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A Couple Angkor Pics

I sent these pics to Erin since she demanded them of me. Actually, she demanded my favorite temple pic while I was still downloading the hundreds I took today. Seriously, I killed the battery on the camera and that's when I stopped shooting. So here are a couple I like:

This was looking from the lower level up somewhere deep inside Bayon. No, I can't really get more specific than that- just google 'Bayon', you'll find there's hundreds of faces in this complex.

This one is somewhere in the Unesco site. I haven't the foggiest where because I haven't organized my pics yet (and may never, this is me you know.) My guess would be Baphuon.

Since TonyMom and TonyDad read this, here's obligatory 'us' shot, courtesy of our guide, Mr Manay. He was awesome and I really should write about him- but this is another picture post for all you tl;dr illiterates out there. So here we are at Ta Prohm feeling like we were on a jungle adventure like we used to have when we were eight.

Yeah. This really is that cool place you dreamed about when you were playing in the woods as a kid. I wish we had more time here in Cambodia.

Angkor Wat and Friends

This is Angkor Wat. At sunrise to be precise, which is why there's some pretty pink in the sky above and reflected in the pool. Ah. Oh. See, it's the obligatory tourist get up early shot:

And these are people waiting for the sunrise. Don't let the small group size fool you, there's tons more. Angkor is a big place and there are people waiting all along it:

And it really is beautiful. But the thing is, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of temples in the Siem Reap area, specifically in and around the Unesco site. Seriously. everywhere you turn there's another temple being reconstructed from the pieces like a giant jigsaw puzzle:

Or being bolstered against the forces to save them:

Or even just being made more user friendly. I like this picture because you can see they tried once before, too:

Anyway, there was just too much to see without your brain overloading. And yet, most of the visitors got up at 4 this morning to see the exact same view. Like much else around this part of the world, it's just crazy.

Siem Reap

Well, we're here and safe in Cambodia. The adventure started when we walked though the gate in Bangkok only to find a bus waiting for us. We made several jokes about driving to Siem Reap while the bus wound across the tarmac, stopping finally in front of a turbo-prop. Wow! I think the last time I was in one of those I was still in high school. Anyway, here's a picture of it for y'all:

I found out our hotel had a service that would whisk you through all the visa insanity that results in coming here and on an impulse did it. Boy was that a plan. Not only did we save at least an hour, but we got tons of funny looks from people wondering who the clunky Americans were who were whisked through by enough handlers to make up a small secret service. One of them was kind enough to take our picture under a Cambodia poster to freak out my dad because I'm that kind of daughter.

We're here. We have but one day, and it's raining the kind of downpour that I haven't seen since Florida. Hopefully it will stop by 5AM (ow) when we hit the temples. But ya know, mai pen rai. It's all good.

An Obligatory Phuket Photo

Here's the view from our room in Phuket. We had this cute private bungalow with a little private pool off to the side of the sala (patio). More later as time, energy (both mine and the MacBook's) and wifi access allow.

In Transit

We're currently gorging on wifi in Bangkok Airways passenger lounge while awaiting our flight to Siem Reap. This morning we totally ODed on it in Thai Airways lounge in Phuket awaiting our flight to Bangkok. We had more than enough time to get our bags, clear customs, clear security and get back on the departure side of the airport. Fun!
Tonight we should be happily ensconced in Cambodia awaiting a whirlwind tour of the Wats. I'd write more but my computer decided to happilly toil away on something in flight this morning and I'm down to 12% power.

Going Dark

In a half hour, we head for the plane and Phuket. Whimper. I know, life's rough leaving a congested city for a beach paradise, but... but internet. The eenternetz, they eludes us there. Dunno if I will be posting while we're in Phuket at all. But next Wed (and this is Wed, BTW) I think we have it back again. Any bets how long it will take me to get D(ns)Ts?
Oh, and please start commenting if you want more posting when we make eenternets- I always assume I'm boring people or tl/dr if I don't get comments. ;P

Tony and Friends

With Tony using the camcorder a lot and me actually keeping a camera of my own for once (thanks TonyDad for the nifty Xmas present!) I have been taking a decent amount of pictures- and guess who's my favorite target? Turnabout is so much fun!
This was near the democracy monument. The older, motorcycle cop was just resting near his bike so I asked to take his picture which thrilled him to death and he called his younger partner over as well. From the way he hailed him, I think the younger policeman was the elder's son.
There was a shop in random little plaza mall that had all these really cool sculptures made from bike and car parts. There were tons, mostly aliens and predators. It was cool just to look through the details and try to recognize the parts for what they were.
This is one of many, many stone statues at Wat Pho. Isn't he awesome? Also, notice Tony's bonus geek-points for both wooting and WWdNing around the world...

Temple Gate

Ho hum, just another temple cloister... ;)

Setting Up For Transformers Opening

Makes cardboard lobby stand-ups look kind of pathetic, doesn't it? Particularly when behind Bumble Bee there was a huge sound system blasting the soundtrack from the movie. I should have checked to see if the equipment was Bang & Olufson from downstairs...

For Andrea