To see the sun rise, one must get up before the sun…to see the sun rise over Angkor Wat, one must get up and travel by tuk tuk in the dark, then walk into the compound and find a good spot to view the event without tripping on the stone bridge or being overrun by other tourists.
We opted to go for the view from the right of centre…not the traditional place that you see the pictures of…but much quieter than the left side. We were able to sit up near the edge of the small lake and have a good view of the wat. I’m not sure how many photos I took altogether but it was a lot…the sky was dark when we arrived, so much that the normal settings on my phone and camera wouldn’t take the shot.
As the minutes ticked by the sky grew lighter
little
by little
By little
until eventually the huge red ball was visible over the temple.
From there it seemed to rise very quickly
and was quite high in the sky by the time we left.
And the light was starting to reflect on the outer buildings…
This of course meant the delightfully cool morning was over and the heat of the day was upon us…it was only about 7:30am…which apparently is the best time of day for a local wedding…
Knowing our own capability and tolerance levels know, we decided to head straight to one of the temples I really wanted to see…Ta Prohm…made hundreds of years ago but made famous in my lifetime by Angelina Jolie,Tomb Raider it is the one that is known for the trees growing over of the buildings.
It was worth the trip…the structures themselves were quite intricate…and the restoration work that is being done is really quite incredible, like a giant Lego jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces and no picture to guide you…that you have to put together in the sauna!
We managed to get back to the hotel just in time for breakfast and then spent some time at the pool…today was a very hot day…on the way we stopped at the loo…I wasn’t sure what all the pictures meant but I think I did right!
To aid our relaxation Amanda and I booked in for a massage and pedicure. It was going to be by the pool but we opted to go back to the room for the air conditioning….great decision. I had a traditional Khmer style masssge…full body with no oil…the pressure was just right and after the hour I felt fantastic. My pedicure was also enjoyable and i opted for a delicate pearly pink polish…very pretty!
Amanda had a foot massage, pedicure and manicure which she enjoyed thoroughly!
Feeling very relaxed we decided to chill for the rest of the afternoon at the pool…
For our evening, we had organised to go to the Cambodian Circus, Phare. It is a group organised to help young children get off the streets and teach them skills of performance and fitness as well as giving them a safe environment to live snd grow and an education. The performance was amazing…very modern and an incredible display of their unique talents…not a clown or elephant in sight!
For dinner we went into the Pub Street area. I’m not really into the whole night scene when travelling (or at home either) so it didn’t do much for me. The little place Chen recommended for eating at had good food at good prices… $2.50 for the chicken curry with rice..David even put his chopstick skills to the test and managed very well…
though two loud obnoxious Canadians made it almost unbearable. People who travel to enjoy the seedy side of tourism involving vulnerable women and children are despicable…and those who talk about those activities loudly in public places are a disgrace to the human race.
After a long day we were tired and happy to see Chen when he arrived to pick us up and head for the hotel and our pillows.