Back in the saddle...

I managed to get up and out today, feeling 10 times better than yesterday, and we took an amazing drive in our little tuk-tuk through the Cambodian countryside on the way to some of the more remote temples. It was great to see rural life, rather than tourism life in Cambodia. Rice fields, coconut trees and cattle were everywhere. The locals were eating breakfast outside their houses and the children were generally excited to see westerners. When our tuk-tuk started rattling loudly, we pulled over and were instantly met by a herd of kids under 6, who just wanted to say hello and didn't have anything to sell! They were very cute. When Ti-Ti (the driver) pulled over a second time to fix the problem, a local family were laughing at us hysterically, thinking it was the funniest thing ever that we had broken down. Or else they were making rude jokes about us to each other. It was a pretty funny situation.

The minature temple we saw first was amazing. Banteay Srei is dated back to the 10th Century and is known as the Citadel of women - a temple dedicated to Shiva. It has tiny doorways and amazing intricate carving in pink sandstone. We were up early, so beat the crowds and were able to wander comfortably around the site.

We didn't even know the name of the second temple we saw, but it was impressive too (can you tell I was already templed out by now?) It was quite remote and saw very few tourists. This was reflected in the local women and children's desperation for our business. The children earnestly pleaded for us to buy their goods, making the prices ridiculously low (I had clearly been ripped off in my previous souvenir purchases!) It is so difficult to resist.

The last temple was Ta Prohm, the famous temple that has been overgrown by the jungle. Huge tree roots snake over the ruins, creating an impressive effect. This is the place made famous by Tomb Raider. I was really keen on seeing this temple, but our arrival coincided with the arrival of about 10 Japanese and Korean tourist buses, so there were literally thousands of people trying to enjoy the maze like temple, which made it difficult to do. The crowds were so thick that we found an alternative route through the ruins (possibly one that was out of bounds) in order to make our way out. I can imagine that it would have been easy to become lost in!

After a lunch of noodle soup, and more purchases of crappy souvenirs that I do not need, I came back to town and began to explore it a bit more. It would be the most beautiful place, if not for the rubbish in the river. There are tall, green trees that hang over the water, and monks in orange robes walk serenely by. The grass is green and pretty sculptures align it. Mind you, the colour of the river did remind me of the Yarra!

Tonight is Chris and Susie's last night in town, so we'll have a fun night out. I have two more days in Siem Reap. I hope to explore the town tomorrow and then perhaps the surrounding villages.