Temples, Temples and More Temples

Even though you read how vast the temples are, it comes as a surprise how many and how big an area it covers.

We left the hotel around 7.30, which was a good thing as it meant we missed the major crowds at Angkor Wat.  That was the first of many we saw, including what has to be the most spectacular, Ta Prohm, made famous by Angelina Jolie with Tomb Raiders.  There were just so many and so much variation - some that had steps up to five levels, others that are on one level but so big.  The tour we did yesterday is what our hotel calls the small tour.  You can include the big tour for a little extra.  We decided to call it a day around 2.30 and do the remaining "big tour" today.  That took us through until lunch time, which we felt was enough for a day.  But again, we found they were so different from the ones we saw yesterday.  

We have paid for a three day pass, so tomorrow we are going to Banteay Srey which is nearly 40 kilometres away.  We quite like going by tuk tuk.  We have a lovely young driver, and you can see so much more from them.  We also found you get a lovely cooling breeze.  

Weatherwise, we have been quite lucky.  No rain yesterday, but cloudy which kept the temperatures down.  Then it absolutely poured down over night, but had stopped by the time we left this morning.  One downpour while we were out, but wonderful timing as it started as we left one temple and had stopped before we reached the next one

Yesterday and today after returning, we headed into the city centre.  Looked around Pub Street and found the cheap beer and cocktails, and today we explored the Old Market.  So many people trying hard to sell you the same things.  We walked through the food section.  We really hope that the restaurants don't buy from the market.  It was very hot and humid in there, and there were great chunks of meat sitting on bamboo mats with flies crawling all over them.

Cambodia seems to be a country of contradictions.  At every temple there are young children who should be at school, trying to sell you $1 postcards.  We can't workout how we have had to pay $40 but they are all in there.  You still see people working in the rice paddies, and we can hire a tuk tuk driver all day for $15.  But every hotel and restaurant has free wifi and it seems like every second shops sells mobile phones.  Every business seems to have a web address and/or Facebook page.  So much modern age mixed with ancient.