2015 - ANGKORS WAT & Thom

My taxi drive come guide picks me up early & we are off to see the two classics around here - Angkor Thom & Angkor Wat

Maybe, like me you understood that there was just Angkor Wat. Well there is but lots more beside, the area is covered with temples and the area is huge.

An Elephant ride would have been a good way to go ...

First up is Angkor Thom ...

It would take a couple of lifetimes to have a close look at all the reliefs around these places ...

Most of he doorways have a small step up & then down - the guide practically lifted me through the openings. It's hard work all this.

People in costume here asking a dollar or two to have a picture taken with them. Must be making a pretty penny.

This place goes on for ever ..

At the Elephant Terrace.

The guide had me wait around here while he went to find the car, so I got a drink & the souvenir girls tried to sell me shirts & scarves.

They soon got tired of that & I became part of the wallpaper while they chatted, keeping an eye out for a likely customer. Just about every inch of their flesh is covered & it is roasting out today so I asked two of them if they were hot in all the clothes they were wearing. Hats, gloves etc.
Of course they said they were but do not want to get any sun on themselves. Do not want to get dark skinned.
Want to look like me.

The one with the shirts went away & I carried on chatting to the other one with the scarves. She has two children & one on the way though it's hard to tell she is pregnant with all the clothes she has on. I buy a scarf after all & call the shirt girl over & buy a nice white shirt from her.

I keep the shirt & the scarf goes to the driver for his wife.

Nice girls, not pushy, trying to make a living.

I got a nice wave from them as I drove away.

Another girl, another time, told me she should go into the skin whitener business. She reckons 80% of SE Asian girls use whitener.

Here's the Elephants - I got a bit distracted ..

We came a little close to these on the scooter .. three on there I think .. a little one in the middle ..

A quick stop to see the monkeys on the side of the road ..

I do believe we are now at Angkor Wat ..

The guide did a good job of getting me nice camera angles. This is a classic with the five towers reflected in the moat ..

Much too much to take in really & extremely hot which might explain why there are so few tourists here with me & this fella's not getting too much business ..

Not much of a photo but it does give a bit of an idea as to how large the site is ..

Some tourists about .. where? ....

A long day & it is just after noon ... I am very glad I gave myself ten days here so I could take my time visiting this fantastic area.

I bought the ticket that gave me multiple entry & here's a tip for you if you do the same - put the ticket in a clear plastic cover. It gets awful soggy with sweat otherwise ..

On the way out - I waited for the guide again & just as he came towards me a tourist got run over by a Tuk Tuk. An elderly French tourist had his day ruined ..