Cambodia - Angkor Wat
We land in Siem Reap Airport at night. Lots of flying bugs, in line for a visa. We got our insta-photo stickers from Singapore. Customs guy sets us up in the VIP line for visas and fixes up with his brothers taxi service and relative's hotel. He gives me the details in the toilet. As we go out my name is on a cardboard of the taxi guy. Drive in town to a local hotel. Small room, tele, a/c, shower, small, but comfy. Walk to the market/ "downtown" area in the dark along the canal. Good beers and food. On the way back we kick it at an outside karaoke bar, with local songs, local people and a beer. Next morning breakfast at hotel, our taxi guy picks us up. (Camry with a/c) and drive to the Angkor ruins. First one with faces on the walls. Next large trees are growing out of the ruins. We have a snack and a beer at the concession tent. Little girl sells us her collection of bracelets. Sitting down we are a captive audience. One more stop at a ruin and finally we hit Angkor Wat. Long walkway, huge structures. They are building a stage for a Pavarotti concert in a few days at the site. Magnifico site but the heat is getting worse. We kick it at the restaurant tents at the exit with more snacks and beers. An army of souvenir girls gather, about 7-10 years old. Good command of English and American statistics. They are very persistent, but nice that we buy all their postcards and knick-knacks. They stay for the whole time and entertain us (one is amazed that I drink beers and the other calls me a hairy monkey) and at the end we finally buy a few things. It's hard to say no and prices are within range. Our taxi guy takes us to the hill that we will climb for the sunset views. Half way through the climb we meet a few limbless beggars (how do they get up there?). It's still hot at the top as the sun goes down, but we can see far all around the jungles and ruins in the haze. Our taxi guy offers a dancing show with dinner, but we seem tired. Back at the hotel we pass out for most of the evening. Next morning the same driver picks us up for the airport (about $50 for a whole day of driving and the airport ride).
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