January 28

Up very early (3:00) this morning to catch the hour long flight to Siem Reap.  I may as well have stayed in bed for another hour or two because the wireless network wasn't working and I was still too full from last night's dinner so didn't want breakfast. As planned we got to the airport about two hours before the flight time and as it turned out we needed every minute of that and then some.  Bangkok Air's computer system went down so they had to do everything manually and it took forever.  We stood in line for the two hours and were actually late by the time we received our boarding passes.  Then there was Immigration and Customs to endure - more line ups, more waiting.  Fortunately for us there still others in line behind us so they held the plane and it finally took off almost an hour late.  I was not in a good mood or in good shape by the time we boarded the plane.  While we were standing in line we filled out the myriad of forms necessary to enter Cambodia and to obtain a Cambodian visa. 

On arrival in Siem Reap there were more lines, first to get a visa, then more Immigration and Customs ....  My mood did not improve.  I was looking forward to a nap when we got to the hotel at 10:30 but we were told that the rooms would not ready until 2:00.  That's the first time that has happened this trip.  At that point we decided that rather than hang around we would take a trip to the lake and then a boat to see the floating villages.  As we were getting onto the boat a girl was taking my photo and I thought she was just joking so I took a picture of her taking a picture of me.  It wasn't until we came back that I saw she had taken photos of everyone and put them on plates which she was selling.  A good idea but no one bought on.  

Unlike the homes on stilts in Inle Lake these are actually boats or barges or shacks floating on barrels.  Most of the residents are apparently Vietnamese.  Along the road to the lake are many more shacks that have to be moved every year during the rainy season and then moved back as the lake recedes.  The guide claims that the difference in the location of the shoreline is as much as ten kilometers.  The lake is reportedly very productive but the stocks are declining badly due to serious over fishing.

Following the lake visit we stopped at an artisans workshop where they do stone carving, silk weaving, wood carving and other arts.  They had some very nice things there but I found them to be very expensive compared to Myanmar.  On the opposite extreme I figure I could be a multi millionaire overnight if I could smuggle cigarettes and beer from here to Canada.  Cigarettes are $0.50 a package and beer is $0.55 per can!

For dinner I had a Khmer sour beef soup, seafood tempura and rice.  The soup was quite good except that the ginger and lemon grass were impossible to chew.  Every once in a while I got a taste of anise as a surprise.  The tempura was ok but nothing special.  Total cost was $7.00.  I can see that I am either going to have to pressure the guide or venture out on my own if I want to experiment with food (cats and rats and bats, etc.) because as happened in Myanmar he took us to a very cosmopolitan and "safe" restaurant.

I'm not too thrilled with this hotel room.  It is two rooms and huge but the lighting in the bedroom is almost non existent so reading in bed is not an option unless I use my flashlight.  There is no window and no beside lamp.The chairs in the living room are more than a little uncomfortable except for short periods.  On the plus side the bed is full size unlike the singles I have had up to now.

Time to head to bed to rest my back in preparation for a full day trudging and trekking around the temple ruins.