Pictures
Hired some bikes(2USD a day) to see Angkor Wat, one of the wonders of the world. OK, it's not on the offical list but it is generally considered one of the modern wonders.
It's about a 10km ride to Angkor but the road is flat and the traffic only moderately hectic.
Angkor is nothing short of incredible. Built around 10th century AD (I'll leave it to the Angkor Wat Information pages for a history lesson!) it is at once immense, beautiful and engaging. There are many temples here, spread out about 30 square km. Some of the recetnly discovered ruins have to be seen to be believed. Having been left to rot hundreds of years ago the jungle grew around them and eventually destroyed parts of them but also in other places became almost part of the temple itself. Check out this picture of me from my Angkor gallery for proof.
With India it was forts. With Nepal it was mountains. With Angkor though, I couldn't get bored of this place if I tried.
Just for added effect you get the seranading of the Cicada beetle, a long constant high pitched note that is very eerie.
The young touts that litter the area can be pushy to be sure, but the smiles, the laughing and joking and the interest they show in you (once they realise you won't buy!) is genuine enough. One girl I continually bantered with over 3 days could pull this heartbreaking "Why you not buy from me? You make me so sad..." look until I stared her out and she burst out laughing. She'd clearly forgotten I'd bought some postcards from her the first day and wasn't falling for that one again!
Hooked up with a couple of Chinese-English girls(Teresa and Yvey) and a chap called Michael (from san Fran) for drinks in the evening.
Posted by cmelikian at December 17, 2003 07:21 AM