Day two in Angkor got off to a slow start because of things I had to arrange back home. I took the bike and, since it was light out, I discovered that from some places you can actually see Angkor Wat from a few kilometers away. I took the roundabout way in, but it was nice because I got to see more. Angkor is beautiful and Angkor Wat certainly deserves its place as showpiece. Many of the other temples here are in much worse shape than the nearly-restored Angkor Wat. One of the worst in this way is Ta Som, but this quality makes it cool to see as it is very much broken down and serves as a reminder of what most temples here looked like before restoration started. It’s gloomy, covered in lichen, rubble strewn everywhere, with trees growing throughout and roots doing the job of breaking things apart. Tourists surely help this process along as they are allowed to touch, sit, stand, etc in the areas that aren’t off limits.

Yesterday I was at Angkor Wat for sunrise and sunset. For today’s sunset I’ll probably go to Phnom Bakheng with the rest of the tourists. Is there anyone who actually likes being labeled a tourist? Tomorrow I may try for the Rolous group to the east, the oldest group.

hours later

Legs… so… tired. One day of walking was one thing - I’m used to walking - but a full day of bike riding is hard when you’re not used to it. It was worth it though, as I covered a lot of ground and saw a lot of the smaller temples. It was a fairly slow and relaxed day, which was nice. Now let’s see if I can get my full deposit back for the bike.

after a shower

I like this place. If I could live in SE Asia for a while and still pull down an American salary, I’d be quite happy. It might take a while for the people in my area to figure out I’m not a tourist, but I’d still have to pay foreigner prices no matter how long I was here, which vary but I think are around three to four times the local prices. Despite that, foreigner prices are still amazingly small on an American salary. I’ve eaten at the same restaurant the last three nights (no, I haven’t lost my sense of adventure) and have eaten very well: two main dishes, rice, and tea for US$2.50.