Don't Let Your Kids Play with Snakes!! & Investment Properties??

This is more from our morning trip to and from Tonle Sap.  The kids ask for "dollah" to have their pictures taken with the snakes. 

The second video shows investment properties along the lake.

The third video is investment properties along the road between Siem Reap and Tonle Sap.

A Day @ the Lake (Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in SE Asia)

There are several floating villages Tomle Sap.  The village we saw had a section for illegal Vietnamese and another section for Cambodians.  Prosperity is not the word that comes to mind.  Tourism & fish farming have helped supplement the fishermen's income.  There are floating tanks with drinking water provided by different countries including the US.  The whole scene changes dramatically during the monsoon season when water depths change by 25 feet and the lake is 7 times as big. 

Are you ready for this?



Scenery along the man-made channel




Housing that needs to be moved @ beginning & end of monsoon season because of flooding




Natural a/c




Floating school




Learning to navigate a boat & become an entrepreneur at an early age.  No need for life jackets in this world.




Croc hide is a little longer than Don.



There were many live crocs on the boat we boarded as well as farming of catfish.



One of about 60 villages on the lake



Rice paddy near the lake



Just for DT



Typical street scene in city of Siem Reap

Video of Market & Tuk-tuk Ride in Siem Reap

Two videos of Old City Market and the last one is of a tuk-tuk ride

Cambodian Temples, Part 1 & 2

We spent Friday visiting some of the ancient temples.  They're the reason Siem Reap is now on the map, having become a tourist attraction since the war ended in 1993.  They're a UNESCO World Heritage site.  These temples below were built in the 1000s-1200s.  Some were originally Hindu temples, converted to Buddhist temples when the king converted.  Tall ones were originally Hindu and shorter ones were built as Buddhist temples.  Today we will see some other temples and then the biggest one (Angkor Wat) @ sunset.  Tomorrow we also get to see a vocational school.  Do I see a new Moraine Park student exchange program?

With the combination of celebrating both the Chinese and Cambodia New Year, there were LOTS of people.  This is a densely populated area in terms of people, motorcycles and tuk-tuks.

Don says to mention that the weather is sunny & hot but not real humid.  The pool is very nice; we've enjoyed it along with the diverse group at the resort.

Bobbi, Don

Southgate entrance to Angkor Thom (Big City)

Angkor Thom; once had over 1,000,000 inhabitants

Chronicling a battle between Vietnamese & Cambodians & Chinese allies

Chronicling a battle between Vietnamese & Cambodians & Chinese allies

Smiling Buddha

The gum tree roots cannot be removed without destroying the walls.

Brick temple from 800 AD




Courtyard of 800 AD temple

Land mine victims playing music for donations

New Buddhist monk

Bas relief in Angkor Wat

At Angkor Wat (City Temple)

Waiting for fish

Sword temple in honor of king's dad

Intertwined snake temple surrounded by holy water



Strangled fig roots holding up temple



Are you game?





Ooh lah lah!



1st Impressions of Siem Reap, Cambodia

We walked into town this morning & hung out at the pool this afternoon.  Here are some things we saw along the street, in the market & the hotel.  Corey, they have a lot of elephants - but we've only seen pretend ones so far.

We're in Cambodia

 We're in cambodia.  Since we're here a day early, our hotel isn't available so we're in another one.  It's VERY nice but I'm sure we'll sleep well in any bed.

Thanks for all the updates on the weather - and it sounds like we ARE lucky to get out.  I hope you're all getting a lot of healthy exercise in the Midwest.

Well, off to bed.  Pictures will have to wait 'til tomorrow.  We're 13 hours ahead of you & it's 79 degrees, but quite dry.

Two Weary Travelers

A Storm & Korea

Thanks to Schroeders, we made it to Milwaukee to catch the bus to O'Hare on Monday night.  We stayed in a hotel there & got in line very early Tuesday morning to plead our case to fly out on Tuesday instead of taking our chances on Wednesday.  We were very lucky to have a helpful agent and manager who not only let us get on the Tuesday flight, but gave us exit row seats with all the leg room Don needed - and more.  We're now in Seoul, Korea, waiting for our flight to Cambodia.  He promises me a day of relaxation since we'll be there a day early.  Happy New Year (if you celebrate Asian holidays) and Happy Snow Storm to the rest of you!  We'll write from Cambodia when we catch up on some sleep.  This flight was 13.5 hours and the next one is 4 hours.  Don and Bobbi