Saturday, April 23, 2011

April 22: More of the Doi Sutep temple

April 22: Chiang Mai - Doi Sutep temple

We took a trip to the mountain (elevation 3500 feet) to see the Doi Sutep temple. It is said that no visit to Chiang Mai is complete unless you visit here. It was magnificent!

April 21: A 12 Hour Drive

It only took 12 hours getting from Siem Reap to Bangkok! At times frustrating and aggravating, we finally arrived for one night.  Photos show rice fields, stores, and luggage piled high behind the driver.

April 21: Choose your mode of travel!


How would you like to squeeze into one of these trucks?
 Pig anyone?

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

April 20 - A Day of Temples

Today we had a day of temples. The temple of the three faces was just wonderful. Fortunately it was not overly crowded. While sitting in the cool of one of the temple rooms, our guide told us of atrocities his family suffered during the three years of the killing. It was mesmerizing to hear him speak of those times and we felt honored that he could be open with us.

The weather was so hot and humid. April is known as the "killer month" due to the high temperatures. It is living up to its name.

Arranged for a taxi to take us to the border of Cambodia and Thailand tomorrow. So it will be a few last days of adventure.

April 20 - Angkor Thom. This temple area is 9 square km and was built in the late 1100s. It took 39 years to build.

April 20 - Ta Prohm temple where Angelina Jolie shot "Tomb Raider". These are fig trees which encompassed the temples when they were discovered in 1900.

April 19 - Sites from within temples

Children in the villages near the temples do not attend school because they have no transportation. One little boy is collecting plastic water bottles and the little girl sells trinkets.  Paintings are for sale as well.

April 19 - Ta Keo temple from the 10th century


This temple is in ruins and no country has come forth to restore it. Once there was a king who began building this temple. Then it was abandoned when his successor from another royal family came into power.

Siem Reap; our street and our hotel