Temples - Day 2

Today we again had our tuk tuk driver Mr. Lum take us to temples. Today we did the 'grand tour', which was a longer ride through thr countryside, past fields of rice, and villages of simple open air homes of wood and thatched houses on stilts, with families outside, chooping wood, cooking dinner, and selling fruit. We passed one street of women stirring large calrdons of what we discovered was palm sugar which they made into delicous sweets. The ride was wonderful, although in the morning we did contend with a downpour, which left us wet and muddy.

I hobbled though the temples, and climbed over stairs and tree roots with great caution. Betty Lou seemed delighted that for once i was not walking at too brisk a pace, and could only amble.

All of the temples were lovely and each a bit different than the next. One was only accessily by walking on a long bridge over a picturesque swamp, another was built in a pyamid configuration, and another, Bantay Srei, was a glorious pink color and featured impossible ornate and in tact carvings.

There were far fewer tourists at these tmeples than yesterday's, but there were still countless children and women selling palm juice, fruit, and souveniers, and groups of men with limbs lost to landmines playing haunting music.

We returned to the hotel fairly beat from the walking in the heat and me also from my stupid limping. We had a tasty lunch at an outdoor restaurant which included the most delicious lemon smoothie. We are staying in tonight. Tomorrow is our final day in Siem Reap and we have nothing planned aside from arranging our transport to Battambang and doing a bit of shopping. Right now i am sitting on the balcony of our hotel with a cigar and listening to the noise of the street.