We started our day with breakfast in our hotel before heading out on our bike tour. Pickup was 7:15 AM. We enjoyed the beautiful lobby for a bit before being picked up in a flatbed :)
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| Charting the course... |
After getting fitted with our two tandem bikes and one mountain bike, we headed off for the 15 mile ride. Caden and Lily took turns on the tandem.
The traffic is insane! We had to jockey in to position with the trucks and mopeds. No photos of this, as I couldn't hold my phone and maneuver through it, but it was intense! We quickly realized that the key to survival was to act like you knew what you were doing, and that you didn't mind that you were flanked by motorized vehicles. Phew!
Our first stop was spotting fruit bats hanging from the trees in the park. Look at the branches with blue sky behind them to see the tear drop sized shapes that are not leaves, but bats.
Next we traveled on to pick up our passes for entry to World Heritage site Angkor Wat. This amazing temple was built between 1111 - 1152 and is believed to be the largest religious structure in the world. The temple was built to represent Mt. Meru, "the Mt. Olympus of the Hindu faith and the abode of ancient gods." According to the carvings around the exterior corridor of the temple that depict the history, the building of Andkor Wat involved 300,000 workers and 6,000 elephants. And did I mention it is surrounded by a moat?!?
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| Some of the workers clearing grass from the water |
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| One of the five entry gates to the temple |
It looked a bit precarious, but we were invited to use this as our entry point. We scrambled up the steps and began our journey. Worth noting that we were with one other family on the bike trip. They are from Amsterdam. Their two boys were 11 and 6. We exchanged details and will hopefully see then again soon! We all had 90 minutes to explore before meeting back.
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| An alter inside the gate |
We walked up a dirt rode to the main temple building. The building is expansive and you are free to wander. There are many temple buildings scattered throughout the grounds too.
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| We had this small temple building to ourselves, so we did a few goofy shots :) |
And we're off...
These sweet little kids were hanging out while their parents were working the grounds nearby.
The details within the temples are incredible. The history was recorded along the walls. There are also a few alters throughout.
The temple has over 3,000 asparas (heavenly nymphs) carved into the temple.
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| Love this photo of a monk taking a picture for these two young women |
Back where we left our bikes, we enjoyed some fresh coconuts at what appears to be a camp where some locals live. There are hammocks throughout, kids running about chasing dogs, and open fires cooking food that families are eating together. We had coconuts and did a little shopping.
Next we biked around the moat to head towards our next temple and to bike on the city wall.
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| Water buffalo at one of the homes we passed. Caden declared he would prefer to be a dairy cow :) |
It started to rain as we approached the Bayon Temple. It felt glorious!
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There are 54 faces carved into the rock, meant to represent the different provinces in the 1100's when this was being built. Our guide told us the population at the time was over 1 million people, compared to London with only 60,000 people. All of the faces have slightly different expressions.
We removed our shoes to enter this Buddhist alter. The burning incense was magical.
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| On the walk back I had to steal a pick of this tuk-tuk driver resting in the hammock he fastened inside his tuk-tuk! |
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| A baboon-like monkey checking out the grounds. |
We then biked a short distance to lunch. Our guide recommended this Cambodian favorite - Amok Curry. Unbelievable! Corey had the Prahok - fermented fish. Very salty, but he enjoyed it!
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| Prahok |
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Amok Curry
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| Trying to capture the kitchen in the background. Amazing what they can turn out! |
After lunch we headed for home, taking some time to enjoy the monkeys along the way.
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| We drove by the marathon set up. Pretty cool to see it in action! |
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| Our new frieneds - Marlo, Mark, Perterbus, and Spetz? |
We hopped in a tuk-tuk for our ride back. We still love the tuk-tuk, but definitely a different experience when you are on dirt roads laden with large potholes. Bangkok was more of tuk-tuk racing...which just to remind the readers, I WON FOUR TIMES :) Joking. Couldn't resist.
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| Had get a picture of Lily's curl horns - which were more like little Medusa snakes after our humid ride. |
We did a quick rinse, put on our suits, and RAN to the pool - where we stayed the rest of the day :)
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| Five underwater stools at the pool bar. Providential. |
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| These kids have the life! |
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| Cheers to my cute boys! |
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| Absolutely NO BUMBING! Ever! |
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| Corey and his new friend Peter - another Perth-er. |
We had dinner at the hotel again. The food is great and there is both Western and Asian dishes. Then we headed out to the Night Market and Pub Street. First stop - rolled ice cream.
We found a vendor selling snake on a stick, which Lily had researched before heading to Cambodia and had expressed a full commitment to trying. The tarantula and the scorpion were lower down on the list. Unfortunately we were all too full...
These little cuties asked if we wanted to hold their spiders. No joke. We all thought they must have been fake. So Corey picked one up, and surprise, totally real! They said they do not bite '_'
Prices here are crazy cheap! The beer is indeed cheaper than water. I did not go on any benders...but only because the marathon is just a day away :) (gulp!)!
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| This photo is dedicated to Micki. True conversation when we were at a bar in Thailand - Micki holding a Tiger beer asked, "How do you say Tiger"? The Thai bartender responded, "Tiger". Pronouncing it just how any you say Tiger in English. :) |
The kids have been tempted by the fish massages, which avid Little Angst blog readers would recall we tried in Greece a few years ago. In Greece it was $15 for 15 minutes. Here is is $1 for unlimited. Although their marketing tagline could uses a little work...
Live music was everywhere. This crew was singing some good American hits, and were joined by a talented little guy who was helping his dad, who did not have any legs, make bracelets. Then the kids hopped on the stage and joined the choreography of the singers. Caden commented as we walked away, "One of the things unique and cool about Asia is that the kids have big jobs and help the parents." Great insight, and very cool observation.
Tomorrow is a full-on relax day to prepare the marathon Sunday. We have facials, massages, and pool time planned :)
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