the ruins of Angkor Wat

the next stop was Siem Reap which is home to Angkor Wat. we were told theseold ruins from about the 9th century (i think) were really impressive and needed at least 2 full days to look around them all. they cover 25 km. so we set of at 6.30 in the morning to make the most of the day, and it was expensive to get in! the first temple was very impressive, intricate carvings were still in tact, showing battles that happened and depicting religious myths. we got a tuk tuk for the day, which drove us around a standard circuit, visiting about 10 ruins. some were temples, there was a royal palace, and other buildings. to be honest, without a guide we were guessing! and unfortunately by the 4th building, they started to look the same, a collection of stones. there were so many tourists there that they took any magic away from it, and the touts were aweful, continuously trying to get us to buy drinks or clothes or scarfs. however one of the last buildings was really nice, as it was further into the trees, and had a pond infront of it. some trees were growing out of the rock in amazing positions, with their roots melting around the stones. it looked quite mystical.
we had finished by 3.30 and went back to get a late lunch at a local restaurant. a bit of shopping in the night bazarre was successful. the Cambodians are friendly people with more English than the Laos. I have also been surprised with how developed the country is, and have enjoyed our brief visit. next we are looking on to Thailand!

the ruins of Angkor Wat

Siem Reap, Cambodia