Temple Tour in Siem Reap

So we just got dropped off at what is the tree temple. So, it’s a temple that has a massive tree growing at the top of it.

So that’ll be really cool. I went scuba diving like three four days ago now in my ear got really messed up. And, it’s actually still really bothering me, I’m kind of hoping.

I didn’t damage the huge drum. I might have to go see a doctor about that you can see the face outline in the statue there, we’ve seen a few entrances that have actually got four faces. So there’s one there there there.

And on the other side when you come in you can see the face, it’s a really cool design. I already like this better than Angkor Wat, it’s got shade. I just tried to sign all those people in the band there they’re victims of mines that are in the Vietnamese War Cambodia also was kind of drawn into the chaos.

And lots of mines were set up. So obviously everyone playing there has lost limbs or there’s so much rubble here obviously from years of breaking down but they actually do quite a bit to restore the project see there was a picture of the before.

And after. And the after they restored it was actually surprising how much they’ve done to build the roof back because there’s been lots of roof caving whoa, it’s creating neat there aren’t any information signs anywhere which. I guess you could argue is nice because it kind of conserves the way it would look but on the other side unless you have a tour guide you really don’t know what’s going on so.

I just asked for a guy. And this building here is 823 years old which as you can see has not aged overly well but I guess considering its eight centuries, it’s doing okay.

And Angkor Wat is just under a thousand years old according to the tour guide the trees are really incredible too. So large trees this is one of the iconic temples where you can actually see a large tree right there actually growing outside of the top of the temple this is a very very extensive renovation, it’s actually there remoulding. And basically rebuilding what would have looked like the temple here what you see the head.

I know silly goose we are in the middle of the Cambodian jungle they’re literally holding the tree up with supports it’s so invasive that look how it like crawls in between all the bricks you can see how it could just topple over this whole building this is some serious tomb raider another tree just totally grabbing on to the temple this is where a tomb raider was filmed. So if, we’re lucky maybe we’ll see lara croft here enemies yeah in the meantime, it’s just lori and.

And lots of walking today. So i hope that their destination is kind of smaller. And more compact cuz this has been pretty sprawling a lot yeah.

So we just left as soon as you leave you get swarmed by people trying to sell you things laura caved what are you buying one there five dollars you’re just getting one no. I just won thank you you’re so aggressive.

And they’re still at it, we’re being followed no we don’t want any magnets right now our tour guide it definitely swindled us a tiny bit. I think he overplayed the amount he’d be helping us out today we paid $25 which is really nothing but, it’s the idea that we thought we’d have a guide for the day we thought he’d basically be on our side to help us find. And discover the local things here our driver just took us to a really expensive diner it was like.

I don’t know six to seven American dollars for a meal for like really basic food like rice. And vegetables which in reality it should be like two to three dollars. So he’s obviously getting Commission based on you know bringing tourists to go buy from their restaurant.

So, it’s just been really frustrating a bit. I mean yeah, we’ve seen some amazingly beautiful things today but I definitely feel like this is a huge tourist ring.

And they try to you try to extract every dollar possible yeah it kind of takes away from the experience. And we even asked her like another restaurant. And you think no there’s nothing around here but we passed like three like little side things which is what we want yeah he denied that there were other restaurants we could have eaten from because he.

And he even admitted he gets free food at the restaurant he tries to take us to after he was done eating really okay can we go. And then he’s like give me five minutes then he laid on his hammock because he was too full after eating lunch Wow sample who is an expectant temple. I was gonna use it this is reminding me a lot of old bug on which is where.

I went in Myanmar. And the same thing it begun, it’s actually just like tons of different temples. And you’ll walk one way you’ll see some new ones you walk another way you’ll see more.

And, it’s cool cuz like there’s not a whole lot of tourism here. And you have the temples to yourself pretty much. So here we are wandering in one direction.

And we just found this massive pyramid type structures temple we read on the history. And what. I can tell you is that, it’s untraditional because, it’s rectangular that’s all everything this is a temple this one looks more unstable than most very very cool you go first if it crumbles this is meant to be surprised even bigger temple temple temple temple temple temple, I’m no access no cares leave me alone you can actually see it – reclining Buddha.

So that’s the face right there. And that’s supposed to be the body in the ER just reading up on this here. And basically the explain that like during the restoration process some parts were done better than others.

And the face was done a couple times now cuz, it’s collapse but the body itself was not maintained very well. So you can actually see there’s like a total loss of detail down there you can hardly make out that that’s the legs of the feet but, it’s cool goes to show that nothing lasts forever. I think is the deeper lesson here takeaway.

And on a very very very bright note. I found this fan. And things are definitely look up here in ankle oh this is there yeah watch your head very huh we have conquered the Great Temple of we don’t know the name tah-dah in the top, it’s all blocked off.

So you can’t climb any higher but there’s like these little windows at the top. I think, it’s symbolism for something someone was telling us that the old king bees come here used to climb it at 8 p.m.

Every day. And he would have an affair with a nine headed dragon woman which probably just meant he had sex with ladies up there. So that’s where the magic happened.

And after he was done he would go back into the forest where he lived. So thank you for joining me today oh. And temple stories Abby doesn’t throw the thumbs up though when she watches my post.

So you guys watch my posts please thank you this post is probably approaching the 12 to 15 minute mark this is our final temple of the day, it’s really cool you can see all these little heads outlined in all the pillars. I don’t know if it’ll show up in the GoPro but from here it looks awsom awsom awsom the temples are open from 5:30 in the morning to 5:30 at night. And the big Angkor Wat temple is actually really well known people go there in the morning to watch the sunrise we didn’t do that today but, I’m sure, it’s an incredible experience to see the sunrise over top of the palace.

And, I’m not sure this one’s called as usual. And you can see right there on all of the pillars you can see the faces. So, it’s not very creative but we just found out that this temple is called the temple of faces if you didn’t know why, it’s because they’re spaces lots of them this looks like ministereth from Lord of the Rings oh my god.

I like seriously like cat even. I just scared the crap out of me that scared me so much yeah.

I was not. I was like not ready for that at all. And I see something like pretty quickly like walking towards us.

And, I’m like holy crap it showed us fangs too tonight Abby. And I had the best dinner we literally went to $1.00 tapas.

And basically for $1 you could buy red wine you could buy a drink. So we got mijitos we got spring rolls we got tacos everything was $1 everything. So I was just crazy like.

And it was all. So good we got creme brulee for $1 chocolate mousse for $1. So that was an amazing dinner tomorrow morning we leave for Phnom Penh which is kind of well-known for the genocide that had happened about 30 years ago or.

So, I’m gonna have to brush up on my history but we’ll definitely be visiting the killing fields. And a few other things anyways. I’ve got a lot to learn on it but, I’m really excited to hear about the Cambodian history.

And yeah start making our way towards Vietnam because that’s the end goal right now, I’m just doing a bit of editing. And that’s what, I’m gonna be doing for the rest of the night Abby. And I considered going out but.

I’ve just got so much editing to do. I’ve got.

So much to catch up on. So see you guys in the morning.