Day Nine - Siem Reap

Up at eight yay! No hangover double yay! Quick shower with Hetty towel lol and downstairs for breakfast.  GG comes over .... What you want for breakfast. Oh says I what is there lol. To be honest I fancied Wheatabix lol so had omelette the coffee was disgusting.  Went for a walk out.  The good thing about exploring is you always find something. Had a lovely cup of coffee then got a tuk tuk to the Old Market.  Lol I just tell them now $2! Busy market and I avoided the meat and fish bit. But they are very persistent it drives me mad.  Madam you buy, madam you look, madam you want. Aghhhhhh. I found a stall that did not look like the others and the woman was so lovely. I bought (yes I know another one) a lovely silk bag and a scarf.  Then went for some lunch.  I'm out at 4:30 to see the subset at Ankor Wat so had some humous, bread olives and feta cheese.  I was really good.  The bread is good here I guess it's the french influence. Then back around the market.  I can't tell you, every and I mean every five seconds madam tuk tuk I DON'T WANT A BLOODY TUK TUK!!!!! Lol. Then I stumbled on this lovely pagoda (not temples in Cambodia) it was so quiet and peaceful.  But even there again, they are after your money.  I made it clear that I will make a donation when I pray to Bhudda that shut them up especially when they saw my Bhudda necklace.  But that aside, it was so peaceful there.  Back out in the madness of madam tuk tuk when I come across a lovely place called Blossom Cafe and Training Centre. I will Google it when or if I get wi fi. But the young girls make the cakes there.  So here we have it Afternoon Tea Earl Grey of course.  I guess it's The Shard Cambodian style.  I'm all for social enterprise and once again the girls were so lovely.

Yes madam would like a tuk tuk lol and back to Hotel California lol. Made GG day as asked him for tuk tuk tonight to get pass for Ankor Wat then to see the sunset - pass is government price $20 tuk tuk $8. Then tuk tuk to take me to all the temples tomorrow $15 can you see a difference from PP. So I better leave you now to get ready. I have lovely really clean clothes to wear too.  

Picture of afternoon tea Cambodian style. The girls were so lovely and the cake was delicious.

So tuk tuk drive arrived and off we set.  We had to stop at a designated place to get my ticket. You should have seen it, it was full of coaches, cars, pedal bikes, tuk tuks, mopeds the lot.  I did well for once as I actually got in a queue that moved really quick.  So back to tuk tuk and it was then like a scene from Wackey Races - I loved that programme.  The pedal bikes were overtook by the tuk tuks that were overtook by the mopeds that were overtook by the cars that all moved out of the way when a coach come along,  it was so funny, this mad dash up this road. But when I arrived. Well I have never seen anything as beautiful.  Ankor Wat is so spiritual it feels alive.

As the sun started to set you could feel the hairs on your arms rise.  Truly a magical place. Then i saw something that proves to me that the majority of people are kind.  Sitting on some steps were two small Cambodian girls and a woman sitting next to them.  The woman was combing the children's hair why the guy took their picture.  In the children's hands was a toothbrush and some toothpaste.  The children clutched them for grim death.  The lovely couple, who did tell me their names but sorry guys I cannot remember, were travelling from northern Spain, not the hot part as they described it.  They said that the hotel leaves toothbrushes and combs and they did not need them, so they take them with them and pass them on. How simple is that?  I thanked them for sharing such a wonderful idea and one that I will now copy.  Those girls sat there for ages just combing their hair and holding on to the toothbrushes.  It was so humbling.  I explained to the couple that I write a blog and were they happy for me to take their photo. I also gave them this blog address so I hope they see such a beautiful photo of human kindness. Thank you guys, have a good life.

I like the feel of SR it's totally different from PP.  I found the tuk tuk driver, I don't know how and I went back to my hotel.  GG was throwing a BBQ for a bunch of women. I'm not saying a word.  So later on I went a wandering again and found a lovely restsurant and had a set meal of tofu curry etc, really tasty. Now ket me tell you a bit of the utter madness ofCambodia.

1.  It's not for the faint hearted.  Daniel was telling me and I get what he is saying, people are very harsh.  But I guess they have every right to be.  The country has had a horrid past and that is going to take time to put right. You see things that make you feel 'uncomfortable'. I won't lie to you I have found myself in tears because of the inequality of it all. Those children today and the combs and toothbrushes was so moving.  Also, some of the toilets are, challenging.

2.  The roads.  OK the place is mad.  They drive on the right unless something is coming then they move over - I'm being serious.  They weave in and out if each other.  But I have not seen one accident, not one screech of brakes, no broken glass, nothing.  You see the Cambodians are so tolerant of each other.  There is no swearing or shouting they just rub along and it works.  It shouldn't.  If we did it at home it would be carnage but it works here.  Now for crossing the road.  Trust me, it can be terrifying however I have it sussed.  The golden rule is you just walk. Head up keep going. Don't stop. Don't hesitate, just keep walking.  What happens is they just weave round you.  Now that is a bit hair raising, but along as you act determined, it's not an issue.

3.  Tuk tuk.  I have never been hassled so much for a tuk tuk, it is relentless and gets a bit annoying. Ałso, in the market today madam you want something, madam I get you something.  Yeah ok 6'4" dark, broad and a beard ta to go.  The sad thing is Daniel said he could get me that if I wanted.    That takes us back to number one, somethings are not for the faint hearted.

4.  Money.  Unlike Thailand, in my opinion, the Cambodians are always after your money. Today in the temple, please make a donation to Bhudda then the guy was telling me about a school they have for the poor children in the countryside.  I just explained to him I have a friend who teaches and I'm going there.  There are a lot of NGOs (non government organisations ) here and I knew this already, but Daniel confirmed it last night when he said that not all of them are legit. But then when do you know if anything is I guess.  Life is very hard for Cambodians in the city; I cannot imagine how it must be out in the countryside.

But, apart from this I do like the country. PP is not for me but SR has a comfortable feel about it, it looks and feels different.  But I still prefer Bangkok lol. I don't know why because that is a crazy place and Daniel prefers SR, Thailand has stolen my heart, well the Far East has its an amazing place. But I'm so pleased I'm a vegetarian well I fact here I'm almost vegan lol.