january 1st-6th- siem reap, cambodia
so when you think of going on vacation for your one year wedding anniversary, you usually think... sun, sand, and 5 star hotel. well... we got the 5 star hotel ($80 usd/night) but in a third world country full of red dirt and hard working people who are reeling from the past twenty years of genocide and famine.
siem, reap, cambodia cannot be described as beautiful but its people are truly the gem within the rock. the people, the culture, and rich history of the country drawls you in. if you don't know cambodia's past i urge you to look it up... it coincides with the vietnam war so many of us americans know nothing of it.
siem reap holds the 7th wonder of the world, ankgor wat... the world's largest religious building.
language: khmer, english, french (1953 the french gave cambodia independence)
money: $1 usd= 4029 riel
population: 15 million (1975-1980 khmer rouge killed over 2 million cambodians, foreigners, and monks)
politics: veneer of democracy but the cambodian's people party hold all control every election
religion: mostly buddhist, hindu, and some islam
costs: angkor beer (local beer) $0.50-$1 usd, driver with car $30/day, 3 day temple pass $40/person, floating village pass $20/person, nice meal at deadfish restaurant with drinks $22 total
first day: floating village on tonle' sap lake
one of my favorite tours... the people live in houses over boats. when the lake floods from the mekong river from June to October the houses rise with the water... when dry season comes the people move their houses to where the fish migrate. Also the mekong river flows backwards into the lake during rainy season then switches during dry season.
this is the village we were able to buy some english books for a small school which houses orphans and held classes for the village's children. they are taught english and french as well as their native khmer in school from the very start but only the children who do not have to work are allowed to go to school.
floating village behind us
cambodia has the largest catfish in the world (they are endangered now) these aren't the biggest but they were big enough for me
a store we stopped at to buy books- they also have a floating grocery store that goes door to door by boat
fruit stand in siem reap- green spiky melon i believe is durian- smells like two week old kitty litter to me
happy pizza- we did not try it promise! everything is made with marijuana
local market- anyone need a chicken? i was happy to know they do not eat dog, cat, or horse- only tarantulas, crickets, duck embryo
we wanted a small one that would fit on otto's head!
my favorite picture of the whole trip- buddha at bayon temple
happy one year!
bayon in angkor thom (dirk's favorite temple) the faces were constructed of its leader at the time... so he could watch his followers at all times
bayon in angkor thom- there are 216 faces on this temple, built around 1200- we saw it at sun rise and it was the creepiest thing... all the shadowy faces
more of bayon
angkor wat at sunrise- yes we got up at 5AM two mornings so we could see angkor wat and bayon at sun rise... it was magnificent. this is a famous picture everyone tries to get because it is reflected on the water
angkor wat is huge... just one of the many many buildings
angkor wat
sun rise- it was freezing too... we were so happy to be out of humidity for 6 days
pre rup (my favorite temple) it was a hike... lots and lots of stairs
east mebon- known for the large elephant statues
ta som
ta som- tiny temple that is entangled in the forest... known for the large roots of trees that hold it together
preah neak pean- ornamental pond (i thought it was over rated)
preah khan- known for this building that looks out of place in cambodia... needs to be in greece.
preah khan (scared sword)- may have been a buddhist university
during the khmer rouge they cut off all the heads to the statues because they wanted cambodians to worship pol pot their new leader not the temple gods
i know this is a long post and i have even more to add... on another note... the people there are so rich with generosity but so poor with the material needs. if i did not finish my meal... either a child would ask me for the rest of it or i would wrap it up and find one to give it to. the children are forced to hawk trinkets at the temples all day... the money they make does not go to them but their family. there are also many street children, every organization you can think of is in cambodia trying to help these people get on their feet... currently cambodia holds the most active landmines in the world... there are tragedies every year and the victims are stigmatized from society. that is why it is good to buy from of the blind, disabled, and dismembered... it helps them make a living and not rely on society. it is also good to eat at restaurants that help these causes... posted in many travel books... the blue pumpkin, dead fish restaurant, many more.
one night while walking back to our hotel a little boy, maybe ten years old, came up to me holding a baby... he was begging and he asked me if i would buy him some formula... he said i don't need your money just formula. i went to the nearest grocery store and we bought as much formula as he could carry plus a snack for himself. it nearly broke my heart... any other country i have been to... there are always people trying to hawk you stuff... but here in cambodia, all the books say, these people are the real deal! they are not trying to con you... they are poor and do not have food, shelter, medical supplies.
we passed a children's hospital every morning to go to the temples. people would be lined up for miles with their kids. i asked our driver what the deal was... he said that it is a free hospital for children... the only one in cambodia so people come from miles around and wait to be seen. i have decided that once i am licensed nurse in singapore i will go back to cambodia and offer my skills to these people. it is the very least i can do.
if you are interested in learning more about these people and their country here is a book & a movie you can get... i have them both.
movie: the killing fields (1984), by roland joffe'
book: first they killed my father by loung ung
more pictures:
floating village click here: http://picasaweb.google.com/loadunlap/SiemReapCambodiaFloatingVillage?authkey=eKMLWiSHBLw&feat=directlink
siem reap city & prince d' angkor hotel click here:http://picasaweb.google.com/loadunlap/SiemReapCambodiaCity?authkey=O_wVAKQgshA&feat=directlink
temples click here: http://picasaweb.google.com/loadunlap/SiemReapCambodiaTemples?authkey=UKviCoqQJX0&feat=directlink
the beach was beautiful!
fantasea theme park
beaked coral butterflyfish
clownfish 
black spotted porcupine fish
moorish idol... i think, i have been trying to categorize all these fish we saw, need a good book
jellyfish
ko doc mai... we did our crazy night dive here
colorful coral... the coral was so colorful everywhere we went!
giant emperor angel fish... this fish was huge, it may not look like it in the picture
three spotted dascyllus... domino
stripped damsel fish
red tailed butterflyfish... i think these were my favorite!
camo colored fish... dirk was thrilled!
the dunlaps & the de jongs... 
cheers!
ko phi phi island... the movie "the beach" was shot here
view from our hotel: patong beach
excalibur our boat
i liked the decorations- balloons in the dark
