Back in the saddle again and out to the Roluos group of temples today. But first I met with Dave Perks. No, not my ex-classmate, but British expat photographer who is running the tour tomorrow to Banteay Chhmar temple. It's just me on the tour. This is is the temple near the Thai border where fire is NOT being exchanged with Thailand. (That was extra.) Dave is an interesting guy and enthusiastic about Cambodia and photography in general so it should be fun.
Armed with a map, a scale and my cycling GPS I attempted today's ride via "small roads." Alas I kept on ending up on Route 6, the main road between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. Good pavement but dull scenery comparatively. I did mange about half the distance on good country dirt roads though which I think has been the favorite part of my trip. Everyone says hello, all the kids wave and high five me from my bike. I gave chase to a pick up truck load of women returning home from the fields and gave them all a good laugh - almost grabbed a hand to get a tow too!
Temples were great! Just couple of Korean bus tours and a handful of tuk tuk visitors so had the places to myself for the most part. Just before my first stop I saw a weaving workshop so stopped and had a browse. Very low key place so I picked up a few silk scarves.
Stop One was Preah Ko with six standing towers on a terrace. Walls and gopura (entry pavilion) are long gone. Interesting steps here with scalloped edges - very Indian looking which shouldn't be a surprise since it's a Hindu temple originally. Also nice buff brick and traces of faces on trim stones.
Bakong next which I loved. It's a big-ish site, about 0.85 x 0.65 kilometres at the inner (square) moat. Then a series of concentric stepped up square terraces. BTW all of these terraces are perfectly aligned NSEW. Causeways connect here across the moat form east to centre and then centre to west.
As usual when I pull in the vendors hunt the newcomers down and try and sell or try and commit them to purchasing from them when you come out. So this woman 'Lah" came and chatted me. She was very sweet and personable. She was fascinated that A) I was a woman travelling alone and B) that I was on a bike. What a novelty for the locals where bikes are a sign of the lower class, scooters for the middle class and cars for the riche.
Right away she said, and her English was very good, it must be nice to make your own decisions about where to go because the tuk tuk drivers or tour companies here control where their customers go. (Of course all the tuk tuk drivers are men.) I had a look at her menu and said I would think about it while visiting the temple. I asked if she was cold as she had long sleeves and two layers of shirts. She said she wants whiter skin so she covers up up. I said I want browner skin so I wear short sleeves. We had a good laugh and agreed to trade.
This site was interesting as it had a functioning monastery on site and there was a gaggle of kids running around all over the place who were more interested in playing hide-and-seek that they were in scamming candy off of me. Delightful!
Also some elephant statues remained at at the terrace corners. It must have been quite the sight in the 9th century when it was intact. This site is also small enough to get a snapshot of the full extent. It's almost a mini Angkor. Scalloped steps here too and a touch of colour in the flowers at the main entry - vache et fleurs.
Decided to have lunch at stall No. 5 on Lah's recommendation. She assured me that all food was cooked fresh. I selected a coconut from her cooler - heavenly! AND you can scrape a layer of tender flesh from the inside. She then fanned me until my memsahib guilt set in and i told her i would take care of the air con myself. The cook offered to cut fresh chili for my noodles but I opted for the mild chili sauce. Chatted with Lah about her business - November has been good so far but December is usually not so good for them. Not so many people come out to these temples. She sells scarves and hustles for the restaurant but she's not hard core like some I've encountered but she did jump up mid meal to flag down a new comer. I ended up getting a scarf from her - a man's scarf as like with clothing worldwide it's sturdier and better made.
Set out for home about 3p as I had to return my bike by 6p and had to allow for time to get lost which I did , kind of. November is wedding month here. Apparently weddings are minimum one and one half days of partying. (Sounds like the Malay wedding Donna and I went to!) So there I was biking down my peaceful red dirt road when the boom-boom club music started - the cows were nonplussed.
Video if it uploads!
Some people are harvesting rice so there is much of it drying on the road side and the rice haystacks are building up. There was high water lat year that flooded area that I was biking so a few places had built platforms to stack the rice stacks on.
Asked directions at a 'T' in section and ended up back on the route 6. Ah well, good bye villagers and hello paved shoulders. I've loved cycling here even in in the Buddhist low temper crazy nutty traffic. I may rent a bike for my last day after I come back from Banteay Chhmar.
Route 6 delivered me to the Royal Gardens, a big Buddhist party and the resident fruit bats. THEN just about the last thing I expected to come across was an out door photo exhibit about violence against women sponsored by Médecins Du Monde. Images and stories spanning seven countries - very moving.
Returned my bike and headed back to Le Tigre Papier for a repeat of last nights stellar meal. Started with a Margarita and finished with a heavenly espresso. During all this I had a nice chat with a young German woman woman who reminded me of my new sister-in-law, Lisa.We both agreed that this was THE best meal on our trips. As I was finishing the street went dark and the full moon shone even brighter. Grabbed one last caramel cashew nut ice cream cone from the Blue Pumpkin and actually hired a tuk tuk to take me back to the guest house. I miss my bike.
Another terrific day - have a look: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/247564593
Armed with a map, a scale and my cycling GPS I attempted today's ride via "small roads." Alas I kept on ending up on Route 6, the main road between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. Good pavement but dull scenery comparatively. I did mange about half the distance on good country dirt roads though which I think has been the favorite part of my trip. Everyone says hello, all the kids wave and high five me from my bike. I gave chase to a pick up truck load of women returning home from the fields and gave them all a good laugh - almost grabbed a hand to get a tow too!
Stop One was Preah Ko with six standing towers on a terrace. Walls and gopura (entry pavilion) are long gone. Interesting steps here with scalloped edges - very Indian looking which shouldn't be a surprise since it's a Hindu temple originally. Also nice buff brick and traces of faces on trim stones.
Bakong next which I loved. It's a big-ish site, about 0.85 x 0.65 kilometres at the inner (square) moat. Then a series of concentric stepped up square terraces. BTW all of these terraces are perfectly aligned NSEW. Causeways connect here across the moat form east to centre and then centre to west.
As usual when I pull in the vendors hunt the newcomers down and try and sell or try and commit them to purchasing from them when you come out. So this woman 'Lah" came and chatted me. She was very sweet and personable. She was fascinated that A) I was a woman travelling alone and B) that I was on a bike. What a novelty for the locals where bikes are a sign of the lower class, scooters for the middle class and cars for the riche.
Right away she said, and her English was very good, it must be nice to make your own decisions about where to go because the tuk tuk drivers or tour companies here control where their customers go. (Of course all the tuk tuk drivers are men.) I had a look at her menu and said I would think about it while visiting the temple. I asked if she was cold as she had long sleeves and two layers of shirts. She said she wants whiter skin so she covers up up. I said I want browner skin so I wear short sleeves. We had a good laugh and agreed to trade.
This site was interesting as it had a functioning monastery on site and there was a gaggle of kids running around all over the place who were more interested in playing hide-and-seek that they were in scamming candy off of me. Delightful!
Also some elephant statues remained at at the terrace corners. It must have been quite the sight in the 9th century when it was intact. This site is also small enough to get a snapshot of the full extent. It's almost a mini Angkor. Scalloped steps here too and a touch of colour in the flowers at the main entry - vache et fleurs.
Decided to have lunch at stall No. 5 on Lah's recommendation. She assured me that all food was cooked fresh. I selected a coconut from her cooler - heavenly! AND you can scrape a layer of tender flesh from the inside. She then fanned me until my memsahib guilt set in and i told her i would take care of the air con myself. The cook offered to cut fresh chili for my noodles but I opted for the mild chili sauce. Chatted with Lah about her business - November has been good so far but December is usually not so good for them. Not so many people come out to these temples. She sells scarves and hustles for the restaurant but she's not hard core like some I've encountered but she did jump up mid meal to flag down a new comer. I ended up getting a scarf from her - a man's scarf as like with clothing worldwide it's sturdier and better made.
Video if it uploads!
Some people are harvesting rice so there is much of it drying on the road side and the rice haystacks are building up. There was high water lat year that flooded area that I was biking so a few places had built platforms to stack the rice stacks on.
Asked directions at a 'T' in section and ended up back on the route 6. Ah well, good bye villagers and hello paved shoulders. I've loved cycling here even in in the Buddhist low temper crazy nutty traffic. I may rent a bike for my last day after I come back from Banteay Chhmar.
Route 6 delivered me to the Royal Gardens, a big Buddhist party and the resident fruit bats. THEN just about the last thing I expected to come across was an out door photo exhibit about violence against women sponsored by Médecins Du Monde. Images and stories spanning seven countries - very moving.
Returned my bike and headed back to Le Tigre Papier for a repeat of last nights stellar meal. Started with a Margarita and finished with a heavenly espresso. During all this I had a nice chat with a young German woman woman who reminded me of my new sister-in-law, Lisa.We both agreed that this was THE best meal on our trips. As I was finishing the street went dark and the full moon shone even brighter. Grabbed one last caramel cashew nut ice cream cone from the Blue Pumpkin and actually hired a tuk tuk to take me back to the guest house. I miss my bike.
Another terrific day - have a look: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/247564593
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