I flew to Siem Reap, Cambodia, from Bangkok after my 2007 visit to the Earthwatch Origins of Angkor dig In Thailand. I was met at the airport by "Mr. Tol" who would be my guide, and conveyed to the comfortable Two Dragons guest house off Wat Bo road.
The next morning Tol took me to the Bayon, and Ta Prohm, and after a rest, to Angkor Wat. Chinese New Year was basically in full swing for the entire month of February and the number of Asian tourists has grown exponentially here every year at that time.Â
All of the monuments, their parking lots, their walks - everything! in the major sites is completely overrun by tourists and their tourist busses. As Tol and his tuk-tuk moved steadily along the road, the big busses would blare at us to move over. In the monuments, my ability to take pictures without Asian tourists in the middle of the frame, posing for their own pictures, was limited. Sometimes I just shot quickly and hoped that examination of the pictures later at leisure would reveal to me what I couldn't stand and see in situ.
Described on Its own page.
Described on their own page
And after three days, Tol's brother Marom took me down to a fishing village, Kampong Kleang, an adventure in itself. Be sure to look at these pictures!
The "lesser" temples were less congested, and in their quiet ways, delightful. Leaving early we saw troops of monkeys a couple of time with few others - the busses can't be bothered to stop for them. A stop at a little gathering gave me a chance to buy a few souvenirs, and I enjoyed the kids along the way to the temples. I never tired of looking at the relaxed village homes along the road, "primitive" but somehow quite appealing. Maybe it's all those hammocks!