Toni started racing everyone with his Honda! Asking me about my religion and making jokes that Christians will kill me! Asked if I would like to have a girl tonight since e knows his ways! We passed by a very small restaurant where Toni ordered for me and taught me how to avoid pork in Cambodian! Hyegenic standards are even lower here than in Malaysia! We had a quick lunch and we headed to the famous temple Angkor Wat for sunset!
It is huge, I spent there a couple of hours and a few hours in the next morning. This is where the events of Tomb Raider take place. Many temples that actually look the same m, style-wise but different in the organization with some characteristics for each!
Angkor Wat:
I finished my tour and NOT taking a lot of pictures then went back to Toni to take my to the hostel. There, I unpacked my stuff and met Pei from Malaysia and Amanda from England. Pei has been traveling around the region for 7 months! After quitting her job. Amanda was a police officer in Manchester and she also quit to go live one year in Australia. I haven’t met anyone who is only traveling for 3 weeks like me! Still good enough for me :)!
We had a BBQ in the hostel and talking about our travels. The number of the stories you hear from travelers provides you with even more experiences than the ones you live yourself! Pei told me about a solo-traveler she met in Thailand. He is from Pakistan, traveling alone. However, he is blind!! Even a blind man is traveling alone in a country not expected to be prepared for handicapped.
I went to bed to resume my activity early in the morning tomorrow!
****
Next morning, Saturday! I am ready earlier than expected I walk the streets looking for breakfast and I see Locals eating noodles, beef, pork etc.. Too early for me! I found a food stall that sells fried bread!
Afterwards I went for coffee and sat in a place where the TV was showing "Cambodia’s got Talent"! What I saw on the TV striked me in tw face! The other side of the country! Faces people see on TV and realize they won’t ever be there! Or even closer! The permanent disappointment in your life! The ceilings to your ambitions since you are born! Again, I remember Egypt a lot!
At 9:30, Chen arrived, another rider that Toni sent instead of him! Younger, 32 years old, slower bike, married with one son! His dream is to go to spain to pratice his Spanish and come back to work as a tourist guide and earn more money for his family!
With his motorbike, Chen took me around the temples, a few hours I spent in different temples and sling photos! Google "Angkor wat, Angkor Thom and Ta prohm".
Around noon, we went for lunch and then decided that I am not going to the floating village! Instead, I asked Chen to take me to one of the poorest neighborhoods of Siem Reap, and he did!
The whole Cambodia trip was inspired by my friend Daniel who showed me some photos that touched me! I wanted to see this poverty with my own eyes! I believe it is a good practice to see other people’s difficulties and appreciate what I have. However, the scenes were more touching than expected!
Chen took me back to the hostel, I was supposed to rest a little then go for dinner and then take the bus to Phnom Penh! This would have happened if I didn’t have "Happy Pizza" for dinner!
TBC!
