Temples Galore!!

I left Phnom Penh on a 6 hour $6 bus to Siem Reap and the Angkor Wat Temple Complex. I arrived to my tuk-tuk driver holding the sign "KIMDERLY". Yes, with a D. Hahahaha! His name was Migra (I think??) and his motorbike had trouble starting, trouble with the horn, and didn't go very fast. But he was super nice, despite the fact that I couldn't really understand a word of his English and when I would talk, he would just repeat the last few words I said. We worked it out along the way!


Anyway, Siem Reap is a little, comfy tourist town just south of the Temple Complex. I watched the sunset from the Bahkeng temple on the hill, sunrise at Angkor Wat, and then made my way around to the other major temples. It's kind of complicated to explain, so if you want to go to the Wikipedia page you can probably get a good idea .




It's amazing - these temples were built from the 9th century to the 13th century and then were largely "lost" when the Angkorian peoples declined, until a French explorer "rediscovered" them in the 1800s. One temple is covered in vegetation with trees coming up through the walls and growing all around it!


I also rented a bike one day and rode further out to a different set of temples called Roluos. Riding the bike on the road here was an interesting experience! I put in almost 70 kms on this nanna cruiser bike (no Mom, I didn't wear a helmet because they didn't have any).

(Yes Mom, I took this while riding!!)

The only negatives about this temple complex are the other tourists (of course) and the men, women, and kids trying to sell you everything or give you a ride. Seriously, I think Cambodia is the worst I've experienced. Everywhere you go it's "hellooooo ladeeeeeeee. you buy something." Or whistles, shouts, claps at you from the tuk-tuk drivers if you are walking somewhere. They HOUND YOU and follow you all the way up to the temples. I don't think I've said "No thank you" so many times in my life!!



Aside from that, I've really enjoyed my time in Cambodia. The food is delicious (and cheap!), the people are always smiling, the weather is fantastic, and the country is beautiful!