Temple Hopping….
Okay..so this section will take me a while to write as I want to put in some of the finer details of the temples. So watch this space for more details.
Siem Reap is a bustling town which has become a symbol of the revival of the Khmer culture. They have a reason to be proud…they have built something as exquisite and magnificent as the Taj Mahal and enduring as the Great Wall (this sentence might sound like a cliché as I have yet to see the Great Wall).
Angkor Sunrise 
Cambodia Map 
After a short stop in Pakse, I flew to Siem Reap and before I knew it I was in the immigration lines in Airport. I had decided to skip the land border crossing mainly due to the fact that I was bit apprehensive of the crossing and also I did not want to be tired for my Temple Hopping.
A fellow traveler had recommended the GH and I was followed by 5 other travelers to the same place…they took my 2nd hand word and I felt a little pressure on what and where we were going to end up. We seemed to have overwhelmed the owner a bit but within few minutes we were all settled.
Okay so I lost track of my Danish friends and decided I wanted to walk to Angkor…BIG mistake as it was hot and dusty. I had so much anxiety about seeing Angkor as I had been waiting this moment and I wanted to walk off this nervous energy. Half way I decided to take a moto (125 cc bike with the driver). At the front gates I connected with Theresa and Andreas..2 would be Danish doctors. I always seem to be a Kebab-me-hadi ..a third wheel..but these love birds didn’t seem to mind and insisted that we do the “temple hopping”(as they called it) together.
I got a 6 day pass..okay so am crazy…I will not apologize as I wanted to chill out and take some of the far off sites on my own and in leisure. After all the formalities I lead away by my very very shy moto driver to Angkor Wat. Wow! what a site..through the sea of people (at least 500-1000 on a given day) I saw the central temple. For a second I forgot that hundreds before have seen this before me and many more have yet to experience the inspiring site of mystical grandeur. I was alone for a very second and all what I envisioned about Angkor Wat came true. I was like a kid with a lollipop, grinning like a cat I moved on to take a closer took.
After a quick peek we were shooed off promptly at 6.00 pm. You cannot stay here for the Sunset so don’t waste your time. With a silent promise to return I headed back into town.The tuk tuk driver we arranged for turned out to be the nicest guy. Thankfully he was not a chatterbox…I was not about to relinquish my title so fast. He was great gave us suggestions and left us to discover own pace. I bought a Temple guide book and have to say we made good use of it. Andreas and I made a good team as I read and he spotted all the carvings and then of course after a quick read I enlightened them with my Amar Chitra Katha (comic book series from India) knowledge of Hindu mythology and the stories connected with each of the gods. I felt I was in India..wow…Hinduism had traveled as far as Cambodia. They say that the traders from India rode the Monsoon winds towards Cambodia and had to stay put for couple of months for the winds to reverse so that they could go back. They left behind a great start to a great civilization. They still pray to Vishnu and Shiva here! A blend of Animism, Buddhism and Hinduism can be seen around these parts.
At lunch a little girl came up to be and wanted me to either buy flutes, bracelets or post cards. Usually, kids here sell one of the three but she had them all. This is the synopsis of the conversation. Keep in mind she was 6 years old or maybe 7.
Little girl: Madam, Madam you buy flute
Me: No thank you (I said it very nicely..feel bit guilty but I didn’t wanna)
Little girl: Madam buy post card, Bracelet.
Me: No thank you (with that face which say sorry as well)
Little girl: Ah! Madam make me cry now.
Me: Nah! you are doing fine. (You are about to make me cry)
Little girl: How about scarf!
Me: No thank you honey! really sorry.
Little girl: (with a flip of her long black hair)..thank you thank you..thank you NO MAKE NO SALE.
Me: left with my mouth wide open.
Theresa and Andreas laughed their hearts out as my expression. Man, she was good as I was breaking down and few more minutes along with the trinkets she would have sold me the temples as well.
I want her on my sales team.
These kids are so cute but after a while you can only take so much. They follow you for a while and have learnt to break down your defenses. Do be nice to them and say NO nicely and if possible keep a smile on. Be firm but in a gentle way.
OKAY more later…..
Angkor 1View image
Angkor 2 View image
Bayon 
Roots 
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