Angkor, Part 2

The weather in Cambodia is terribly hot and humid even now, the coolest time of the year. We started our tomb raiding at daybreak and couldn't tolerate the sun by 11 AM. Here are some more pictures.

Angkor, Part 1 Angkor, near Siem Reap, Cambodia was the capital city of the Khmer empire, which lasted from 802 AD to 1351. It is the number one tourist destination in southeast Asia.

Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom are the most well-known temples and it seems like a big deal to arrive early and watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat. In our opinion it wasn't worth it except to admire the tourist hordes of which we were a part. After the overrated sunrise we explored Angkors Wat and Thom along with the crowds. I think the majority was Chinese.

Angkor offers many more ruins to explore away from the groups of 1-day package tourists. Many sites have tumbled and crumbled and been reclaimed by the jungle giving them a very Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider feel.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Due to itinerary adjustments we might not get to see much of Cambodia, but because Angkor is the number 1 tourist destination in Southeast Asia we decided to take a side trip from Bangkok. The bus journey takes about 8 hours, including border crossing. It was rather uneventful except at the Cambodia visa office the officials tried to charge us the official $20 visa fee plus an extra 100 baht (about $3). Posted on window was a rather unprofessional handwritten sign stating: Visa USD $20 + 100 baht. Having done our research already we knew this was a scam, so Peter simply shoved our paperwork plus $20 at them and repeated "No, twenty dollars only!" about 3 times and they took it without issue. A few observations on Siem Reap. It's tourist land. Cambodia is a very poor country and you can see it from the bus. You can see farms and fields and people living rural lives. The roads are dirt and buildings utilitarian. There is more trash on the side of the road than in Thailand (though less than India.) But once you pull up in Siem Reap there are neon lights, paved roads, and beautiful hotels. Siem Reap offers everything you expect from over-touristed places: souvenir shops, cheap massages, fish pedicures, happy hour deals, and pizza restaurants. Overly friendly and aggressive people selling stuff to you on the street from tuk tuk rides to drugs. The locals speak English alarmingly well (and Mandarin too.) Rowdy tourists from all over the world spill into the streets: Australians, Europeans, Russians, the hordes of Chinese, and Koreans. It can be fun if you set your expectations accordingly. Don't expect the authentic Cambodian experience in Siem Reap, just go have a $1.50 margarita and enjoy the ridiculous "spring break" atmosphere.

Cambodian Cooking Class

Although we usually don't drop names in our blog, I am going to mention the cooking class I took in Siem Reap. Le Tigre de Papier is a restaurant and offers a wonderful cooking class for $14. You can pick any appetizer, main, and dessert FROM THEIR MENU and cook it yourself! I chose to make fresh spring rolls, shrimp amok, and mango and sticky rice. The class started with a tour of a local market introducing us to the different ingredients we would use. The instructor was very sweet and entertaining, and I was amazed how she could juggle 9 people cooking different things while maintaing a very personal level of instruction for each person. This was a great experience, extremely affordable, and I definitely recommend it!

Bangkok Night Market Somehow we let a few days slip by on Koh Lanta, and spent a quiet new year on the beach. Then we finally got back in gear and headed to Bangkok. We have heard it was crazy and noisy, but we don't think so. Bangkok is quite easy to travel around. With a multitude of modern rail options and a go-with-the-flow bus system, we could always reach our destination. Yes it's hot and humid, but there are so many malls and convenience stores everywhere where you can pop in and get a blast of AC. There is always something tasty and cheap wherever you go, so you never have to worry about getting hungry. This is very important! Bangkok is all about food, and it's delicious! We visited some night markets crammed with goodies, edible and not. Don't listen to people when they say Americans eat a lot and are too consumerist - in my experience Asians own these things. Night markets are all about teh gluttony and materialism! Grilled meat on a stick! Squid on a stick! Sausage on a stick! Fishballs on a stick! Noodles. Pancakes, waffles. Dumplings, steamed buns. Noodles. Fried chicken. FRIED PORK FAT! Fruit smoothies and supersweet ice tea galore. And noodles. And after you're done stuffing your face you can shop for piles of cheap iPhone cases, blingy accessories, fake handbags, shoes, makeup, hippie pants and hipster shirts, knick-knacks, plastic things. Yes, you really do need an iPhone case with rubber bunny ears and a furry tail. And this doesn't happen once a year at some special overpriced festival like in America, this happens EVERY every night. I love night markets!

Scuba Diving We came across a good deal for a 5 day dive live-aboard. We were scuba-certified 3 years ago in Belize, with a total of 4 dives under our belt (in other words, the bare minimum.) So we were a little anxious to jump right into a live-aboard, which can only be described as dive, eat, sleep, repeat. The experience was great! We went to the Similan Islands and Richlieu Rock, some of the most famous dive sites in Thailand. The scuba skills came right back to us with a little coaching. The crew and staff did everything possible to make us comfortable and happy. So happy. You know you have it good when your biggest complaint is that the schools of fish were too thick to see! Unfortunately we didn't have an underwater camera so you'll have to trust our word that the sea life was spectacular. Or find some pictures on the internet. However doing 3-4 dives per day for 5 days is quite tiring, I think we need a beach vacation after this! :)

Koh Lanta, Thailand We landed in Krabi airport and immediately transferred to the island Koh Lanta via overpacked van and crossing on 2 ferries. Immediately we notice a few thing we haven't seen in a while: It's clean. The streets aren't congested with cows and people. Drivers don't constantly honk their horns. Genders are not segregated, and women are even working, even driving tuk tuks, even wearing shorts! People are friendly and smile. The 7-11 is so bright and clean (up to the highest Asian expectations) and sells green tea and seaweed snacks.

Koh Lanta is a laid-back island, with a few fancy beach resorts, and a high concentration of Swedes for some reason. It's quite touristy. We are here to relax, and here we are.

Happy New Years

Kerala Backwaters

One of the most popular things to do in Kerala is to cruise the famous backwaters. There are many ways to do this, from the public ferry to chartered boats. We chose one of the more expensive options, a cruise and overnight in a houseboat. It was like having our own private yacht with a crew of 2 for a day! We had 3 meals and tea time aboard and alternated taking naps on deck and enjoying the beautiful scenery. As you can see, there were a lot of houseboats cruising the same waters. Some boats were occupied by a single couple, others packed full with a rowdy group. We decided it would be more fun as a group. Wish you had been there with us!

Periyar Tiger Reserve

We visited the Periyar Tiger Reserve and trekked along the hilly state border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Unfortunately it rained and we only caught glimpses of a few sambar deer.

Munnar The next day we headed for the hills to the tea-growing region of Munnar. The museum there gave us a history of tea plantations in the region and a brief explanation of the tea-making process. We enjoyed walking around the incredible green hillsides. The Munnar hills rise over 1,450 meters (4,760 ft) in elevation and evening became quite chilly!

Merry Christmas

We wish everyone a wonderful Christmas. We have finished India and are currently relaxing on the beaches in Thailand. We'll be spending our Christmas on a 5 day scuba diving boat trip. 

Kochi The next few days we spent in the southwestern state of Kerala. Kerala is the land of exotic spices, the natural medicinal practice of Ayurveda, and lush green landscapes. It is the state with the highest literacy rate, life expectancy, and gender ratio. It has been noted as the least corrupt state in India and had a democratically elected communist government in 1957. The native language is Malayalam, not Hindi. In other words, Kerala is quite distinct from other parts of India. Our entry into Kerala was the city of Kochi and although we had only half a day to explore, we saw s few sights and ate delicious street fried fish at 50 cents per piece.

Hampi

Hampi is an archaeological area 8 hours east of Goa in the state of Karnataka, situated in a landscape of lush banana plantations and gigantic boulders. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara empire which lasted from 1336 to 1646 AD. Hampi today is a sleepy village full of backpacker types, guesthouses, and souvenir shops. Some very laid-back travelers can spend a week there just chillin'.... There are plenty of ruins to explore over a large area. We spent 3 days wandering through old temples and climbing boulders at a leisurely pace.

Making Chapati

This is so fun. I wish I had a gas stove at home.

Rahul's Cookery Class

For less than $20 I took a 3 hour cooking class and learned 3 Indian dishes, a flatbread called chapati, and how to make paneer cheese from scratch. It was a fun time meeting other travelers and sharing delicious food that we made. I can't wait to make paneer at home!

Goa

After 24 hours on a train from Aurangabad via Mumbai, we arrived in paradise.

Goa is a tiny state on the west coast of India that was a Portuguese colony long before the British arrived. It is famous for the beaches. Culturally it feels different: more liberal, more polished (i.e. touristed), and having a greater Christian population as compared to other parts of India. Many homes, churches, and restaurants were gearing up for the Christmas season when we arrived.

The beaches of north Goa, once a true hippy hangout, are notorious for trance parties, Russian revelers, and drugs. We opted for south Goa where life is more laid-back, and found ourselves at Palolem beach, a stretch of golden sand, palm trees, and beach bungalows lining the coast of a calm green Arabian Sea. What a great place to enjoy a drink on the beach and some fish curry! Palolem town is a small street of souvenir shops, restaurants, and internet cafes, with just the right amount of "touristy." The whole place is so relaxed, you cannot believe it is India! And your day is not complete without a happy beach dog laying on the sand under your sun lounger. Upon arrival at the beach I was shocked to see tourists wearing shorts, let alone swimsuits. The Russians particularly love their tiny swimwear. Even the women! Anyway Goa is one place in India where showing a little skin will not attract the stares and camera phones of groups of creepy men. It was a bit of paradise in India, and a much-needed vacation from our "vacation!"