Klemen propelled rocket - for 2 of the 3 days I visited temples I rented a bike and did about 40 km per day with it, starting at 5 am to catch the sunrise over the temples. Yeah, it was quite exhausting as it is 35 degrees and more out there and a lot of the roads are not in shade. I went through 8 liters of water per day. The question "Cold water sir?" from kids and women selling side by the side of the road were falling on fertile grounds quite often. :)
Through the country side of Cambodia... going to one of the more remote temples.
Kbal Spean - carvings in the river. This is the first thing in the morning and involves 20 min walk through the forest - amazing sounds all around you, thousands of different birds. I was the only one there and I met the first people only when I came back to the main road. The only alive thing bigger than a bug and is not a bird that I saw is on the next photo.
Miss 2+ meter long snake with stripes - don't even want to know which sort it is!
The carvings on top of Banteay Srei which has probably the best carving amongst the temples. Great details and great pinkish colour of the stone.
I ended up with 200+ photos of temples and I will not bore you with them. :) Just the higlights from now on.... but there are loads of temples in different states around the area and cycling from on to another, having a nap and a cold coco in their shade is just brilliant.
Khmer Rouge were very active around this area until late 1990 and some of the temples have been swiped clean of land mines recently. The sign on who cleaned the field is a bit unfortunate...
Beng Mealea is the most Indiana Jones experience. It is far out (70 km) from the main temples and is not visited by many people. I loved climbing the stones and finding my way through the gaps...
After the normal tour a boy trying to earn some money on the side waived me through some cracks... because I loved the ruins I followed him and he showed me a completely different side to it. Simply because we were hiding from the official guides and needed to take tricky paths... loved it!
I went to see a sunrise over a lake and since most people crammed on the remains of a temple I went to sit on the side. A few children tried to sell me something but cause I was joking around with them they staid and others followed. Tourists were happy they had peace and I was happy simply cause they are so open and friendly. Children are awake at 5 each morning to come and sell stuff at the sunrise before going to school. But Cambodia lives on a different time anyway... everyone is out and about very early. And they simply don't understand why us westerns stay up so late... there is nothing to do after night falls! Plus I was told that westerns like drinking beer too much ( I only had one small beer since coming to Cambodia!) and girls complained to me about how western girls dress - that it is completely inappropriate to have such shirt trousers and sleeveless shirts !
Girls took charge of my camera and had a photo session
After school it is time to...
... make a half hearted attempt to sell something to any tourist around and then hang your bag on the tree, strip my the side of the lake and jump in... and play and play! Until I shared a piece of a chocolate with the boy sitting next to me. I gave him 3 pieces and he run to the lake to share it with friends. It was not 10 seconds when they were all out of the lake and the chocolate vanished...
Lara was here... Lara Croft that is (although I have a slight suspicious another Lara was here as well). This place is featured in the Tomb Raider movie when apparently the floor below gives way and she falls into whatever she falls into :)
The entry gates to Angkor Thom... spectacular
Traffic jam to get through
A bit of carvings... the destructive dance
Carvings give detailed descriptions of life in that period. Women giving birth on bottom left
Sunrise to happen over Angkor Wat - the most famous of the temples and supposedly the biggest religious building in the world. It is phenomenal as a whole, but piece by piece other temples offer more... at least for me.
The sun path goes directly over the top and the entry and exit paths of the temple on the equinox. As we are not quite there yet I had to cheat a little :)
The famous towers in shape of closed lotus buds.
Culinary experience: - bugs for a snack on the bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap - frogs for dinner at a stall next to the road. and not just the legs.... whole frog! the upper part is a bit mushy
Some of you were asking for photos with me.... tadaaaaa... not shaven! :)
How hot it is? This is my T-shirt after a normal day... not cycling! You can imagine what the white line on my back is (i usually carry my small backpack with me) :)
