Ode to Rocks

Our first day in cambodia was in transit to a city called Siem Reap. The city itself is really nice, actually, as it caters a highly international crowd. We spent the afternoon just walking around, finding great food for a dollar and checking out the city. The next morning we rose at 530 am to get a cart attached to the back of a motorbike to go out to Angkor's temples. In the day, we saw about 12 different ruins (Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom [Bayon, Baphuon, Terrace of Elephants, something involving the king] Phreah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som, Eastern Mebon, Sra Srang, Banteay Kdei, Ta Phrohm, and of course, Angkor Wat. It was such a long day, but well worth every penny and minute. The temples are gorgeous, with stone faces carved meticulously into the facadesa and perching on the towers. Some have been overgrown by the jungle (Think of Tomb Raider... since we saw the one it was filmed at). Giant trees, incence, statues, gates, gaurds, unbelievably detailed stone walls covered in intricate carvings... it was truely a sight to behold. You'll just have to see the pictures. We saw sunrise and sunset, all within the ruins, and had a driver all day taking us around. We even had lunch and snacks and waters from the people that still live within the ruins. It was an amazing day.
tHE NEXT DAY WE OPTED TO GET AHEAD OF SChedule and went to Phenom Phen, with a bumply little 6-7 hours bus ride. Phenom Phen is the capital city, but with few buildings over 3/4 stories, it's hard to remember that you're in a huge city. We scoped out the sights near and around our guesthouse the first day.

The following day was devoted to the shopping experience that is the Russian Market and Central Market. Here you can get real brand name clothing (as much of it is made here) for dollars. you can get watched and necklaces and shirts and pants and sildk and scarfs and anything else you want for dollars. It was fun. Luckily we can't carry too much so I had to limit myself to a couple items, the best of being a birthday gift for my brother. (check the mail ill send it to mom and dad unless i find good internet and get your address.) There were some other little things, dont worry grandma and mom, and maybe dad and shelley and nick... and mom's classroom... We spent a full day shopping around twomarkets. the first one, the russian market it a giant mess of stalls mere feet apart with little isles and paths around. it is caotic, as you can be in clothing one second and with pig snouts the next.

the central market is in a big building that is a huge done with 4 wings full of merchandise. same same stuff. this one had a lot of beautiful floral arrangements outside as well.

Today, the 12th, we spent in a sombering tour of S-21 and the Killing Fields. It was the Khmer Rouge that devistated the country in the late 70's killing anywhere from 300000 to a couple million people... no one knows. It was ethnic cleansing and genocide, and we toured a high school turned prison camp where people slept 50 to a room chained to the ground or in cells hardly big enough to lay in. Almost everyone that went through the camp was tourtured, questioned and then sent to the Killing fields to be killed and thrown in mass unmarked graves. So that's not fun, but well worth the trip to understand where Cambodia was, and how far it has come today. The afternoon was spent checking out the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda (where they have 5,000 Kilograms of silver plates on the floor) That was a nice change of pace. We had a great lunch inbetween and an even better indian food dinner. Tomorrow we take a nice little 7+ hour bus ride into Saigon to experience, once again, all that is Vietnam in a whirlwind tour of the country.

i heAR you'rew all up in the snow... lucky. i don't remember what cold feels like, unless it's at night when you rip off your clothing because your back is stuck to everything and your face is drowing in sweat... but then again, it's winter here and the cold season. lets see how i feel in april/may

love you all and tell chase to get out here, he'd love it!