Day 1- We stayed at Channa's Angkor Homestay, which was about a 10 minute tuk-tuk ride from Siem Reap city. It was a nice spot away from the noise and traffic of the city. We called for a tuk-tuk to take us to Siem Reap for supper.
Day 2-We made arrangements for Tou, our tuk-tuk driver, to pick us up and start the temple tours. The first temple was very small inside the temple and so crowded that you couldn't move. It was like walking amoung a herd of water buffalo. the outside was beautiful.
We then took about a 45 minute ride outside of town to a sacred mountain. We hiked up the mountain, about an hour hike, and at the top there was a river. Buddhas and other scared symbols were carved into the stones in the river.
Stoved that was carved into the rocks on the side of the river.
Country side along the way to the mountain.
Back to town and supper and that ended our day of touring.
Day3- We had Tou take us out into the country side where we got on a boat and traveled up the river to see the floating villages.
Our boat driver up the river was 12 years old. He quit school so he could drive the boat to earn money to help support his family.
The children go to a floating school. They were just getting out for the day. Most of the students rowed themselves to school and hitched there boats to the outside of the school building. Some students paddled to school while others took the floating school bus, big boat in picture.
This is the school house. Each building was for a specific grade or two.
A group of kids going home.
Our boat driver stopped and picked these kids up. They tied their boat to our boat and rode with us to their village. They paddle their boat about an hour each way to get to school.
A family relocating their house. They just tie a rope to the house and pulled it up the river by a boat.
On the way back from the boat trip we stopped at a silk weaving farm.
Silk worm moths lay eggs and eggs turn into larva in 12 days.
Silk worms eat mulberry leaves for 12 days and then form cocoons.
After 12 days the cocoons are spun and they are left in the sun to dry. This kills the worm inside, otherwise the worm would hatch destroy the silk strands.
Silk worm cocoons are boiled in water and the silk strands removed and spun onto large spools.
They use natural and man made dyes to dye the silk and then it is hand woven into cloth., shawls, table runners, etc.
A silk dress. The bottom yellow things are silk worm cacoons.
Hello Jane and Charlie! I absolutely love reading your blog. So interesting. If you are still in Siem Reap here is a .link to my friend's restaurant - http://www.siemreappost.com/losteria/. I think it is quite expensive by Cambodia standards but no doubt would be very good, though I am sure you did not go all the way to Cambodia to eat Italian food! Our friend is Steve and just tell him Lindol and Corky sent you. He would be thrilled to see an acquaintance of an acquaintance! He also works with kids (his primary love) at this organization- https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/educating-120-street-working-children-in-cambodia/. He is a super guy and has been living as a transplant from Burlington for a few years now. Keep writing! I will keep reading.
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