this blog may not be for those afraid of knowing about unfortunate scientific happenings.)

Next Day. Wake up. We eat in the 2nd floor of a BEAUTIFUL restaurant with a lovely view of the city: 

 

I am told we ordered coffee, which hit KG first in that scientifically unfortunate way it can have -- especially when traveling. So, I stay and pay the bill while the coffee claims its first victim. The second strike soon to follow. After sad belly times, we board a terrifying rickety bus .. we initially thought we'd be riding in it all the way to Battambang. A horrible prospect, especially for crummy tummies. Luckily, this bus stops at giant bus station where we are supposed to wait for our real bus. So we wait. .  . FOR HOURS. During which time, we got to watch a Cambodian fight break out. Quite a to-do for a few minutes, we'll never know why.

We buy little belly friendly seeming snacks at a vendor and we take our Imodium, dreading the upcoming bus ride more and more. Before the magic pink pill kicks in, we luckily are still not stuck on a bus and must therefore utilize the AWFUL bus station squat toilet.

On my way in, I am halted at the door by a .. shall we say... "shady" family. A scary man, wife, and child. They say I can't go in until I pay them. I only have a bigger bill than I should, and awkwardly transfer it to their hands as quickly as I can while rushing in.

And then, "A Miserable Bus Ride" recalls Kevin. When we get to a stop half way on the side of the road, there were perhaps the "crappiest" squat toilets we'd seen yet. But luckily, the magic pink pill is just that. Magic. Don't. Travel. Abroad. Without it.

And on to Battambang.............

[POST SCRIPT: Yes...  All my companion had to remind me about was the unfortunate science that went on around this time. You can always rely on him to hang on to the best bits.]

Angkor Excursion

So. I will preface this story with the following: there are two ways to experience the Temples of Angkor.
1.) The smart way, driven by tuk-tuk to the many temples, in 1-3 days.
2.) The adventurous way, biking from the city to the village and through all of the many kilometers of temples, from before 6AM until well after 6PM.
We chose option two!

THE ANGKOR DAY:
We awoke not long after 5am, preparing for the big event. We grouchily arose and were soon ready to seek out an early morning bike rental. It seemed we were up earlier than staff members would have hoped, and the sorting out of bike renting took a bit longer than expected. We waited for the tires to be pumped and rode off as the dawn slowly began to break. As soon as we'd payed our fee ($2 each?) we were off to the ancient city. When we arrived (maybe a 20 minute ride later) and bought the one day pass, I sought out the nearest seller of iced coffee before widening my eyes to appreciate the historical beauty:

We first entered Angkor Wat, shortly after 6am. Here are photographs that speak thousands of words!

After Angkor Wat, we had a mini meal break -- with my assertive new friend "kitten":

Then venturing on our bikes to the next temple, Angkor Tom. (It's upwards of 90 degrees now, and we're feeling it):

It was beautiful and majestic. 

And it. Was. Hot. 

We'd already gone through 4 ginormous bottles of water with electrolyte packs in them, and we seemed to sweat it out as quicker than we drank it. 

We stopped for a brief lunch in a tent eating area, the food was surprisingly bad and the children peddled tremendously throughout the meal. Angkor Wat is quite a location for some tourist jackpot. 

One young peddler girl was particularly persistent.

Girl: Hello, sir and lady. I know capitol of any state in America. You ask me, I get right, you buy my bracelet. What state you live in lady?

Me: Illinois.

Girl: Ok, lady from Illinois. You buy my bracelet. I tell you capitol of Illinois.

Me: No thank you.

Girl: Please, lady from Illinois. Mister from Illinois, buy girl my bracelet. I name you any capitol.

After the meal full of awkward conversation with many adorable children salespeople between bites, we were ready to perservere through the immense heat and exhaustion beginning to break through our positive psyche. Patience and excitement began to wear thinner.

But persevere we must, so you better believe we hopped right back on those bicycles and explored almost all of the temples in that one sticky day, like a couple of crazies.

She asked us for candy. We gave her superhero band-aids.

Outside the temples, there were always locals selling their wares. I was interested in a fancy Angkor scarf a girl had, and as soon as the interest sparkled in my eye and the purpose in my step slowed, I was swarmed by 6 or 7 women hoping and expecting if I purchased one thing I could purchase 6 others. It was an intense moment of flailing before I bought a scarf from one and a bottle of water from another -- how do you choose the water saleswoman? Well, I left at least 4 unhappy faces believing I'd chosen wrong.
We quickly hopped atop our bicycles and continued the journey.

KG made me do it.

 By the last temple, end of the line, (you know the one, where Angelina Jolie shot Tomb Raider), we realized the sun that had risen so long ago would begin it's speedy descent any minute. Realizing also how very much further we had to bike back to the hotel in the dark, down the one unlit street through the ancient temples in the jungle. (Unlit roads through ancient temples in the jungle are exactly where mosquitoes like to hang out and try to find delicious American Tourist blood to snack on, apparently).

We survived another Suicidal Southeast Asian ride, and thankfully were able to wash our feet before 7.

Next up. Siem Reap.

We awoke and headed to the bus, where I snapped this picture whilst waiting.

 

We board the bus and gear up for the 5,349,453rd journey (or so it felt.) We were sad to say goodbye to the charming village of Kratie. Memorable memories were made. 

It treated us well and we were always unsure of what the next location would bring.

We rode the bus for around six hours, stopping at charming family owned rest stops along the way. We bought something similar to fried balls of dough and potatoes, some sort of fried ball of delicious mystery and intrigue. Giant bag for somewhere around a dollar! Along with some beautiful fresh sliced pineapple for the road. 

When the bus rolled up to its final destination, we were quickly amidst the most intense de-bus-ing experience of the entire trip.  There were dozens of tuk-tuk men all around us, literally pawing at us and pulling our arms in each direction. The bus (ingeniously) drops its passengers off several miles (1 million kilometers, for those of you who have inferior conversion skills) away from the tourist haven of hotels and restaurants.

So all the drooly gents knew we'd simply HAVE to choose to ride with ONE of them. 

After our first profoundly unfortunate tuk tuk experience, we were always skeptical of accepting rides and chose to walk and seek hotels on our own. We were intensely pressured and being yelled at ("best price!" "I have map!" "See my hotel?" "Cheap ride!") from each direction. 

We took too long in our paralyzed awkward uncomfortable state and gave them all more reason to paw and smile and fight to the death. After we awoke from our paralysis, we tried to choose a gent who touched us the least. 

The ride through the dusty streets of Nowhereville, Cambodia lasted far longer than we'd expected. Our wily driver also kept insisting "Hotel you want to stay in is full. I will take you to place I know." Which was a scam we'd read about. (Wherein your driver lies about full hotels and takes you to a place he has struck up a deal with instead).. We insisted on being dropped of at our chosen destination -- though as it turned out he was right and the hotel was full.
Nevertheless, we had chosen a place in a central location... glad to be rid of our transport. Yet: the wily driver followed us after we departed his tuk-tuk, payed him and began to wander the surprisingly affluent tourist infested downtown. Tuk-Tuk Driver Man kept insisting on driving us to his hotel, which we declined as we tried to speed-walk our way out of his grasp.

Eventually, we lost our persistent new friend. Siem Reap was bustling with tourists and all things that cater to them. It was the most developed, expensive, and fancy of all the down-towns we'd visited.
And George Clooney was on a billboard!

Fun Condom Billboard

There was a short strip for pedestrians of shop upon shop and restaurant, and we took in all the sights -- frequently the sight of the kitschy pleasure of a tank filled with fish that nibble on your toes. Fish massage, a few dollars for twenty minutes of silliness. Lots of giggles were had by all the fancy western children and their parents.

Bat Mobile Tuk Tuk. Tourists eat that shit up! (Or so they hope)

Puppy in a Box

Mick Jagger ate here. It was good.

We enjoyed dinner on the street filled with the hub-bub of the western world, at the same restaurant Mick Jagger ate at once upon a time.

We called it an early night.... the infamous sleep-in-ers we are, we needed some early beauty rest if we were to beat the sun to Angkor the next morning.

Although the adventures in Siem Reap area continue, we'll leave that epic tale for the next blog. It'll be available speedier than this one was, say I. Cheers to you, friend. I'll tell you all about the temples and the biking and the rest of it real soon.