SOUTH ASIA BLOG October 12th, 2024 - SIEM REAP

 

10/12/24– Breakfast is very good, although no waffles this time, only pancakes. The staff seems mellow this morning as well, not as jumpy.

Researching which temple to go to today, I find one to my liking and walk to the front desk to ask about cost for a driver. They originally quote me around $35, but when I let them know I plan on only going to one temple and won’t be long that price drops to $20. I mean, I could take a GRAB for a little less but I feel better with the hotel driver if possible.

I’m still ten minutes from leaving as the driver is finishing his lunch, so I walk down the road to an ATM. There are two there, one is broken and the other doesn’t want to give me Cambodian cash. Luckily, my driver is okay taking me to a bank where I withdraw some. As we go, I notice he is not in a good mood as I feel a bit queasy from his driving. Relax dude, this will be a short day for you, I promise.

 

It’s a twenty minute drive to Pre Rup Temple. Built around the year 961, it’s made from brick and sandstone and most likely used for ceremonial burials. The grounds are small; however, the height is quite massive as it takes a toll climbing the tall steps to the top.

The sky is a beautiful blue with few clouds, which means it’s sunny and hot, but somehow I manage to roam around without the downpour of sweat I felt yesterday. With this in mind, I continue on to find the pond of water near the temple where I can take a reflection photo from. Having trouble, I ask for assistance and find that the pond is dried up with only a small amount of water left. This is a bit of a downer as its the main reason why I chose this temple today, but I make the most of the photo opp.

Back in the parking lot, I use my Cambodian cash to purchase a drink and bracelet before climbing into the air conditioned car. The ride back to the hotel allows me to cool and dry off, but notice this time the driver doesn’t offer me a cool towel or water. He definitely isn’t too happy driving me around for the discount price.

The rest of the day is spent enjoying down time and chillin’ at the pool. Surprisingly, drinks are not expensive here so we order several and a New York Sicilian pizza to boot. I feel good about what we’ve done here in Cambodia. Sure there’s more I could do, but the temples were the main draw for me and it didn’t disappoint.

Side note: Our son was also on a plane in the US that experienced a failed landing at San Diego due to bad weather and diverted to Los Angeles. Thankfully, they rerouted back to San Diego a few hours later and he’s okay. All of this was going on while we were sipping on Long Island Ice Tea’s at the hotel pool. Feel bad for the kid.

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