Having left Phnom Penh by bus yesterday morning, I made an afternoon arrival to Siem Reap in the early afternoon, anxious to familiarize myself with town and get to the temples for sunset. I hired a driver and headed up the road, where a zoo of people had gathered to do the same thing. My first glimpse of Angkor Wat was surreal; I couldn't believe I was only a few hundred meters from one of the great wonders of the world, buildings I had been studying here and there since I was a child (thanks for the books, Dad). Anyway, we forged on and headed for the "Sunset Temple," which sits atop a long ans steep hill. Among the faces in the crowd, I met up with a couple of Israeli girls that I had gone trekking with in Chiang Mai. Man, you see the same faces everywhere! We sat and watched as the sun "set" into some low clouds...oh well, I think it will be better when I return today.

Cockroaches have been playing an increasingly important role in my high-protein diet here in SE Asia.

After my short stint at the temple, I had a lonesome dinner at my guesthouse. Shortly thereafter, some of the young Cambodians working as drivers invited me into their circle for some friendly boozing. The five of us polished of a large bottle of rice whiskey and then somebody decided it would be a good idea to snack on a couple bags of cockroaches. Now, I hadn't eaten roaches like this before. They were small, solid black, and juicier than the one I tried months ago in Bangkok. There was a hard spike on the underside that had to broken off (or else ouch!) and the shells protecting the wings also needed to be removed. I was surprised to discover that they were actually quite tasty, and once I got over the fact that I was devouring a filthy insect, the overall experience was very pleasant. I was then invited to play snooker at the local hall. Snooker is similar to pool, but played on a larger table with more balls...I don't really feel like explaining it; it's quite different than 8-ball or Cutthroat.

There's nothing like playing snooker with a bunch of drunken Cambodians after washing a dozen roaches down with a bottle of rice whiskey.

Samnang, my driver, woke me the next morning at 5 o'clock. I woke up thinking I was back home in America, having been disturbed in the middle of a dream about some people in Portland. Anyway, we made our way to Angkor Wat first, about a half-hour before sunrise. There were very few people at first, then suddenly, the place filled up with fresh faces waiting for the sun to creep up over the tall spires of the temple. As sunrise drew near, the buzzing of cicadas grew louder and louder--so loud that it even drowned out the irritating chatter of the Euro-trash (sorry, guys, but it was annoying) surrounding me. Light allowed exploration, and I had a hey-day running around observing all that I could, trying to remember as much as my guide was filling me in on.

The temples in the vicinity of Angkor Wat are very spread out. There are more than I ever imagined, and I am using two days to explore the more important ones. These are the temples that I visited today:

1. Angkor Wat
2. The Bayon
3. Preah Kahn
4. Neak Pean
5. Krol Ko
6. Da Som
7. Preah Ruk
8. Mae Ban
9. Baphuon
10. Elephant Terrace

Tomorrow, I plan on exploring the same number of temples, located more out in B.F.E. Following are a few pictures of the places I visited today.

An enormous crowd gathered atop the "Sunset Temple"(I don't know its proper name) to watch the sun sink below the horizon. Unfortunately for these poor suckers, there were thick clouds blocking the last little bit of the sun's descent.

The magnificent Angkor Wat minutes before sunrise.

Southern section of Angkor Wat.

These carvings depict monkeys either cheering or crying as they watch their gods battle above them.

A view of Angkor Wat from above.

Yours truly standing before the pride of Cambodia.

One of several libraries at Angkor Wat, also once used to make animal sacrifices.

Samnang, my driver and guide, and me with the Bayon behind us.

From the top level of the Bayon.

Two of the Bayon's many faces. These ugly mugs are everywhere here!

Aaaarrrgggh, triplets!

More of the ruins at the Bayon.

A gnarly old ficus tree continues to flourish in the rear of Prasat Da Som.

The centerpiece at Prasat Neak Pean.

Ruins at Prasat Krol Ko.

Yet another impressive temple, Prasat Preah Kahn.

The majestic Prasat Preah Ruk.

At the Elephant Terrace, a battle rages on.

Until we meet again...

"Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."
Abraham Lincoln