Beware of the Land Mines
Eric has his own sight. To see more photos check out
www.livejournal.com/~ericdyer/
Since we didn’t see any of these famed freshwater dolphins in Laos, we headed to Kratie, the best spot on the Mekong to catch a sight of these rare creatures.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/2504/dsc044274yb.jpg
Now to the main attraction….
Our bus to Siem Reap made a stop in Skun where we feasted on fried tarantulas. Now that’s good eatin’.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/2222/dsc044310yq.jpg
When we finally arrived in Siem Reap, we checked into a lavish 20 dollar-a-night hotel. We quickly made friends with members of the staff and some of the locals…the ones that weren’t trying to grift us. Ironically, our favorite tuk-tuk driver went by the name Mr. Kan(pronounced con)
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/9523/dsc044496cg.jpg
But to save money once in awhile, we cycled around the city ourselves. On one occasion, we got a bit turned around and ended up discovering a cock-fight hosted by the locals.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/545/dsc044429fy.jpg
The next day, we began touring the world-renowned temples. We couldn’t even get past the front gate of Angkor City without shooting a few pictures. Worse than the Japanese, I tells ya.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/9396/dsc044988ui.jpg
Once through the gates, we made the climb to the top of a mountain temple just in time to see the sunset. We would’ve made it up sooner if we hadn’t taken an elephant path where we were constantly dodging those charging pachyderms.
The following day was even more laidback as we nonchalantly arranged for Mr. Kan to drive us around Angkor and hit the main temples. We first saw Bayon, filled with monks and incidentally, many bayons, four-faced all-seeing sculptures.
The subsequent temple was Ta Prohm, the jungle temple. Overtaken my forest growth, its characteristic scenery added a mystical quality.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/8674/dsc045253fy.jpg
Finally we reached the tourist-ridden Angkor Wat.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/279/dsc045446uk.jpg
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/9351/p61500481oo.jpg
The climb to the top of the human anthill was almost completely vertical, separating the men from the boys.. http://img113.exs.cx/img113/145/langkorsteps4hr.jpg
But the view of the ancient world was worth the ascent.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/857/dsc045529ok.jpg
The dawning of a new day brought us renewed strength. We woke before the roosters(and most of the other tourists) and headed to the main temple once again to catch an amazing sunrise.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/2629/dsc046151rq.jpg
We then toured more of the obscure temples and met many more monks.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/7940/english30632ns.jpg
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/2465/english30937el.jpg
Before heading back to the pool for an afternoon swim, we had to see our primate relatives. I almost lost a finger while feeding the evil monkeys while Ed melted their cold hearts with a warm island song.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/5342/dsc046725cv.jpg
The next day we rented bikes, and headed for the city complex of Angkor. The first temple we saw was great. There were very few westerners and only three children harassed us to buy useless goodies… such as flutes.
Ed emptied his pockets because he has trouble saying no to cute girls.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/5016/dsc046860cs.jpg
And I toppled a guardian zuul. Take that Gozer the traveler!
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/1707/angkorlastday0088om.jpg
Ta Som was the next temple we stumbled upon with a great tree ripping apart the outer archway.
http://img88.exs.cx/img88/67/46ro.jpg
Before leaving Siem Reap, we visited Angkor one last time.
http://img88.exs.cx/img88/1284/58mh.jpg
Now to Phnom Pen; the killing fields and the brutal history of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pots Lunacy. Eric already is updating his site with the pics and truths from this visit… I will not be putting them on mine. So make sure to check it out. www.livejournal.com/~ericdyer
www.livejournal.com/~ericdyer/
Since we didn’t see any of these famed freshwater dolphins in Laos, we headed to Kratie, the best spot on the Mekong to catch a sight of these rare creatures.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/2504/dsc044274yb.jpg
Now to the main attraction….
Our bus to Siem Reap made a stop in Skun where we feasted on fried tarantulas. Now that’s good eatin’.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/2222/dsc044310yq.jpg
When we finally arrived in Siem Reap, we checked into a lavish 20 dollar-a-night hotel. We quickly made friends with members of the staff and some of the locals…the ones that weren’t trying to grift us. Ironically, our favorite tuk-tuk driver went by the name Mr. Kan(pronounced con)
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/9523/dsc044496cg.jpg
But to save money once in awhile, we cycled around the city ourselves. On one occasion, we got a bit turned around and ended up discovering a cock-fight hosted by the locals.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/545/dsc044429fy.jpg
The next day, we began touring the world-renowned temples. We couldn’t even get past the front gate of Angkor City without shooting a few pictures. Worse than the Japanese, I tells ya.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/9396/dsc044988ui.jpg
Once through the gates, we made the climb to the top of a mountain temple just in time to see the sunset. We would’ve made it up sooner if we hadn’t taken an elephant path where we were constantly dodging those charging pachyderms.
The following day was even more laidback as we nonchalantly arranged for Mr. Kan to drive us around Angkor and hit the main temples. We first saw Bayon, filled with monks and incidentally, many bayons, four-faced all-seeing sculptures.
The subsequent temple was Ta Prohm, the jungle temple. Overtaken my forest growth, its characteristic scenery added a mystical quality.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/8674/dsc045253fy.jpg
Finally we reached the tourist-ridden Angkor Wat.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/279/dsc045446uk.jpg
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/9351/p61500481oo.jpg
The climb to the top of the human anthill was almost completely vertical, separating the men from the boys.. http://img113.exs.cx/img113/145/langkorsteps4hr.jpg
But the view of the ancient world was worth the ascent.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/857/dsc045529ok.jpg
The dawning of a new day brought us renewed strength. We woke before the roosters(and most of the other tourists) and headed to the main temple once again to catch an amazing sunrise.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/2629/dsc046151rq.jpg
We then toured more of the obscure temples and met many more monks.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/7940/english30632ns.jpg
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/2465/english30937el.jpg
Before heading back to the pool for an afternoon swim, we had to see our primate relatives. I almost lost a finger while feeding the evil monkeys while Ed melted their cold hearts with a warm island song.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/5342/dsc046725cv.jpg
The next day we rented bikes, and headed for the city complex of Angkor. The first temple we saw was great. There were very few westerners and only three children harassed us to buy useless goodies… such as flutes.
Ed emptied his pockets because he has trouble saying no to cute girls.
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/5016/dsc046860cs.jpg
And I toppled a guardian zuul. Take that Gozer the traveler!
http://img226.exs.cx/img226/1707/angkorlastday0088om.jpg
Ta Som was the next temple we stumbled upon with a great tree ripping apart the outer archway.
http://img88.exs.cx/img88/67/46ro.jpg
Before leaving Siem Reap, we visited Angkor one last time.
http://img88.exs.cx/img88/1284/58mh.jpg
Now to Phnom Pen; the killing fields and the brutal history of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pots Lunacy. Eric already is updating his site with the pics and truths from this visit… I will not be putting them on mine. So make sure to check it out. www.livejournal.com/~ericdyer