Day 9 Saturday 7th. January 2006
We started day 9 with a 2 hour bus ride which included a coffee stop. The scenery was exotically rural. Paddy fields in all stages of growth or resting,wooden houses on stilts, goats, children, cattle, horses, ponies, people cycling or motorcycling and the occasional lorry were all part of a visually stimulating environment. Children, especially were everywhere.
It was on this day that we said goodbye to Smi, our first Cambodian guide. Sue said a few kind and true words about Smi and we were all a little sad. We soon met our new guide who was very knowledgeable about the Cambodian Temple Ruins.
At Koh Kaong we mounted the bikes and cycled leisurely for about 30km. before enjoying lunch together at a Chinese restaurant. After lunch we cycled to the bus which was our mode of transport round today’s temples.The first was a Khumer Temple ruin called Wat Nokor. It is an 11th. century Mahayana Buddist Shrine and it houses a beautifully and brightly painted modern working wat.
We took another bus ride to a smaller but more ancient temple ruin. Here, Moya and I needed the toilet. However, it was extremely smelly and the fellow wanted a US dollar so we decided to hold on.
Kompong Thom, our final stop, was another 70 km. further on. It was dark by the time we arrived at The Sting Sen Royal Garden Hotel and we had a convivial meal in the hotel restaurant before bed.
Smi’s grandmothers grave
Ruth and Smi
Day 10 Sunday 8th. January 2006
We bussed for an hour after breakfast and then cycled 30 km. to the oldest wat, Sambor Prei Kuk Temple, built in the 7th.century . In this century Sambor Prei Kuk Temple was the capital of CAMBODIA. Now this area is forested with around 100 temples scattered about. We continued by bus until we were quite near Siam Reap. From here we cycled to a small town called Roulous to visit an area of 9th.century temples which are among the earliest permanent structures built by the Khumer. We visited 3 temple sites The Bakong, Preah Ko and Lolei all built by Indravarman 1 and his successor Yasvarman. We are growing accustomed to seeing ruins and though I’m sure some folks spend much time in studying them, for me they became a bit similar and by now (nearly 10 months later )they are mostly blended into an impression.
Finally , we continued by bus to the Casa Ankor Hotel in Siam Reap.
