CAMBODIA II: TEMPLES, TEMPLES AND SOME MORE TEMPLES

The temple, which mum wanted to see, is called Angkor Wat. And then there are thousands more here, more or less similar. To Siam Reap we took a flight from Phnom Penh: after all there is quite a big difference between 50 minutes on the plane and a minimum of six hours on the bus. Plus I don´t enjoy buses anymore.

In the afternoon we went to explore the city a little bit and then tuk tuk took us to the ticket office where mum paid 67 (!) dollars for the three-day pass to the temple area. So many toys I could have had!

We went to see the first temple the same evening and despite the fact it looked like it was going to rain, eventually we enjoyed quite a nice sunset. I didn´t care much but I it was good fun climbing all the old stones, so I tolerated it.

The next morning we met Chantra, or Tom, for the first time. Chantra/Tom was our tuk tuk driver. Mum found him on Tripadvisor and booked him for the whole three days to drive us there and back. I am ashamed of mum a little bit, because she completely ruined his great temple itinerary and required a special treatment for us plus bargained a special price. So every morning Tom picked us up in front of our hotel, took us to one of the temples, which we explored a bit, then drove us back and later in the afternoon undertook it again.

I am not complaining – at least I could enjoy more tuk tuk rides, they are good fun. I was standing on the seat and waving on people, who were passing us on motorcycles. And the temples were just a necessary evil I had to survive. I think that most of all mum enjoyed the first temple – the one with multiple floors and hundreds of smiley Buddhas. For me it was not bad either – mum allowed me to play among stones and I met a Cambodian girl, who gave me some shells.

Ta Prohm, where the Tomb Rider movie was shot and which is being “eaten” by huge trees, was not to be sniffed at either. I think the trees will eventually pull all the towers and walls down and nothing will be left there. So maybe it was not so bad that mum and I managed to have a look at it. Angkor Wat, where I received blessings and a bracelet from Mr. Monk, was goodish as well. What ruined my impression a little bit was that we were not allowed to climb up the highest tribune (too dangerous for kids under 12 apparently) and then I had to get angry with mum, who tried to get rid of me and give me to a woman-guard in order to be able to go there. I was not on speaking terms with her until the evening.

The last day Tom had to stay at home and help his daughter with a school test so his friend Johny picked us up and drove us to the last temple. It was far away and there were too many people taking too many pictures standing in our way. Mum was crazy about it and we rather went for a walk. I am suspect that by then she was sick of the temples as well.

In the evening we had dinner with Ota: Ota is a friend of Jurek, whom mum knows somehow. Ota lives in Siem Reap and his wife is from Thailand. He takes people to the temples as well, particularly early in the morning when it is still pitch dark. It was good fun and I would have stayed a little bit longer but I am already sleepy and we are getting up early tomorrow.

Your Annie

Some facts

When: 2. - 6. 7. 2017 Where: Phnom Penh - Siem Reap (Cambodia) How: plane, tuk tuk

How long: 40 min. + 30 min. (+ a lot of hours on tuk tuk) How far: 235 + 10 = 245 km (+ a lot of km on tuk tuk)