Day 2 (24/9) - Siem Reap: Angkor Thom (Bayon), Town (Part 3)
More pictures of Bayon:
Monk in the ruins
There was a strange wind vane on top of this building.
Carvings
Library
More contemporary worship
Heads up close
Tom with monks
Reconstruction in progress (South Library)
Chillin'
South view of Bayon
Unfortunately we didn't get off at the South Gate of Angkor Thom, but we got to see it as the bus passed by.
The problem with having some of 'your' heritage carted off to another country was explained to me as someone taking your car. A better analogy would've been that it was more like someone taking one of your great great great great great grandfather's cars - that he didn't leave to you, where in some cases there was paternity uncertainty and where he was in possession of a whole garage full of cars.
Siem Reap. As you can see, it's a dump. There's a (tourist) area which is like Holland Village though.
The river
Buzzing street - entrance to tourist area
Tourist area street. The market is on the right.
"Welcome to B.E.V.I.P Khmer Massage. Most memorable in Siem Reap"
"Madam 1 Massage. The 'Stress Reliever' massage is Fantastic."
But I want a Miss, not a Madam...
For dinner, we went to "Le Grand Cafe".
Minere Mineral Water. I bet the Khmer characters representing the mineral quantities (beside the English words for the minerals) all say "zero" in 8 different ways - it's to con tourists by tricking them into thinking there're minerals inside.
My main course - Scallops and Shrimps Khmer Style with fresh green pepper (sic) and palm sugar. I wanted to see what the US$14 set menu would get me (I had some Thai-ish chicken salad before this). Surprisingly, the seafood was very fresh.
Night scene from window of Le Grand Cafe
Boasting how clean their water is
Chocolat Mousse. Clement said it looked like "solidified lao sai". It was the most intense chocolate mousse I've ever had - you can tell from the colour alone. If I were chocolate-sensitive it'd have sent me straight into the roof.
Someone commented on the Cambodian souvenirs that many were a lot cheaper in Thailand - because they were bought there and then ferried across the border for sale.
A lot of people went off for happy endings (massages) this night, but I didn't because I didn't like massages, wasn't masochistic, was tired, needed to clear my bodily systems, didn't like being clad in just a towel in the presence of others (not least strange women) and it was a waste of money. Some wanted to have foot massages, but in the end went all out and got full body treatments.
Going back to the hotel, I ended up in the pool for at least 3 hours over 2 sessions. I didn't intend to stay that long, but when I made to leave, I suddenly got a huge calf cramp, and decided to take this as an omen from the pool god and stay till the last person had come out.
The toilet bowl in our hotel roomed like to burp a lot - even when it wasn't being flushed. When it was the burp was very noisy.
I was resolving not to do any studying on the trip, but the night before I'd read a few pages of a reading related to the trip, so I guess that didn't count. Then again, almost everyone had not read any of the readings (perhaps because, unlike me, they do not find obscure humorous tidbits inside), so maybe it does. D'oh!
Quotes:
[On the upper level of Bayon] One thing I don't understand. Why don't they build toilets up here?
[Me: Are you going for your happy endings later?] Yeah. Join us lah. [Student 2: I don't think we'll be very happy to see you in a towel.] [Student 3: We've seen him in a dress.]