Temple Tours January 25

Day 3

We did some temple touring and in the late afternoon we hiked up a mountain to watch the sun set from a temple.

At the top of the temple.

The crowd waiting for the sun to set. What a bummer, the sky clouded over and there was no sunset to see. We all climbed down from the temple and walked down the hill.

There was a Cambodian Circus performing in Siem Reap so we bought tickets for tonights show. This circus was started by a group of young men who had been prisoners of the Pol Pot Regime. Their goal is to help the poor children  get an education and teach them skills so they can get a job and get out of a life of poverty. The children go to a school that is run by this group and learn how to do acrobats and put on performances.  

The theme of their show was bullying. It was an incredible performance. 

Day 4 We spent today visiting the major temples.

First stop Angkor Wat. It is unbelievable how anyone could build such a huge complex. The temple complex was used only for cermonies and worshipping and no one lived there, except the monks who took care of the buildings. 

One of the entry ways into Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat

Carving on a wall.

Next stop a visit to Ta Prohm temple.

Angelina Jolie filmed the movie "Tomb Raiders" here. The temple is under renovation and will eventually be restored. This was our last night in Siem Reap. 

We took the bus to Phnom Penh in the morning and got a hotel for the night.

Lunch stop on the way to Phnom Penh.

Our last supper with Jon.

Safe travels, as Jon heads off in a tuk-tuk to the airport to catch his ride home.

Siem Reap, January 24

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.

Channa's Angkor Homestay

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.

A floating house.

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.

Siem Reap- January 23

We booked a ride on a bus for Siem Reap. We were picked up at our hotel in Phnom Penh, and left for the six hour bus ride. The bus was a small 14 passenger bus and they were able to pack in more than 14 people with luggage stored all around us. Not a very comfortable ride.

Our minibus to Siem Reap.

Lots of water buffalo everywhere.

To bad Charlie didn't have enough room to put his arm inside!!

Most of the houses along the way looked like these.

A little snake for lunch? We didn't try this selection of snake.

Local stop for lunch. 

Finally made it to Siem Reap and hired a tuk-tuk driver to take us to Channan's Angkor Homestay. 

Tou, our tuk-tuk driver.