Kuala Lumpur to Siam Reap was just a 2 hour flight, though immigration took longer. Tourism being the main source of income and a weak currency meant that we were largely paying in US dollars right from the visa fees. At $30 per person, it is a tad bit on the higher side, but most entry fees are in that range around the Cambodia. The pick up and drop to the resort went through a straight road with plenty of resorts on either side, each one with a different look on the exterior. We still had the evening, so on the recommendation of a nearby tuk-tuk driver, we went to Pre-Rup temple as it had no entry fees and we could watch the sunset from the top. We ended up jostling for space as the top of the temple was crowded but we did get a view of the sunset.
The first stop in the morning the next day was the Angkor Wat complex. After a quick stop to buy the tickets, we got to the complex in tuk-tuks without much fuss. The complex itself was over-crowded beyond what we had expected. The temple itself is not too big but the surrounding courtyard is huge. In addition, crossing over a moat to get to the complex itself has quite good feel to it. As we walked around the complex over the next few hours, the crowds thinned out and towards the opposite side from the entrance, the crowds had disappeared.
Next stop after lunch was the Ta Phrom temple, famous for its ancient trees growing out of ruins. As the winding path through the complex took us around the complex, the rains came through. Even with the sky overcast, the weather is always hot and humid, but the torrential rains just bring out the insects as well. Nearby were a few other temples and a shrine to Buddha still in use by the locals. Interesting thing was that each of the temples we saw had something unique to keep us interested and curiosity piqued. As the rain receded, we still had some time before the sunset.
Last stop for the day was the Bayon temple, with its huge stony faces staring at us. Just as we started to go in, the rain came back but there was a certain charm to watching the stony sculptures and faces in the tropical rain. The downpour finally got the better of my camera and I had to switch as my camera refused to switch on. We spent the evenings in Pub street, looking for Indian restaurants for our dinner and some shopping along the way. The markets are an attraction in themselves, with bottled snakes, stuffed critters, crocodile purses and a host of clothes looking like an old hollywood movie shot in the "Orient".
The next day was a longer trip to Phnom Kuleh by car. The road is narrow in the hills and the traffic is allowed in only one direction with the direction decided based on time of day. The massive Buddha in the Hindu-Buddhist temple was the first stop, from where we moved to a small waterfall. Nearby a stream ran through the forest, where the thousand Shiv Lingas were barely visible through the slowly flowing water. Each of these had small stalls lined up along the walkable road with more souvenirs, barbecued critters, food and local currency to distribute to the beggars. We had time as we got back so went down to the floating markets in Tonle Sap. It was a nice boat ride, but the markets themselves were just a money-making gimmick, with a bunch of ladies sitting on canoes selling biscuits, snacks, coconuts and beverages at 5 times the price. The next morning was spent at the museum, which is a good way of catching up with the history of the place and definitely worth a watch.
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