Vietnam and Siem Reap

[RooFlyer]

Ah yes (as he glances to the information on the left ). I can only ever get to gold - too much time spent in Canada, where they are thin on the ground.

 

[puppysparkes]

Angkor Wat and surrounding temples

 

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The line up and heat made it an easy choice not to line up to make the climb to see the top level

 

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Bayon temple

 

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Tonle Sap Lake and floating village tour


This tour is around 20 - 25 minutes by tuk tuk from Siem Reap itself. Unfortunately based on our experience I would not recommend taking this tour. The boat ride was 20 USD per person but you do get the entire boat to yourself regardless of how many people are in your group. The journey to the village is around ten minutes and another five minutes to the lake itself. We were told how the people along the lake are very poor and that all the money generated from tourism goes back in to the community. Our guide gave us an idea of potential sights to visit and advised us that it would cost another 20 USD per person to be taken by a community volunteer into the mangrove to see the local flora and fauna. He also mentioned that before stopping at the orphanage we could visit to the local community store to buy products for the local orphanage. I explained that we did not want to visit the orphanage (see photo below). We explained that we had only enough money for the tour and we should probably return to the wharf. The guide advised us that we did not have to buy anything and that it was still worth a visit. We stopped in at the local crocodile and fish farm and then we were taken to the orphanage. As more tour boats arrived the reason for our unscheduled visit became clear. The boat crews were each given a bowl of rice and noodles for bringing tourist to the orphanage. We headed back to the wharf and I quietly handed the guide a tip. He asked for more for the driver and I explained that we had no other money. He suggested we borrow money from the tuk tuk driver and I could pay him back once we got to our hotel. I politely declined.


Further reading about the lake: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonlé_Sap

Ticket counter

Typical tour boat

Basketball court

Catholic church

One of the larger floating homes

 

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A lady asking for money and formula

Fisherman cleaning their nets

Mechanics and boat repair shop

This kid was rowing around in his dish like a boss.

 

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On the lake the store can come to you.

Croc farm on a floating store

The comms tower was installed 12 months ago. Our guide said the tower was good and bad. It was good because people had better reception in the area and bad because his girlfriend texts him ALL the time to find out where he is.

Our guide enjoying his rice and noodles

 

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On the way back in to Siem Reap we stopped at a road side stall to buy some lotus bulbs to snack on the seeds. It looked like a garlic clove and tasted sweetish. I managed to take a couple of photos along the way.

 

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Lotus fields