"Suostey" Cambodia

We left busy touristy Bangkok by bus to see one of the wonder of the world, Angkor Wat temples in Cambodia. We rode the bus full of tourist for 8 hours cross a chaotic border where tourist are lining to get into the country of the Cambodian Khmer heritage. Buses, wooden wheel cart, casino shuttles and taxi are driving in every directions. The poor cambodian pushes his wheel cart on a dusty road in front of the Las Vegas look a like casino. After driving 10 minutes in a town unbalanced between poverty and money palace, we drove thru empty rice fields to get to the most popular town in the country... Siem Reap. Huge massive newly built hotels welcome you to the Temple town. Then we hit the busy dusty town centre, scooters everywhere, bicycle, wheel cart, wooden houses, new concrete colorful houses, Hotel, restaurants...

Tuk tuk driver offer you a sunset ride to the temple for 5 dollars. Everything works with dollars, even ATMs spit dollars. Before sunset the street are changing faces, lights everywhere, girls walking in high heels on muddy road looking for a charming foreigner prince, beggars all around, kids selling postcards, bracelets, food stands on the walkway, night market...

The market is generally cheaper than Bangkok and much nicer, people are not aggressive. Tintin have his stands, he even went to Cambodge I saw... I'm not so sure about that, I have to check it out. 

We left the hotel at 5 am in a Tuk tuk (a scooter with a home made wooden covered cart in the back). We started by Angkor wat. The entrance cost 20 USD per person for a day.  Tourists are everywhere like ants, I guess that's how it is everywhere recognize as a world wonder, I don't like it but I have to deal with it or find ne wonders... The temple is huge, carvings everywhere, it's beautiful and it's makes you realize how talented and patient were the people in the ancient times. Most of the statues lost their heads but carved walls are still telling stories and woman carvings seems to be alive and dancing... Angkor Thom is the next with elephants caring tourists around. So far it's my favorite temple, hundreds of faces and details, broken colums. 

Check out the picture from our Cambodian trip on the right colums with more details...

Take care

Poema

For more info about Angkor Wat  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat