Bangkok, Saturday, February 19
The first thing I do when I move into a new hotel room is to check out the view. From my window at the Riverview Guest House I could see north up the Chao Phraya, the river that bisects Bangkok. It was a lovely sight at night with the lights from the city sparkling off the water. I could also see boats moving through the water.
Closer to me, between the hotel and the river, was a Chinese Temple. Looking down I could see a stage had been setup in the courtyard. I had sort of a front-row balcony view. I immediately wondered what that stage might mean to my sleep. Apparently nothing tonight as it was after midnight and there was no one around - but I figured I might hear more from it later.
Next morning I headed up to the dining room on the 8th floor. From there, as I waited for breakfast, I had an even better view of the river and Bangkok. I could see north to Wat Pho and south to the Taksin bridge - a vast chunk of the city. The restaurant was open on two sides and a refreshing, but humid, breeze blew in. I thought to myself: I'm going to like Thailand.
After I was done eating, I set off to explore the city. My plan was simple: head north to Chinatown - it wasn't very far. When I got there I found lanes full of stalls selling every conceivable kind of consumer goods: perfume, vegetables, toy guns, lottery tickets and all kinds of raw and cooked foods. The lanes were covered to keep the sun out but still quite hot. They were also narrow and crowded which made the going slow.
I love to walk these busy markets - they are great places to take pictures. I don't carry a telephoto lens and need to get close to get interesting pictures of people. These lanes, thick with traffic, made that easy to do. With so many people around no one noticed me with my small camera.
I wandered for several hours, looking at both the shoppers and the goods and finally realized I was lost. I fixed that by flagging down a passing tut-tut. This is the standard, cheap transportation in Bangkok. They are three-wheel motorcycles with a bench seat in the back. They are covered with a small canopy to keep the sun off you.
I told the driver I wanted to go to the Grand Palace, one of Bangkok's premiere sights. He nodded and asked for 40 Bhat. I suspected that was a little high, but instead of arguing I just got in and off we went into the tangle of Bangkok traffic.
Tut-tuts are not for the faint of heart. One of the things that make them such a great way to get around is that they are small. They can pull around buses and trucks; or into the narrow space between the lanes of traffic or; even scarier, into the opposite lane, to jump to the front of traffic at the lights. It's always exciting to ride in a tut-tut.
When we arrived at the Grand Palace my heart sunk: there were lines and lines of tour buses. When I walked inside, I saw masses of tourists. I simply turned around and walked out: I wasn't in the mood for that. It was too early in my trip to be standing in line behind other tourist.
Instead I walked a few blocks over to the amulet market - it's by the river. There on a wooden pier over the water I found small stalls selling images of Buddha either cast in metal or pressed in clay. These are worn around the neck for good luck. I browsed for a while watching other shoppers using magnifying glasses to examine the tiny images. Apparently there is a big market for these amulets. I saw them for sale in every market I visited and even saw a magazine about them on the newsstand. After awhile I figured it was time to head back to the hotel for lunch and a nap.
I had selected the Riverside Guest House in particular because it was near the river. I had heard how bad Bangkok traffic was - hasn't everybody? - and had been advised to use the River Express, a kind of river bus, as much as possible. The problem right then was finding the correct pier.
The first thing I found were the river-taxi touts who tried to sell me an expensive private ride. Next, I almost got on a ferry that just ran across the river. What saved me was that I needed to buy a ticket before boarding and I knew that wasn't the case with the River Express.
The next pier I found looked more promising: there were a bunch of tourist getting on a boat, so I stood at the end of the line. As I got near, a man started shouting at me in Thai. I didn't understand a word but his intent was clear: he didn't want me getting on the boat. After he had pushed the boat off, he came over and, still shouting, made me understand that that was a chartered ferry and was only for people in that group. He had that "stupid-tourist" look on his face - but at least he pointed me to the correct pier.
Now that I knew where it was, I realized I should have spent more time reading signs instead of watching people - if I had I would have found it sooner. In most cases the River Express piers are just off to the side of the other piers and once you get the hang of it, they are easy to find.
The boat soon arrived and I jumped on. The ride is 4 Baht and one of the best bargains in Bangkok. The view of the city from the boat is great and it was a real relief to have a little breeze. The day was very hot and, of course, humid.
After lunch I took a long nap. When I woke it was just getting dark. I decided to head over to Patpong. It's famous for being the center of the sex industry in Bangkok, but there is also a night market that is a magnet for tourist.
But first, I needed a tut-tut. The Riverview Guesthouse is a little off the beaten path. It's in an area of narrow lanes, full of auto parts shops. Despite its industrial nature, the neighborhood was amazingly clean and quiet. The main issue was finding it. The night I arrived, I had the hotel send a car for me - it cost 350 Baht ($10.) I found it reassuring to know that I wouldn't have to search for the hotel after a 22-hour flight. Then, once I had walked the neighborhood, I noticed that there were plenty of signs pointing the way, so finding it again wasn't a problem. Even at night it was ok: the area was well lit.
I walked over to the nearby Sheridan Hotel and got a tut-tut from the stand there. When my young driver stopped at a traffic light he turned and asked, "What you going to Patpong for?" He had a look on his face I came to recognize. I saw it whenever one of the tut-tut drives was pitching me on some massage parlor or girlie bar. Anyway, I told him the truth "I'm going to look around." He leered back and said, "Yea, sure." I found that if you are a single middle-aged man, the immediate assumption is that you are in Thailand looking for sex.
Patpong was actually two streets. The first is closed to traffic and had a brightly lit night market running down the center. The stalls sell everything from tee-shirts to silk jackets, from porno videos to Thai spices. The street was lined with bars and in front of each was a tout carrying a card that listed the prices of the drinks. Through the open doors I could see the scantly clad girls bumping and grinding to the loud music. The street was full of shoppers: some looking for souvenirs and others for sex.
One street over is Patpong 2 - that's where the serious sex shoppers go. Again there are touts in the street with drink cards and again you can see the girls in the bars beckoning you to come in, but there is no night market here to distract you, simply lots of sex bars. I had been thinking I might stop at one of the outside bars for a beer, but I found the whole thing just too sleazy: the push touts, the desperate-looking girls and all the fat, middle-aged white guys. I couldn't bear it.
I left and continued souvenir shopping in the surrounding area - all the streets seemed to be lined with stalls selling everything a tourist could possibly want: laser pointers, fighting knives and counterfeit-brand watches and shirts. Finally I tired of the whole tourist/sex business and headed back toward to my hotel. On the way I found a quiet, outside bar. I sat down and ordered a Singha beer. The night was balmy and I sat writing in my journal for awhile.
Later, near my hotel, I stopped to watch a movie. Someone had stretched a white screen across one of the narrow lanes and they were projecting an action, shoot-em-up movie on it. You could watch it from either side of the screen. There were families of Thai sitting in chairs or standing around eating corn-on-the-cob - it was a drive-in movie, Thai-style.
Back at my hotel I heard music coming from the temple and decide I had better check it out. I found the stage was now lit up and a Chinese opera was going on. There were maybe 5 or 6 musicians in the wings and about 6 or 8 actors. I don't know if you have ever seen or heard a Chinese opera, but the music in more percussive than melodic and reminds me, at times, of falling pots and pans. It's used mostly to punctuate the dramatic action. The singing has a nasally, whiny quality and the actors movements are stiff and stylized. I find it interesting for short periods, but feared this one might go on for quite a while.
The temple itself was a buzz with activity: offerings were being made and candles were being lit but strangely no one was watching the opera. The area in front of the stage was completely empty. It was like the opera was being performed for the same invisible spirits that the offering were being made to.
I was told later that this was Buddha Day - I never did learn exactly what that meant, but I did notice that there was always something going on at the Buddhist temples. Anyway, I fell asleep that night to the sound of Chinese opera. I was so tired from traveling and all the walking that I fell asleep quickly.
Bangkok, Sunday, February 20
I made several false starts in the morning. First, I had to return to the hotel because I forgot to turn in my laundry. I was traveling very light and needed to do it, or have it done, every few day. Next, I got as far as the tut-tut stand before I realized I had forgotten to bring any film, so back to the hotel I trudged again.
I find the second day after crossing a lot of times zones is often the hardest - it's when a serious case of the "stupids" will sometimes hit. In fact, I was feeling tired today and planned to just wander a little and not do any serious sightseeing.
Finally I was ready. In the streets I saw that monks were out with their "begging bowl." They carry these large, round bowls in the morning and people line up to put food in them - apparently it's the monks food for the day. The people who give them food earn merit by feeding the monks. I often saw them if I was out early enough.
I took the River Express up to the Tha Ratchawong pier and walked into Chinatown from there. Almost at once I stumbled upon a dragon. It was at the head of a small procession: there were 4 young men under the colorful body and one under its head. Behind them came another fellow who was beating on a drum. They were going from shop to shop, doing a little dance and then moving along. I followed along taking pictures for awhile before heading in a different direction.
I also found a market selling fresh seafood - so fresh that it was trying to get away. A lady had a pail of eels and every now and then one of them would make a jump at the top. She would then nonchalantly grab the escapee and drop him back in the bucket - she didn't seem to think it was out of the ordinary, but I did.
Finally, finished with Chinatown, I took a River Express south all the way to the Taksin bridge. From there I got on Bangkok's new transportation system, an elevated train called Sky Train. I was planning to take it in to Siam Square, a large, modern shopping area.
After I climbed up to the station, I got a ticket from one of the automated dispenser. You pay according to how many zones you will be traveling across. You need correct change, but there was someone on hand to help with that. The ride, high above the crowded streets and in air condition cars, was quite pleasant. It's a great way to see the city.
This, you will remember, was Sunday and I had already found that most stores, except for Chinatown, were closed. Even the River Express wasn't running as often. I was hoping that I would find some activity at Siam Square - and I did. Apparently, this is where Bangkok's teenagers head on Sunday afternoon. There were blocks and blocks of clothing, ice cream and music stores and lots of shoppers.
I ended up around the corner at the Mahboonkrong shopping center - the airconditioning was the main attraction for me. It was 8 floors of stores, both large and small, arranged around an open atrium. On the top floor there was a movie multiplex and a video arcade.
The most interesting video game was the "dancing" game. Players "dance" an intricate set of steps that they follow on a monitor in front of them, stepping on pads imbedded in the floor. Points were accumulated in respect to accuracy. The music was loud and there was always a small crowd around these games. This seemed more interesting to me than just shooting at things - which is my impression of most video games.
Later I took a taxi back to the hotel and had another long nap. I was still recovering from 12 time zone difference between Thailand and my home. In the early evening I set out again for the Patpong night market for more shopping - souvenir shopping, I might add.
Later I ended up at the restaurant on top of my hotel. I spent the rest of the evening talking to other travelers, drinking a lot of cold Singha beer and enjoying the exceptionally fine view.
While the Riverview Guest House itself was undistinguished - my room was large, but a little old - the restaurant has a world class view of the river and the city. It's open and you can smell the water and feel the evening breeze. It's worth staying there just for the restaurant. By the way I paid 690 Baht ($19) for my room. I made my reservation by faxing the hotel: 662-237-5428.
Back in my room, I was surprised to find the stage was gone. Sometime during the day the opera had packed up and left. Tomorrow I would be doing the same: I was off to Cambodia. I made arrangements for a taxi and then went to bed.
Bangkok had turned out to be a pleasant and interesting place to visit. I wished I had allocated more time, but all and all I was satisfied. The most striking thing was how friendly and helpful the Thais were - I was looking forward to my return from Cambodia when I would have more time to get to know them.
Siem Reap, Monday, February 21
At 6:30 I was off to the airport - on my way to Cambodia to visit the ancient city of Angkor. It turned out to be fairly close: less than an hour away in a small, prop plane. On the way we flew over miles and miles of flat, fertile farmland.
When I landed several things happen quickly. First, I got a visa. We had been given the application to fill out on the plane. In the terminal I turned it in along with my passport, one passport photo and $20. In less than 2 minutes I got my passport back stamped with a Cambodia visa.
Next, I went to the taxi desk and arranged for a ride to my hotel - I already had a reservation. The fee is $5. As the ruins at Angkor are spread over a very large area, most visitors hire either a taxi or a moto (a small motor bike with a driver) to take them around each day. Unless you have made other arrangements, in all likelihood the fellow who drives you to your hotel will also be driving you around Angkor. This is not mandatory, of course, but it is customary, so there was a little getting-to-know-each-other that went on during the ride in.
My driver, Lin, wanted to know the standard stuff: where was I staying and how long would I be here. I wanted to know how well he spoke English and what he wanted to charge me. By the time I got to my hotel, The Bayon, I was satisfied with his command of English but we were still haggling over price. He wanted $20 a day - the standard rate - for the nearby sites but wanted an additional $20 if he took me to Banteay Srei, which was only about 20 km father. I thought this excessive, so I just agreed to have him drive me for one day - we would wait and see what happened after that. At the hotel, I checked in and put on my shorts: it was getting hot. Then we took off to see Angkor.
Angkor is a collection of 100 or so temples built between the 7th and 11th century. You could spend weeks and weeks seeing them all, but with only a short time I needed to focus my attention. On the way Lin and I discussed what I wanted to see and then he suggested the best order.
At his recommendation we stopped at the Bayon first. It's a huge temple that sits in the middle of the largest complex at Angkor - the fortified city of Angkor Thom. It is best know for the huge, smiling faces that are carved in the walls and spires - all the same face.
Before we got there we had to stop and buy a ticket - there was a little stand along the road and each time we went by we had to stop and show my ticket. The price was $20 per day or three days for $40 - I got a three-day ticket.
By the time we got to the Bayon it was really hot. The site was large and there was a lot of walking and climbing to be done and very little shade. Despite this, the Bayon really was quite spectacular and a great introduction to what lay ahead at Angkor. There were several different levels and huge, smiling faces look down from each of them - it was as eerie as it was lovely.
Afterward I went looking for Lin and realized that almost all the cars that the tourist travel in were white Toyotas - the same as mine. I couldn't recognize his car nor could I find Lin, so I bought a can of pop and sat down to wait. Eventually he came looking for me and we moved on. Before I got in I took a good look at the car: I wasn't going to lose it again.
Next we stopped at Ta Prohm. While most of the sites have been cleared of the trees that took over after Angkor was abandoned in the 14th century, Ta Prohm wasn't. It's a singular sight to see the roots of huge trees wrapped tightly around temple walls. Further, parts of the temple that have collapsed have been left as they lay. You get the feeling of what it must have been like when westerners first started visiting Angkor in the late 19th century.
Walking in the shade of the trees was also a blessing after the hot sun at the Bayon. I found several shady spots to my liking and sat admiring the temples. It was very quiet and relaxing at Ta Prohm.
At this point it was past noon and I was getting hungry. I had missed breakfast to catch my early flight, so we headed back to Siem Reap for lunch. I asked for a recommendation and he suggested I try the Bayon Restaurant (not affiliated with my hotel, by the way.) I thought that a good idea as I have read good reports from other travelers. After eating, I walk back to my hotel for a shower and a nap.
When I came down, Lin was waiting and we headed back to visit Angkor Wat, the main and best know sight at Angkor. It was about 3:30 and it hadn't cooled off in the least. In fact, as I walked and climbed Angkor Wat, it seemed hotter than before lunch. Angkor is another site where there is very little shade and probably would be better visited in the early morning. Anyway, at the top I finally did find a shady spot and sat enjoying the view of the surrounding countryside.
From my vantage point I watched a couple of young monks climb the narrow stairs up to where I was sitting. The stairs were quite difficult to climb because the rise was so high while the steps were very narrow. The best approach was to climb across them instead of straight up - zigzagging your way to the top. The steps reminded me of the ones on the pyramids of Mexico - if you have seen them you will understand how hard these were to climb.
After awhile I walked back toward the parking lot and stopped to have another can of pop - I was thirsty all the time. Back at the parking lot I found Lin playing some kind of kick game, like hack-e-sack, with some of the other drivers. Instead of interrupting him I decided to sit on a wall that overlooked the mile-on-a-side moat that surrounds Angkor Wat. No pictures can prepare you for how large this place is.
Our last stop was at Phnom Bakheng. It's a hill that tourist climb to watch the sunset over Angkor Wat. We were early and there weren't many tourists there yet: sunset was still at least an hour away. I looked up the steep path and immediately decided against it: I was tired. There were elephants there and I could have ridden up for $15, but after watching one the lumbering beast leave, I decide to skip that too. They were going way to slow to create any kind of breeze and I was hot, real hot. Instead, I talk to some of the kids that hung around selling stuff to the tourists and then went looking for Lin. I found him flirting with a couple of the pop vendors. We all stood talking for a while and then I decide to call it a day.
Before I got out of the car at the hotel, I talked to Lin about the next day. After a little bargaining he agreed to drive me out to Banteay Srei, for $30. We decided to leave at 8:00.
I then took yet another shower, rested in my room and finally walked over to the market, about 10 minutes away. The sun was just going down and it was finally starting to cool off a little. I walked around the market a little, but the light was fading and I really just wanted a beer. I found a little restaurant across the street and sat at a table near the road. I got out my journal and ordered a beer, an Angkor beer - a fitting brand.
It was still a little early and the restaurant was empty. Cambodian pop music was playing and the waitresses were all sitting at the next table talking. A lovely Cambodia girl rode by on her bike and then I noticed a cat walking on the rusty roof across from me. I sat writing for the next hour or so and then realized how exhausted I was. I got up and headed back to the hotel. It had been a long, hot day.
Siem Reap, Tuesday, February 22
I had breakfast at the hotel restaurant. From the window I could see the morning "rush hour." It was mostly bikes and motorcycles- and not many of them. The motorcycles often had 3 or more people packed on them.
At 8:00 a new driver arrived. He introduced himself - his name was Sok - and explained that Lin was busy. After that we were off to Banteay Srei. On the way out we talked and immediately I decided I liked him. While his English wasn't much better than Lin's, he was much more open and over the course of the day he told me a lot about his life.
Banteay Srei is about 20 km north of Angkor on a red-dirt road. On the way we passed villages where the houses were built on stilts. They gave me the idea that it must flood here during the rainy season. There were kids and dogs playing under the houses and banana trees all around them. We also passed several small schoolhouses with lines of bikes in the front. It was slow going, as the road was quite rough. I imagine it is nearly impassable when it rains.
When we got to Banteay Srei I found out how popular it was. Although it was still early, some buses were already in the parking lot, along with lots of taxis and motos. The site, which is quite small, was full of tourists. There were almost as many Cambodian tourists as westerners.
The attraction at Banteay Srei are the elaborately carved buildings and walls - they are made of rust-red stone. They were quite striking. As I was taking pictures, the woman next to me who was doing the same, complained about all the people. I guess she wanted pictures of just the buildings. I, on the other hand, thought it grand that there were so many people. There was a small group of monks in their orange robes that brought life to many of my pictures.
After awhile we hopped in the car and drove past the same little villages on our way back to Angkor. By now more buses were on the road, kicking up huge clouds of dust. It was so bad that at times Sok had to turn the A/C off to keep it out of the car. I felt sorry for the travelers who were making the trip on motos: they were eating a lot of dust.
As we drove, Sok told me he made $4 a day driving the car. He had been doing it for about three years. He said he lived in a nearby village and uses a bicycle to commute the 10-km to Siem Reap each day. He lived with his uncle and had left his home village because it was in Khmer Rouge territory.
We also talked about food: we both agreed we liked chicken and then he asked me if I liked dog. I said that dog was a problem for us Americans - we see dogs as pets, members of the family, and not food. I told him that I had never eaten dog. There was a little silence and then we choose a new subject.
Our next stop was at Pre Rup: there were very few tourists. The day was overcast and much cooler than yesterday - while not exactly cool, it was more bearable. I climbed the narrow, steep stairs to the top and sat in the shade of a spire. I could see across the flat, open land. There were clumps of trees and a lot of open space covered with brown grass. This was the dry season and many of the trees had also lost their leaves. I could hear the birds calling to each other and there was a little breeze. There are so many temples at Angkor that there must be many lovely, quiet places like this that you can have to yourself.
Our last stop before lunch was at Preah Kan. It, like a lot of Angkor temples, is a long walk back from the road. On the way a young Cambodian boy attached himself to me. He started walking along with me, pointing out various carvings and attempting to explain them. His English wasn't very good, but he was still interesting company. He told me he was 16 but he looked to be no more than 12. I asked him why he wasn't in school and he said he didn't have the money for this teacher. Probably true, but no doubt he was also softening me up. He pointed out some carvings of Buddha that had been scratched out, in ancient times, he said, by some conqueror or other. He also pointed out carvings that had been broken off and sold by the Khmer Rouge for guns in recent times.
When we got back to the entrance, our little tour over, we sat on a wall together and I handed him a dollar. He smiled and said, "Two." I sighed and handed him 4000 Riel, the Cambodian equivalent of one dollar. Then he tried to get me to exchange the Riels for Baht, the Thai currency. I guess he didn't think much use for of his own currency. In way of excuse, he said his teacher wanted Baht, but I declined to make the exchange for him.
About this time a young friend of his came over and the two talked a little in Cambodian - no doubt about how generous I had just been because his friend smiled and shyly asked, "Three?" He wanted a dollar too! I smiled back and said, "No way, dude." I guess he felt it was worth a try. Next, the friend pulled out a couple of wooded flutes and tried to sell me them. It was all quite friendly and not pushy. I sat with them for a little while longer and then went to find Sok.
On the way back to Siem Reap I asked Sok about the Bayon restaurant. He suggested I try some of the Cambodian dishes and even suggested a few. Following Sok's suggestions, I ordered chicken curry soup. As readers of my travelogues know, I rarely talk much about food. This time it is going to be different: I had some of the best food I have ever had on this trip.
Anyway, the curry soon arrived - and it was in a coconut. The shell had been trimmed with straight sides and resembled a little pot: it even had a carved lid. Inside were chicken, onions, potato and other delicious, but unknown to me, vegetables. Because I had made a point of saying I wanted it spicy, they brought a little side dish of cut up peppers in oil - they were little green ones. Between the two of them this was one of the tastiest - and hottest - meals I have ever had.
When I was done I took a moto to the market and did a little shopping. Then I went back to the hotel for a shower and a rest. At 3:30 Sok showed up and we were off again. Our first stop of the afternoon was at Ta Keo. I have to admit I have completely forgotten what that temple was like - I'm afraid they were starting to all blur together. I had very nearly reached my temple quota.
The next, and last, stop I'm a little clearer on: it was Preah Khan. Here Sok deserted me. "You don't have to hurry: you have an hour and half here. I want to go back to Siem Reap to a friend's funeral." I wasn't exactly sure I liked this, but didn't see that I had a choice.
I walked the long, hot causeway back to the temple. I wandered around a little, but as I have said, I was starting to burn out. I found a group of young men and women that were getting ready to put on a dance performance: they were putting on their costumes and makeup. I found a shady spot and sat watching for awhile, but I was hot and the stones were hard on my butt. I decided to walk back to the entrance and get a can of pop. I sat there grumbling to myself that I was ready to go.
I wrote in my journal a little and then realized how nice it was sitting there: Cambodian music was playing from a little radio, a chicken was scratching at the ground near by and the vendors were flirting with the guards. I could hear the birds in the trees and see kids playing in the dusty parking lot. Buses and motos drove by, but none stopped. I kept writing and was surprised when Sok finally returned. By then I was glad for the break.
On the way back Sok told me he would take me to the airport in the morning. Lin must have told him when I was leaving. I suspect I could have gotten to the airport cheaper if I had bargained, but I just said ok. I liked Sok too much to haggle over a dollar or two.
I had Sok drop me at the market where I continued my, so far, unsuccessful shopping. I wanted to buy something to remind me of Angkor but hadn't seen anything I liked. Finally, still empty-handed, I took a moto back to the hotel for another shower - the only relief from the heat.
About dark I headed back to the same restaurant I had visited the previous night. As I sat with another Angkor beer, a guy walked by and asked about the food. I said I didn't know anything about the food here, but that the beer was good - and invited him to join me.
His name was Ken and he was from New York state - he was traveling solo like me. We talked for awhile and finally decided to go to the Bayon for dinner - I had been telling him how good it was. We got a couple of motos to take us for 1000 Riel ($0.25) each.
Part of the Bayon is in a garden courtyard, which was decorated with what I think of as Christmas lights - twinkling, tacky, colored lights - but in this setting they seemed nice. It was still pretty hot and as soon as we sat down the waitress aimed an oscillation fan on us - it helped a little.
We ordered a couple of beers and then two curry coconut dishes - one with chicken and one with fish - a plate of Chinese broccoli and steamed rice. We sat eating, drinking and talking. I learned that Ken was a Presbyterian minister. He told me that the part of his job that he dislikes the most was all the bickering that goes on in the congregation. Right now he said they were arguing about the ordination of homosexuals - they had already sorted out the same issue about women.
Later, thinking back on our conversation, I realized we never talked about religion. At first this struck me as odd, but then it hit me that he was probably as tired of talking shop as I was. I would never, never willingly bring up the subject of computers when I'm on vacation. In fact, every since a woman next to me on a plane pulled out her portable computer and asked for help when she learned my profession, I have been toying with the idea of telling people I sell insurance - that should keep the subject of computers at bay.
Anyway we only left when they started putting the chairs way. I offered to pay and Ken didn't object - I guess he was used to accepting other people's charity, being a man of the cloth. At this point we headed in different directions: I don't know where Ken went, but I headed back to my hotel, to bed. I was leaving for Bangkok tomorrow. It had been a great night: good conversation and delicious food. If you get to Siem Reap make sure you eat at the Bayon.
In the morning I walked back to the Siem Reap market - I was resolved to spend some money. I looked around for a while and finally found a couple of things I liked: I got a small, carved box with a compass inside and plate with dragonflies painted on it.
I also took a bunch of pictures. The Cambodians I met were very friendly and never seemed to mind having their pictures taken - they always had big smiles on their faces. In fact, I was sad to be leaving. I would have liked to see more of Cambodia. I liked the lively markets and the slow life style.
The Bayon hotel also turned out be in a good choice. It was close to the market but otherwise nothing special. I made the reservation through Mandala International Travel in Bangkok (mandala@bkk.loxinfo.co.th) and paid $45 per night. I also made
