steph-is-abroad's TravelStream™ — Recent TravelPod.com entries

steph-is-abroad's TravelStream™ — Recent TravelPod.com entries TravelStream™ news feed for member steph-is-abroad on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/steph-is-abroad en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:56:25 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com The End..... — Ottawa, Ontario, Canada http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1221223920/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1221223920/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1221223920/tpod.html Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:56:25 -0400 Steph's Summer Sabbatical 2008

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Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Arrived back home after a really great, super fun jaunt and will enjoy a few more lazy days (cottage in Perth until tomorrow) as the end draws near to the most awesome summer ever!  I am relishing the experience.  Wow.  Can you feel that?  That is me in love with the world right now.Thanks to every one that made it possible and to those who sent me notes along the way.  I owe many people many favours (or a bed for a night or two!).  And I don't want to wait so long to see some of you again (10 yrs!).Two quotes I saw along the path that I am taking with me:<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The world is just awesome.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">You may not be as young as you were, but you are younger than you will be.Be well everyone, good luck and I'll see you the next time round!
]]> Póg ma thoin — Cork, County Cork, Ireland http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1220654040/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1220654040/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1220654040/tpod.html Sun, 07 Sep 2008 19:14:25 -0400 Steph's Summer Sabbatical 2008

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Cork, County Cork, Ireland

Flew into Cork to a sea of every shade of green imaginable - Emerald Isle indeed!  It was really rainy and miserable on Friday, not so great for touring around, but we were troupers and walked around downtown anyway with our brollies (umbrella to the rest of us), found Beamish and Heinneken breweries right in town, shopped, napped, then hit the town.  Great dinner then a rebel rousing night at a local pub with all the Irish must haves from Guinness to packs of drunken local lads.Its neat to see that Cork is a fair trade city.  I am not exactly sure what that entails, but you do notice signs at retailers and markets noting fair trade practices are in use or fair trade foods are served.  Also, Ireland seems to be super environmentally conscious, for example charging 22 cents for a plastic bag (imposed by the federal government).  So you see people with their cloth bags everywhere doing their shopping and groceries.  All streets signs are in gaelic as well as English.  A fun game was trying to pronounce the gaelic words....after a few drinks its even funnier.The whole time I was there, the national papers were all talking about the Public Service of Ireland and how they are paid 50% more than the private sector and how its senior bureaucrats in the service who are actually running the Prime Minister (called "Taoiseach").  Interesting I guess...not sure how much is true.  The OECD is currently studying the public service and making recommendations to "fix it".Spent a sunny Saturday in Blarney, which is about 11 km away.  There is a village centred around the castle, where the Balrney stone is.  I guess I should have looked up what the stone was....I thought for some reason (as did Nick) we would be hanging off a cliff on the coast to kiss some rock for good luck.  But it ends up being a stone set into the highest point on this ancient castle that you have to lean back perilously to kiss and its for eloquence, not luck.  I am really not keen on heights, about as keen as I am of small tunnels (see Cu Chi).  But I climbed the crazy circular stairs up, leaned over (with the help of a castle staff member, an elderly gentleman holding my hips, who I am not sure could have done anything if I indeed slipped)  and kissed it...and now I am to receive eloquence.  Nice.....when?  Let's go eloquence.  Jeesh!The village is a nice sleepy place.  We walked around the grounds of the castle complex which are old druid sites and are said to include a witch.Sunday was sunny again, so we just skulked around town and spent 2 hours looking for a fry up for breakfast.  But as everyone is supposed to be in church on Sunday morning in this fiercely Catholic country, nothing opens until at least noon if at all on Sundays.  But we found our fry up promptly at noon.The pound to the euro is killing Nickola and the rest of the Brits we met.  Its at 1.1 euro to the pound, where as it was always more like 1.7-2 euro to the pound....reminds me of the CND vs the US dollar a few years ago. Great trip all around.  You cannot have a bad time in Ireland, it truly is cead mile failte (a hundred thousand welcomes)!  I want to see more!Back in England now and will linger a bit while I am here....and head through to Toronto on Tuesday.  Flight loads look better then.  Oooh I hope I see some movie stars at the airport in Toronto!  I flew home sitting next to Jack Layton from Toronto the other day (I think Parliament was sitting again as I was surrounded by MPs).  He was reading about Dion's green plan and I was just dying to throw in my 2 cents.  But bit my tongue and sat back.  I am still on vacation!
]]> Last big hoorah! — Derby, England, United Kingdom http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1220569740/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1220569740/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1220569740/tpod.html Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:15:34 -0400 Steph's Summer Sabbatical 2008

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Derby, England, United Kingdom

My last trip before the summer ends....in Derby with Nickola and Grabby until the weekend....Gabby/Grabby did not read my blog recently and 2 days before I arrived bought himself a fishing rod!  Hello!  Cork is next with Nickola, we chose a hotel with a sauna and pool over a free breakfast asA.   Its pouring rainB.  Its freezing! (13 degrees)C.  Irish breakfasts, along with my English ones from my stay here will give me a premature heart attack    (but they are soooo delicious).Was successful at fascinator shopping today!  I may have a new obsession.Stand by for some pics from Ireland.  PS Alyson:  I will bring out all the old Irish tunes you taught me to wow the local orange and the greens.  And my black velvet band.
]]> DC — Washington DC, District of Columbia, United States http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1220316540/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1220316540/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1220316540/tpod.html Mon, 01 Sep 2008 20:51:05 -0400 Steph's Summer Sabbatical 2008

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Washington DC, District of Columbia, United States

Tristan drove me down to Washington DC for the day on one of his 30 hour layovers.  Washington is really pretty, lots of green space and monuments everywhere.  Visited the Smithsonian (Aviation and Space), the Mall, Capitol Hill, Jefferson and Roosevelt memorials, then hit Georgetown for dinner.  Back home tomorrow, which is good as I left the house a mess!Flight loads are oversold for the UK on Tuesday, so I'll try, but may have to wait until Wednesday to head out as they are wide open from then on.   As long as I make it for Fri morning, I am good.  Will spend next week when I am done in Ireland (Mon?  Tues?) skulking around TO for a few days...Christie, call me!
]]> 16 hours in TO — Toronto, Ontario, Canada http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1219797360/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1219797360/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1219797360/tpod.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:30:04 -0400 Steph's Summer Sabbatical 2008

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Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Flew down for one night and half a day to hit Bass Pro Shop (yes, you heard me correctly)....you are welcome Gabby!!  Oui, toi.It helped there was a Holt Renfrew next store.Cancelled the flight to Victoria today, I am just too wiped to keep going, changing time zones again and my feet are still puffy from the flight from Asia - I am afraid I may get permanent cankles if I don't take it easy on the air travel!  Plus we would only have a 2 day window.  Lynda and Alex, we'll catch up with you in England sometime soon and happy birthday Jill (my mother in law)!Washington DC Aug 31-Sept 2 right now, Tristan is driving (ha ha driving).  I am back to pay off my visa, find a roofer and pick up prospective travel partners, yet none of the usual Canada-based suspects are available anymore (or can bank roll it, ahem Mark!).  I am hoping Nickola can come up with something exotic.  As usual, she did!  We will spend our weekend kissing the blarney stone in County Cork Ireland.  My goal is to keep going from DC on Tuesday Sept 2 to England and spend a few days in the Peak district and hunting for fascinators before the Emerald Isle.  Back through East Midlands Airport, Grabby should have dinner ready for us at home Sun night, Irish food kinda sucks.Through Heathrow Sept 8 (yes I know, no early am flights, Nick and I will be commuting!) , then TO for a night, then wind down at home until the end.......PS, Since Asia, I have had the weirdest, itchiest rash ever.  Hmmm. 
]]> Airline stories — Ottawa, Ontario, Canada http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1219594920/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1219594920/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1219594920/tpod.html Sun, 24 Aug 2008 12:32:28 -0400 Steph's Summer Sabbatical 2008

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Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Welcome to Sunday...its Sunday right?  Ya, it is.  Phew, happy to be home after one heck of a long day.  Indeed I took the long away around as it was the only way I was leaving China with the Olympics winding down, and the typhoon (Nuri) coming.  Got to hang out in Hong Kong with Marleen for a day, shopped some more (shoes!!) and met Colleen her mate from Alberta, so I officially dined with the Pilots' Wives Club, Hong Kong Chapter!   I ended up buying a ticket out on British Airways from Hong Kong (HKG)  to London (LHR) at 00:30 Aug 22, one of the last 3 seats on the last flight getting out for a while, at that point the winds were at Typhoon Level 3 (of 8).  It actually wasn't that expensive, and after missing 5 flights that day on stand by, I was just happy to get on going somewhere.  The problem was I had 2 hours to change at Heathrow to catch one of only 2 available flights to Canada (Toronto/YYZ  and/or Ottawa/YOW) for the next 10 days.  After 12 hours on the flight from Asia, the doors wouldn't open in London (6:30 am Aug 22) and we sat on the plane another hour.  Plus BA only goes to T5, and to change terminals for any other airline you need to clear customs, get your bags, take a train and walk to another terminal, check in and clear security again....2 hours was not enough.   So I missed the 8:30 am YYZ flight but hung around for the 13:00 YOW flight and made that.  Not all stand bys did, so I am lucky.  I actually fell asleep in my chair waiting at a few points.  I always wondered who those people were at the airport, asleep sitting up with all their luggage, drooling.....ya, that was me.  Arrived at 5:30 pm August 22 in Ottawa, technically, the same day I left.Strange thing happened while I was trying to leave in Hong Kong, when my ticket was swiped at the gate all these red lights went off and I was escorted aside by these 5 people in white gloves (because in China, there is never just one person).  I had a hard time understanding the questioning, but it went something like this..."I see here you have planned routes?".  "Planned routes?  Yes, indeed, I am trying to get to Toronto, see my tickets?".  Confused look, "no I said Plants with Fruits!"  "Oh right, plants with fruits...no, I don't have any fruit on me."..."No, roots, Plants with Roots!!".  "What?  Roots?  No, I don;t have them either, wanna look?".  A bit of chit chat amongst themselves, and they let me "off".  Not sure what that was all about, but it was a bit of a gong show.Oh and I was sure my luggage came to 21.5 kg out of a possible 22 kg.  Nice one!  Glad no one asked me to weigh my carry on!Flights to and from South America are filling up and I am looking at Europe for my last jaunt before I go back to work in a few weeks.  Nickola is looking into cheap weekend deals from London, or we may just couch surf across the UK (Heads up Jon-o, that includes Cardiff!).  Stand by for more news....
]]> The long way around — London, United Kingdom http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1219327800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1219327800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1219327800/tpod.html Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:12:28 -0400 Steph's Summer Sabbatical 2008

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London, United Kingdom

This is going to be painfulHKG - LHR - YYZ - YOW......see you in a few days.  What day is it again!!
]]> Where's Waldo? — Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1219161600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1219161600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1219161600/tpod.html Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:46:24 -0400 Steph's Summer Sabbatical 2008

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Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

I'll get to why this entry is titled as such in a second.First, to tell you about my success teaching computer classes!  I finished teaching English class last week with the kids and moved on to the teachers and computer lessons this week.  The kids' learning games (flash cards, hang man, the farmer game, bingo, the alphabet stamps and a few others) were a hit!  I figured it out pretty  quickly, kids prefer moving while they learn, plus its so hot in the classroom I still am amazed they sit still as long as they do.   I left them all the supplies I brought with me, which left me more room in my luggage to shop.  Heh!Without any real guidance on topics, I spent Sunday preparing all these tips and tricks that I find useful when using common programs like Word and Excel, things like creating table of contents, equations and pivot tables in spreadsheets....what I thought a teacher could use at work. Wat Bo School has a proper computer lab for the teachers with about 15 new computers (only one is connected to the net right now) all with an updated (non-pirated) copy of Windows operating system (phew!).  They were donated by the William and Mary University in Virginia (the Business School I believe) and the University continues to fund their monthly internet bill with plans to connect the other 14 computers.  I had a bit of a shock when I got there, as they wanted to start with turning the computer on......oh.  Back it up Stephanie.  Back it way up.So basically in 2 days I went through how to set up a folder, open a document in Word, save it to the folder, then find it again using explore, oh ya and the 'undo' function in case you delete something by accident.  They are eager and quick learners and it won't take them long to get the hang of it, they just need people who know computers to show them the way.   So hopefully volunteers will continue to come and share.My last day was today, which is kinda bitter sweet as I am looking forward to getting home yet realize I only just scratched the surface here.  The real shock came when I was presented with gifts!  I really feel like being here doing this was the most amazing gift in the world, but they insisted.  The kids got me a sand stone carving, copied from Angkor Wat.  Its beautiful (and heavy)!!  Then the morning class of teachers outfitted me in a traditional handmade Khmer silk shirt and scarf (it wasn't lost on me that it was an XL!).  Followed by the afternoon class of teachers with a pair of shoes to match!  Wow!  I was speechless.  And a little teary.  Which I think they got a kick out of.   What a cool bunch of people!  I got as many email addresses as I could and gave them mine and promised to send pictures.Spent Monday evening watching Pon Heary sort out this year's order of supplies for 1,763 of the poorest kids at the six schools her foundation serves.  The foundation makes "backpack packs" for each child in time for school starting Oct 1.  Included in the packs are uniforms (skirts for girls, shorts for boys), pencil cases, backpacks, notebooks, rulers, markers, protractor sets, pens, pencils and shoes for the entire school year.   With over 1,700 kids of all different ages, and sizes, her manual spreadsheets were a marvel!  She somehow keeps it all straight so each child gets the correct size and supplies for their age and grade.Each bag costs about $20 to put together with all the supplies to allow the kids to attend (if not for the foundation, they would not be in school).  While sitting with her last night I checked the loads on the flights to get me out of Cambodia to Hong Kong to try for my flight home starting on the 21st, as I was standby from Phnom Penh to Hong Kong and didn't have a confirmed seat.  And yikes, they were all sold out for the whole week!  A travel agent confirmed, and all other destinations to get to Hong Kong were either full (Kuala Lumpur) or ridiculously overpriced (Bangkok)....OMG OMG.  So the agent was able to find and book me from Siem Reap to Vietnam on the 19th then to Hong Kong on the 20th.  Leaving a day early was the only way I was leaving Cambodia this week!  Oh and I don't have a Visa for Vietnam!  So they expressed my passport to the capital and back to get a visa all in 24 hrs.  Phew!  Talk about panic!  Without the visa, I would have had to sleep at the Ho Chi Minh City airport (which, like the bus, I said never again and I mean never again).Anywhoooo, Pon Heary and 2 of the nieces (LeiLei and Mimi) came along to see me off at the airport.  With a high 5 from the two little ones....I said goodbye to the lovely Kingdom of Cambodia and a super amazing experience.So......Sin Chow from Vietnam!!PS - Just figured out what the hub bub was going on at the airport when I landed.  The Vietnamese government just released Garry Glitter on child molestation charges after almost 3 yrs in prison and he was leaving as I was arriving.  Sicko.  In Cambodia, they have caught over 2000 child predators in the last 5 yrs.  Sickos. 
]]> Mac Daddy Wat — Siem Reap, Cambodia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1218965460/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1218965460/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1218965460/tpod.html Sun, 17 Aug 2008 05:37:01 -0400 Steph's Summer Sabbatical 2008

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Siem Reap, Cambodia

First thing today, headed out to Angkor Wat, the "Mac Daddy" of Wats and the one officially included in the 7 wonders of the world.  Its  the closest one to my place so my bike ride was much more leisurely today.  I still swallowed bags of sand somehow, every time I wipe my neck or face, its brown!  Good for exfoliation as my skin looks great!From the early 12th century, it's a massive three tiered pyramid crowned by 5 lotus-like towers.  Built by King Suryavarman to look like a temple mountain and for use by the people as well as his family.  There are bathing pools, libraries, temples to worship, a moat and public gathering places.  It is in the same style as the smaller Thommanon Wat, which some say was used as a template for the larger Angkor Wat.  The inside and outside walls are covered with bas-relief and carvings of apsara figures, over 2000 different and unique figures.  Also bas-relief of wars and battles fought by the King, and Hindu mythology.  From the entrance, it almost looks 2 dimensional its so awesome against the blue sky!  One can no longer attain the royal residences up a very precarious and steep flight of stairs in the middle of the complex.  I met Pon Heary on one of her tours at the base and asked if this closure was also for reasons of safety, as I can imagine many a tourist cracking open their head with one false move on the way down.  She said no, she wasn't worried about the tourists, it was her temple she was concerned about.  The royal residence was not built for so much foot traffic, only the king and his family.  The vibrations caused by tourists and the airport nearby are compromising its integrity, so it is for viewing from afar only now.  Picked up some temple rubbings of the aspara ladies, they sell them done on rice paper.  Then went for a relaxing massage at the other institute for the blind in Siem Reap (there are 2 of them)...audible groans are better than quiet yelps (from the amma massage).Spent last night hanging out with Pon Heary talking about some of the volunteers that have come and gone and will hopefully come back.  With 3 siblings working as tour guides, her family has been able to build a 3rd story on the guest house (in 2005) since I was here last, something that was in the planning stage at the time.  It means more guests.  Her and her extended family are living in a few of the rooms while the family's house at the back is rebuilt.  The whole family used to live in a wooden stilt house, which is a typical Cambodian abode, but are slowly upgrading to brick.  You do what you can with what have, the rest waits. I am joined in the guest house by 4 strapping young lads from France who are here volunteering at the children's hospital.  I went by there today, the hospital is looking for donations of blood to help with the kids in shock from contracting dengue fever.  Ohhh but I hate needles!Today is laundry day as I exhausted all clean underwear and shirts.  Poor bugger doing that load!I still need to cobble together a computer lesson for tomorrow (am and pm) and Tuesday.  I asked what operating system the computers the teachers are using has....I take it by the blank look I got in return I will just wing it when I get there (please please please let it be Windows!!) I am always so tired here it seems and in bed by 9:30 every night, Pon Heary reminds me its because I am working and no longer a tourist in Cambodia!  Oh ya, that.  I am not complaining though!Flights from Hong Kong to Canada (Vancouver and TO) are oversold as of today for later next week, but there is nothing I can do about it so there is no point in me stressing out.  Just hope someone misses their flight so I can get on....ahhh whatever, I will make it home eventually.On a completely unrelated note, I figured two things out:1.       Why I tipped the teacher on the motorbike over.  Khmer ladies in skirts ride side saddle = classy.  Instead of leaning against the seat then sitting, I am a brute and just got on with all my weight on one side and sat with my legs spread regardless of the fact I was in a skirt = all ass and no class! 2.       The horrible bus ride from Hue to Hoi An (Vietnam, in July)In Thailand and Vietnam, drivers make their money on commissions from the hotels they drop the tourists off at.  The more long and uncomfortable they make your journey, the more likely you will collapse and stay at the first place they take you.  They made no commission off Sandra and I.  Ha!  I know I have said this before...but never again with the bus!! 
]]> Wat did you say? — Siem Reap, Cambodia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1218890460/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1218890460/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/steph-is-abroad/1/1218890460/tpod.html Sat, 16 Aug 2008 21:40:24 -0400 Steph's Summer Sabbatical 2008

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Siem Reap, Cambodia

Headed out around 8am on my trusty bicycle to visit some of the Wats (temples), not sure how far in km, but it took me an hour there and another hour back in the blazing heat.  A 3 day pass is $40.I ventured to the further ones today, to get the longer trek over with...its pretty hot out and with no gears on the bike, its a bit of a workout.  My first time with sun lotion since Greece, and I am sure glad I brought some along.  Had my trusty krama with me, I don't care if I looked like a tourist, I swallowed the equivalent of 3 sand bags without it.The wats are millennium-old (9-12th Century AD) temple ruins of the Angkorian-era Khmer empire.  The main Wat, Angkor Wat is one of the wonders of the world.  At its height, the area contained more than a million people, labour for the Khmer kings to build water works, temples, roads, etc.  The Wats included libraries, temples, public spaces and barrays (water reservoirs) for use by the people, as well as the king.  Each king seemed to want to make his mark, and built his own temple, which is why there are so many to explore.  I am told there may be tons more in the jungle hidden yet undiscovered.The temples have intricate carvings on just about stone.  The empire went from Hinduism to Buddhism, to Hinduism a few times, so you can see where extra arms were added to carvings and then taken away to signify the gods of the time (Hindu vs Buddhist).  The carvings tell stories of the military struggles with the Cham (ancient Vietnamese culture) and others, as well as stuff about every day life.I visited Angkor Thom first, entering through the South gate you can see the Bayons, giant stone faces, towering in the distance.  Its like something out of Indiana Jones.  Plus I didn't grow up with a religion where the idols peacefully smile at you, the opposite actually....its awesomely zen, peaceful and makes you want to know what "they" know.  Spent some time just sitting there taking it in.Then down the path to the Terrace of the Elephants, which is a long (300 m) terrace structure with the most intricate carvings of elephants, nagas (3, 5, 7, 9 headed snake)  and monkeys.  It leads to the Terrace of the Leper King on the north end.  The terrace was named for the statue of the Leper King that sits on top, but no one is sure why the statue was given that name in the first place.  Across from the Leper King's Terrace, there are the 12 Prassats Suor Prat.  These structures face the terraces and had rope that connected them, where ladies would dance with fire at night to re-enact the Hindu gods dancing in the air.  I can imagine at night, it looked like they were floating.  They were also used as a place to settle legal disputes and matters of criminal justice.A stop at the Wat Tank Tok to, watch (at a respectful distance) the monks giving the faithful their blessings by showering them with holy water repeatedly.  And one leaves Angkor Thom through the Victory gate at the east end.You can't really go any distance without bumping into more Wats, so outside the Victory gate I stopped for a drink of water at Thommanom temple.  A minor temple, but there were no tourists, so it was nice and quiet and I had it all to myself.  Pretty much the same reason I stopped at Ta Keo Wat as well, which is a km down the road.There are little kids selling stuff at every site, they are everywhere and very pushy.  You cant really get annoyed, they are only doing what their parents are telling them to do to help the family survive.  They should be in school.....Then a few km away, the Ta Prohm Wat, which is the temple from the Tomb Raider movie, with trees (fig and silk cotton) growing in, on and around the walls and structures.  It has been left pretty much as found, with the roots of the trees visibly moving the stones through time as the jungle reclaimed the land.  There are wooden steps and sidewalks all though it now, which in my humble opinion resulted in allowing 100% accessibility, they lost 75% of the charm.  Oh well, you can't stop progress.  India is helping with the reconstruction of this site through the UNESCO. Finally for today, the Sras Srang reservoir.  Phew!  Cambodia is the third most landmined country in the world, thanks to the USA, Russia and Pol Pot.  So stick to clear paths and roads.Angkor Wat tomorrow and related shopping (temple rubbings)!  Now for a rest.I have yet to go out "out" at night, I am not sure I will on my own (its super safe here, I am just being lame), though at my "local" mixed drinks are $1.  My local is right next door.  Nice!
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