Cambodia: Day One

I'm here, and it's technically Day Two, but since I didn't do much last night other than discuss Cambodian social issues with the guy who sometimes works the front desk at my guesthouse, this is going to be Day One.

I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to get up early enough to see temples (everyone apparantly goes BEFORE dawn) because I'm not much of a morning person. This was not a problem because I was bright eyed and bushy tailed at 6 am. Maybe it's the time difference, or sleeping in a new bed in a new country. I also don't have a watch, so I'm constantly wondering what time it is, and that might also be a problem. I have no idea how much time I'm spending in each temple. When I think it's an hour it turns out to be three, when I think hours have past only 20 minutes have.

Anyways, I was up and showered before my wake up knock (my hotel room lacks technology -- no tv, no phone) and went to meet my tuk tuk driver at 8 am. The first temple he took me to was Angkor Wat. I apologize to all other culturally relevant institutions but it blew everything else I have ever seen out of the water. I actually fought tears when passing through the main gate. It's that impressive. What's not is the amount of poverty in this country which forces people to use their adorable children to try to sell wares. How can you not feel like a bad person when a half naked, tiny child with grubby hands asks you to buy postcards for next to nothing but you turn them down? I do this because mainly I don't want to feed the monster, and because in my experience, saying yes to one makes the others either angry or pester you more. In anycase, at every temple I went to my heart broke a little bit. One boy actually sat in front of me while I was sitting and eating pineapple trying to sell me postcards. When I said no thanks, he proceeded to sit there and count them. He was SO CUTE. Sigh.

After spending 3 hours in Angkor Wat, and dealing with a huge amount of heat I went to Angkor Thom. This is more of a city than a single temple and includes the famous Bayan which has those 216 faces which stare into the jungle. There were some other temples as well which I took pics of and will upload them when I get back to Korea Town.

After this I went to tons more, and off hand can't remember all of the names. I did go to that temple that Tomb Raider was partially filmed at. I know this not because I've seen the movie but because it's written everywhere. I drank tons of water but didn't go to the bathroom once! That tells you how hot it is. I met one man named Steven at Angkor Wat. He asked me where he was, and I kind of surprisingly said, ""Angkor Wat". He asked me if I was sure, I said I'm pretty sure. Then he sighed, "That's it?" He's from Malaysia and we decided that I'm more impressed with it because Canada doesn't have anything that comes remotely close to Angkor Wat, or the history that goes along with it.

After templing for a good 7 or 8 hours I went to the Old Market in Siem Reap. This is actually where I write from (the internet is dreadfully slow at my hotel). Here I got some eats (yellow noodles with tofu) got a 5 dollar hour long massage and walked around for a bit. The shopping is exactly like it is in Thailand, except where the t-shirts and key chains say Thailand in Thailand, here they say Cambodia. It hasn't made me want to shop at all, and I haven't found any souvenirs for anyone. I did buy 3 small bracelets from a girl at a temple (breaking all my rules) but only because she took my picture for me, and after I stupidly climbed these ridiculously narrow but steep stairs she helped me get down. I was actually too afraid to go all the way to the top.

Outside my hotel room is a hammock and I think that's where I'll spend the rest of my night. It's only 7ish right now but I'm meeting my driver again at 8 am to do more templing.

Miss and love ya,

Jenny xo