Last Day in Siem Reap...

was actually a few days ago, but am only able to sit down and write about it now. On Wednesday I decided I had seen enough temples and went out to explore the "real" Siem Reap a bit.

I had breakfast at a hawker stand nearby where I was staying. Was drawn in by the dessert, which consisted of lots of coconut things, condensed milk and shaved ice. Southeast Asians love them some condensed milk!

I then moved down to the other end of the stand and had some noodles, fried spring rolls and scallions. Yum!

Just a few steps down the road I saw some men moving huge blocks of ice in a truck. They stick metal hooks into holes into the blocks of ice, to move it around.

Further down the road and down a side street I came across a temple, much simpler than the grand ones that I had seen for the past two days.
Just down the street I heard some kids playing and went over to have a look. These boys playing volleyball were pretty good! Made me remember my high school varsity volleyball days.

Burning trash is one way to get rid of it! At least they're not building lots of landfills.

Huge bicycle & motorbike parking lot:

Some sweet schoolgirls I ran into:

All of the houses and many business in Siem Reap have these little temples or wats outside. There is also a fair amount of construction going on and laundry drying outside, all of which are captured in the photo below.

Another small "house temple"

I asked these charming little boys if I could take their picture. Instead of the standard Cambodian child "Give my one dollar" response, they responded by running away, chasing each other and laughing.

People make liberal use of the horn in Cambodia. From what I've surmised, horn usage can mean "Watch out, I'm going to pass you on the left" or "Hey! You're too close to me!" or "I'm going to go straight now" or "I'm going to weave in and out of lanes erratically and drive on the wrong side of the road" or "Hello" or any combination of the above. Cambodian ladies manage to make riding on the back of a fume-spewing scooter a noble and elegant act, by sitting side-saddle.

Old school and new school transport.

After my walk around town, it was time for some quick shopping in the Old Market. I employed what I hoped were impressive negotiation tactics and scored a few souvenirs. Then it was back to Wats Up to gather my things and off to the airport. Thank you Freshie Girlie Room! You were a nice home for a few days. (Photo won't rotate now la. Will try to fix later la)

The American giant and nice friendly Wats Up guy:

Cows on the way to the Siem Reap airport

Thank you sign, you explain so little and so much at the same time. It's all so clear now why there were so many children begging and selling pirated books outside the temples. I'm glad to see that the "Passenger Charge" is reaching those who need it most.

Thank you Cambodia, you were rich in contradictions and beauty, a feast for the eyes and the soul. I'll never forget you.