Ride For Cambodia?

[Digiamo]

Joe and I reluctantly responded to the 4AM alarm with the question, "Hope this is worth it". Our arranged and so far, faithful Tuk Tuk driver was 7 minutes earlier than the agreed time of 5AM. Out in moderate traffic and pitch blackness, we continued to wonder " Wat's the draw"
George, Joe and I found coffee at the drop off point as all westerners needs are filled even in predawn blackness. We'll use that photo for the next coffee thread start.
Flashlights were being sold and bought as there are no overhead lights where we crossed the uneven causeway to the sunrise viewing area.
I was glad I downloaded the flashlight app on my Droid.

Standing at a large pond bank at 5:30AM we geared up for and hour long wait for the sun to appear. I took out the large laser diffuser I bought in Bangkok and started playing around, half expecting someone to tell me to stop. This thing is very powerful and easily lit up things at great distances with the diffuser off the tip. With the diffuser on I was able to light up the entire palm tree we stood under like it was Christmas with a thousand tiny Laser beams scurrying in every direction like confused insects.

This seemed to attract people toward out location and turned out to be another way to break ice with other travelers.
Out came the STOC Tag for these two Chinese teachers on holiday:


Droid S 3 & TT2

 

[Digiamo]

Droid S 3 & TT2

 

[olegeezer]

Breakfast at No. 24 restaurant after sunrise. Fortunately the little girls hard selling the trinkets were in school today and breakfast was quiet. On arrival at Angkor Wat for the sunrise service, the coffee was so bad we opted for tea.

 

[George]

i owe all youse guys a bunch of pics... working on them now...

 

[Papa]

I just saw this whole event thing. Awesome guys, and thanks for dragging us along with you through pix and videos.

 

[TipSTer]

Great Pictures Guys, lots of tourist at Angor Temple, loves it! thanks for sharing....

 

[Digiamo]

...later that same day...

Very friendly Korean gals we met while strolling the market district in Siem Reap.

Droid S 3 & TT2

 

[TipSTer]

Danny, awesome picts thanks again!

 

[Indian Express]

Great pics guys! Reminds me so much of India! I'm used to seeing elephants on the rd. but still have to stop and take pictures of them when I see them! I'm really enoying your trip so far and look forward to the new posts everyday! Thanks for sharing!

 

[olegeezer]

One member of the crew in deep meditation at Angkor What??

 

[TipSTer]

Joe. Cool pix of Danny

 

[Papa]

Can you give us a run down on that feast? Looks like squid, veggie kabobs, what's the rest of the species, especially the dark meat?

 

[olegeezer]

Can you give us a run down on that feast? Looks like squid, veggie kabobs, what's the rest of the species, especially the dark meat?

You got most of it. Some really nice looking shrimp in there. Dark meat was probably beef. We didn't eat here, they were just tempting the street walkers with the display. Cambodian food can be a little bland and very basic (IMO), especially if you eat outside of the bigger towns. We had lunch today at a place where it was very basic, like raw cabbage, some kind of small raw eggplant, and some other veggies we couldn't name. They brought out some very red, marinated fish that was very salty that I think nobody wanted but me? One item looked like a hollowed out cucumber filled with meat and served in a bowl of broth. The meat tasted a little like hamburger. It was all very different, except for the rice......

 

[BDonald]

The food in the Philippines was also bland and most of the Americans always carried some hot sauce to put on their food.

 

[Papa]

Cabbage and riding anywhere but lead can be hazardous to your senses, according to Dinkie. What an adventure. Stay safe guys.

 

[lectricmojo]

:bow1: opcorn

 

[motomano]

Danny and the group seems are getting as good as it gets, I can't wait for the coming posts, Angkor Wat is amazing thru the pics and video.

 

[Digiamo]

With and new day and and a new plan eight of us rode out the east end of busy Siem Reap only to get separated into what eventually became two groups. I coalesced with Ken, Vermont Dan, Gary and Alex who had varying plans for the day and varied speeds with which to get it all done.
We wanted to see Pol Pots cremation site and the Temple in the mountains, Preah Vihear, near the Thai border north of Sra Em.
I was on my own for a while and used the time to add to the adventure; I ran that Dream dry for the second time. Fortunately,* both times I was able to pust the scooter to a road side liter seller.
We found Pol Pot's site, which apparently, according to Dan, is just over the border in Thailand, which concerned me because I didn't have my original passport and visa with me if there were questions going back.

The site itself was nothing but a dirt road with a rope across it and a simple shelter like a toll booth which had a very unofficial toll taker who appeared* a minute after we arrived. There was no verbal comunication at all, only a book of tickets with $2 on it. From what we could tell, he want $2 each bike, but from what I saw I refused to go beyond and said I would wait for the others. He eventually let all of us in for Gary's $2.
My expectations of an interesting photo op was low as we approached a dusty* roped in rectanglular shaped weedy area with a corrigated steel hood over part of it. Not much of a memorial for anyone. Maybe too much for a tyrant.
A rusty sign marked it's historical significance. Our "toll taker" strolled up the road as we meandered around the site discussing Georges intentions to pee on this memorial. As toll guy arived we were taking about fulfilling this goal but no one wanted to with him there. A tyrant who abuses power is one thing, killing millions of innocents is quite another. My contempt needed to be demonstrated.
"Don't do it" Danny gets an idea. I indicate to him that I need to go number one very badly and ask if there is a place. He shrugs as I move closer to the site holding myself he make no move to stop me; he even smiled. You can quess the rest. Photos on request.

Later, as we were betting a room in Sra Re, I noticed new oil under my left fork. Again, mechanics and gas are all over and I found a good one after the third place I stopped.
While new seals were getting installed by what looked like a 12 year old, I was discussing many things with the boss. I turn away from the work for a moment to talk and turn back ...the plastic was off. Again, we talk some more in broken english and then suddenly a fork was off.
I showed him the pics of the cremation site and he said the Khmer text on the sign indicated they are trying to restore it. I wondered why since he was responsible for millions of inocent people being murdered.
I asked if he thought Pol Pot was good or bad by use of thumbs up or down. He thumbed up for SOB. I checked three times with repeated throat cutting gestures.* He along with a few other in the shop area simple laughed and thumbed up for the cruel tyrant. I was certain there was some miscommunication but relieved that I didnt reveal the number one story.*
New fork seals 30 minutes... $5. Now, back to the beer drinkers at the hotel for some grub.


Droid S 3 & TT2

 

[fearnow]

:bow1: opcorn

This, exactly.

 

[olegeezer]

Raven, Olegeezer and George, left Siem Reap for Battambang today. Raven found a silk farm to tour and we thoroughly enjoyed it. We even got to taste a silk worm but it won't be something I will be picking up for dinner. Our guide took us through the entire cycle from the mulberry tree leaves the worms eat to the final weaving where the silk is crafted into something beautiful and useful.
Lunch on the road was tofu sandwiches, grilled banana, green tea milk, iced coffee milk and red tea milk, yum.....
On the way to Battambang we kept passing scooters carrying pigs, (mostly dead), these pigs were not small and we saw as many as 3 pigs loaded across the back. It must have been pig harvesting day in this province? I sure hope we can get some pics of the many uses these people make of the small scooters that are so common here. Yesterday I saw a man hauling a piece of wood as big as a railroad tie and it was taking up most of his lane.
Today there was one load of duck (estimate 2 dozen) hung by the neck on two sticks, again taking up a good portion of the lane. They use these vehicles like we would use a small pickup at home.
I saw my first accident today where a truck hit a wagon load of grain(pulled by a scooter) and spilled the grain. It's truly amazing that we don't see more accidents.

Bamboo scaffolding across from our hotel balcony. Where's OSHA when you need em?????