Bike Ride in and out of Siem Reap, Cambodia

After renting our pedal bikes, Vince saw this and I think was envious. Although they were so short that his kness would have likely touched his ears.

A typical street in Siem Reap...not the tourist area called "Pub Street".

This is Pub Street and quite different...lots of Western Food and chain stores.

Our map (I love maps) showed us that there are two roads heading south of the city and one is paved with a very local life and the other more busy and quicker. We started on the dirt road which was a beautiful red colour. Our goal was a lake 12 km away.

We went for a while then switched over when it got so bumpy that I wondered about our tires. Sometimes it was smooth.

Then back to sand again.

There were lots of bridges where you could cross back and forth. They vary from vary basic to quite modern

A few animals along the way

A boy washing/cooling his cow. Up and down those stairs he went with his bucket.

More pictures of the water that divides the two roads.

This one was closer to downtown. Less vegetation but no more inviting.

We weren't sure what these two were doing but we were pretty sure they were fishing. They rocked the net back and forth, back and forth.

When we came back along the road we saw that they were definitely fishing and their net was overflowing. The lady in the front was cleaning them at an amazing rate.

Abandoned.

This was the second wedding celebration we had seen. Among all the dirt and garbage there is beauty.

 Selling lotus flower pod. I have no idea what to to do with one. Do I cook it or wear it in my hair?

The land was so flat. Rice paddies along the way.

There was a school on the way that looked abandoned since the right side was sinking quite badly. On the way back I was surprised to see school kids playing in it. Interestingly, there is new one behind.

I got photobombed by this little girl who jumped in front of the camera.

We went through a number of small villages that were a row of houses on either side of the road. The road drops so most are on stilts.

The stilts. Old wooden ones seem to be replace by cement.

This was a slightly larger village that extended into what looks like a flood plain.

There is the one hill in the background. We saw a tour bus visiting this community.

Old and new side by side.

There is the one hill

Road being upgraded.

Cruising the roads looking for a hammok cafe. You'll see...

Success!!!!

Enjoying a khmer coffee overlooking the rice paddies.

Khmer coffee.....coffee and sweetened condensed milk. Very similar to Vietnamese coffee.

We made it to our destination. These boats were taking people for 25US each on tour to a floating village. We saw mainly tour busses so likely included in a package. Interestingly high price again. we met others who said the same.

We realized how we are getting used to seeing garbage etc all over the place. So much plastic.

These little girls were walking home from school and looked about 5-6 years old.

Beyond the lake.....there is another huge one a dusty 10km more along a wide flat road. We decided to head back.

Back to the transport.....it is a rice paddy tractor.

A Uhaul.....with that thing sticking in the drivers back.

Anything and any amount can be carried. This was piled with furniture. Check out the extension off the back.

On teh way to our lake we saw this crocodile farm and out of curiosity we stopped. You always know that in SE Asia these things will likely be disturbing. Especially when they also sell crocodile leather products.

No-one was there so we had our own little tours of the farm which is actually 4 ponds. That are over populated with crocs. It looks green because of the tarp.

The babies

We found this interesting. Even though they have these signs....

They say that they are not raising them for leather in their store. They get the leather from somewhere else "up North". Oh....and I bet the people "up North" get theirs from somewhere "down south". In any case that's a lot of crocs.

 He says some tourists like to watch them fight so you can feed them.....what? Glad I wasn't there to see a live duck being thrown in.

I'll leave you with that thought.

Ankor Wat Half Marathon

The Half Marathon raises money to help land mine victims. We visited Ankor Wat the day before and stumbled across the event being set up.

Early morning transport via tuk tuk got us there with hundreds of others.

Most of our crew post race. Our little running group "Ramkhamhaeng Runners" has grown.

Sporting the shirts.

Vince was in charge of these two little guys while his parents ran. Cute kids.

Temple mascot?

Siem Reap, Cambodia, home of Ankor Wat (UNESCO Heritage Site and 7th wonder of the world)

We had a group of about 20 people who headed to Cambodia at the beginning of December to run in the annual Ankor Wat Half Marathon. There were also 10 km and family options. We spent a long weekend which gave us time to visit most of the more famous temples in the heritage site and then take a bike ride south of the city. This is a place that you could explore for a quite some time. There are many temples that are not part of the complex (and free)  but we didn't have the time. The cost for Ankor Wat complex is  $20 US/day which is steep considering the country. I'm hoping that locals have a different deal.

Once again we rent some trusty steeds a $1-$4/ day. We used US $ here which I was surprised at but also forewarned of.

We rode out to the most famous, Ankor Wat which was immense. The moat alone is gigantic and this is the pathway over. 

A view from the far side of the most. Lots of visitors.

Ankor Wat...a small part.

  Being tourists.

Everything from the walls to the structure is fascinating.

Reclining Buddha

From the top. Incredible to imagine life in the 1100s. 

 A stupa.

It go so hot that I though I was going to combust. Fashion went by the wayside and my scarf became my protector. We had just picked up my race pace which, thankfully included a nice cotton scarf and visor. It's a dry, dusty city.

Many long tunnel-like hallways.

View from the top. The reconstruction is huge and ongoing.

The stairs up/down were not for the feint of heart.

We ran the race on Sunday morning and that afternoon joined up with Emily and rented a tuk-tuk for the "outer loop" of temples which are further away. It's exhausting to visiting both physically and mentally.

Our ride. Look carefully at the back of the seat. The motorcycles here have many attachments for carrying people and things but in every case we saw the driver has the towing ball in his/her back.

Bangkok tuk tuk block your view...these are nice and high.

Eerie tress grow over the walls.

One, Ta Som I think was in the middle of what felt like a like but I think it was a huge moat.

Tired and thirsty.

Ta Phrom made famous by Tomb Raider

Vince inspecting the construction.

The couple on the right then climbed over the fence to get a picture....interesting.

 Headless statues became a theme.

Vince holding up the walls.

Looking at some of the less restored temples you get an idea of the amount of work that has been done.

 We kept getting in front then behind this huge tour group. The monks in the back were nice enough to pose with them.

Sssssssnake!

I missed this by a few minutes but it was the scene as many came to school this morning. A reticulated python. Last week a friend found one in a tree in his backyard. He called the guards who got it down and it was a little slow.....had just swallowed a cat. Eesh!

So, this here in the one from this morning.

In the basket.

...and away