More exploring at Angkor: Update for 8 & 9 January 2013

Rested and ready to tackle Angkor again, we spent the next three days doing just that.

Tuesday, 8 January 2013
Meghan and I had a great time at Banteay Srei last when we visited in 2002 so we were excited to get back.  Sadly, this tiny, intricately decorated temple is a hint of what's to come as Angkor gets more crowded.  The middle of the temple complex is closed off from visitors and they've set up a path for guests to follow marked with "Possibility of Visit" signs and monitored by APSARA guards.

When we arrived at about 10:30, the temple was crawling with tourists all falling over themselves in the cramped quarters around the inner temple.  This was such a far cry from the relatively sparse number of visitors during our last trip that we grumbled about the good old days under our breath and headed off to the Landmine Museum on the road back to town.

The Cambodia Landmine Museum was developed by Aki Ra, a former child soldier who's dedicated his later life to clearing land mines and helping those affected by the damage mines cause.  It has a huge collection of deactivated mines, interesting displays related to landmines, and a video showing Aki Ra's work.  It's a small space but well worth a visit if you're at all curious about how landmines have ravaged the land and people of Cambodia.

After our arrival in Angkor, we visited Banteay Kdei before heading home.

Wednesday, 9 January 2013
At long last, it was time to visit Angkor Wat, the most famous of all the temples of Angkor.  We'd purposely left this one to the last few days of our trip because one guidebook suggested that seeing it might make the others pale by comparison.  That was not the case, however.  It suffered from some of the same problems that we encountered at B. Srei.  The freedom to explore had been minimized and there were places you could not go (namely some of the higher parts of the temple).  Also, now there were queues for the stairs that took you up to some of the temple areas.  Oh, and it was very crowded, too.  In the end, Angkor Wat seemed underwhelming.

We hustled off from there to see the tiny Ta Nei, drawn by the promise of fewer people and unrestored ruins.  It lived up to its promise and we spent an hour or so exploring this crumbling temple with only one or two other guests.  When we needed a break, we played Cambodian hacky sack or, as it's called in Cambodia, saiee.  Here's a video of the game in action and one of the implements used for game play:

We liked the game of saiee so much that Lockie bought a dozen or so of the birdie-type items to play with at school and home.

- Lawrence

A Day in the Countryside Photo Workshop: Update for Monday, 7 January 2013

Meghan purchased a new digital SLR just before our trip overseas.  While at the Lotus Lodge, we saw a pamphlet for a photo tour/workshop offered by Eric Devries.  Seeing as the price included two participants, we both set out early Monday morning to check out the countryside and hope to capture some interesting shots.

Eric was an amiable guide who provided us with some great tips for our photos and served as an excellent guide through some small, rustic villages.  You can see more info about his tours and work at his website.  Here's one of Eric's shots from a collection related to slaughterhouses he told us a lot about when we were together:

Overall, the day's experience was outstanding.  Meghan and I needed a break from the temples and were eager to see what life was like on the outskirts of Siam Reap.  Also, the kids needed a day to chill out and swim in the pool.  Luckily, Eric was up for holding the fort and breaking up any squabbles.

As is the custom while I update this blog, I don't have any pictures on my computer to add.  Don't hold your breath waiting for them but they might appear in the future.

- LH