10 Siem Reap (Angkor Wat), Cambodia
After a late arrival we had an early morning (5 am) trip to the outskirts of Angkor Wat to try and catch the sun rising over the temple complex. Tuk-Tuks (motor scooter taxis) were ready to take us (2 per tuk-tuk) to first get all-day tickets and then out to our spot for the sunrise. Even with little sleep and an overcast morning I think everyone enjoyed the early morning outing. Our tuk-tuks took us back to the hotel to relax a bit and have breakfast before heading back out in full daylight to properly explore Angkor Wat. It was a steep (and scary) stair climb to get to the top and back down again but I am glad I did it. Back on the tuk-tuks (we had the same drivers all day) and off for a tour of Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmers. The 12th century Bayon Temple (also called the smiling faces temple) is at the center of Angkor Thom. An on to Ta Prohm. he temple has been left largely in its natural state since its 're-discovery' by French explorers. Surrounded by jungle, its labyrinth of stone hallways is overgrown with the roots and limbs of massive banyan trees that envelop it like tentacles. It was used in the shooting of Lara Croft: Tomb Raider starring Angelina Jolie released in 2001. A final tuk-tuk ride brought us back to the hotel for an early dinner before boarding the bus once again and heading to the airport for a flight to Vietnam.
