Exploring Siem Reap

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Well we hit a few temples and the royal palace. I feel that the Emerald Buddha sums up Bangkok in that they had covered the Buddha with plaster to stop it being stolen.  By accident, many years later, an abbot chips the Buddha’s nose and notices that it is green underneath. The abbot believes that he has discovered that the Buddha is Emerald and no one questions this until they work out years later that it is jade. Is it normal for abbots to chip  statue noses?

Bangkok is centred around shopping and wats (temples) and not much else. So once you have sorted out wats what it was time to move on. There was the Tramit Wat which houses a gold Buddha weighing 5.5 tonnes, which was also covered in plaster to stop theft until it was dropped whilst moving and discovered to be gold.

I might have to push a few Buddhas around to see if they all have gold in.  We also saw a reclining Buddha, which was impressive. Now waiting to find a hammock Buddha.

Found 3 caches around the temples.

Had a lovely Chinese dinner on the 34^th floor in Hotel. We were the only ones there and ordered a Brandy Alexander.  After half an hour a pink cocktail turned up with an unknown mixture of alcohol. Michael is sticking to beer.

Up at 4.15am to catch the 5:55 train from Bangkok to Aranya Prathet for Cambodia. Lovely third class trip in a non air-conditioned carriage and learned how to open the window. You have one person outside holding the carriage destination sign (about the size of a number plate) and this get placed on the lower edge of the window- sill to be opened. Then person on the inside holds the top of the window towards them to unlock it and then the person outside bangs like mad on the window and down it goes. Lovely 6 hour trip meeting the locals and sharing biscuits with some young boys that could make them last half an hour each with their pet fish in tow.

Arrived at Aranya Prathet and then took a tuk tuk to the border to cross over to Poipet. Michael looked funny with his knees around his ears on the ride. Crossing the border was easy and managed to avoid the scammers and vendors. On the other side proceeded to the bus to travel to Siem Reap. Upon arrival another tuk Tuk to the Angkor Rivieria Hotel, lovely place with air- conditioning and pool which is a must as it so hot here. Tuk tuk driver seemed ok so we have kept him on to take us around. So we now have Tony the tuk tuk driver and Michael is trying his Khmer on him.

 

We haves so far seen Angkor Thom (Banyon Temple 

 

 and Baphuon, Elephant Terrace, Leper King) - very impressive, Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, 

 Banteay Srei, Pre Rup. They are all amazing buildings considering their age and how they have survived. Wonderful architecture and design on the walls with thousands of intricate carvings.

Currency is a bit confusing as everything is quoted in USD, but change is given in local Riel currency (KHR). But you can pay using both at the same time with 4000 = 1 USD. Michael thinks Vera would love to build a till for this system.

Food has been good and the shopping would be great, but Michael keeps saying we have to carry it for the next 6 months so I can’t buy anything.  The Cambodian handcrafts are amazing and absolutely beautiful.