Bangkok

I am back in Bangkok.  last day of trip going home tomorrow 4/21.  hope you enjoyed the pix.  stay tune for the next trip to China in mid July.

If there were any questions on the times posted I kept my computer on LA time.  Southeast Asia is 14 hours ahead of LA time.  

Bayon Temple of Angkor Thom

this afternoon we went to the Bayon Temple.  This is the area that the people lived.  Angkor Wat was their Temple but they did not live there.

             on the way to Bayon

             the statutes lining the bridge, there is a moat around the whole complex, 2 sq mi

       this is the face looking out toward the bridge.  there are 3 others facing each direction

             as i have said this is how they roll.  there were 5 in the cab

       this is a story carved into the wall

     this is a lady, holding a turtle, that got to close to another person and the turtle bit his rear.  that is why he is looking back at the lady, and looking a bit upset.  

           dancing pillars,  this was on all four sides

 another on

     the guide took this one, he thought it was funny

the elephant wall

Angkor Area

We went to Angkor Wat 

     the monkeys were all over the grounds

going down the stairs from the third floor of Angkor Wat.  as you can see it is like walking down a pyramid

then we went to Ta Prohm which is in the same area

 this temple was overrun with tree roots.  this made the area unique so they were left

 this is a tree that grew on the top of another tree and sent its roots down to the ground.  it killed the other tree

             this is a scene from tomb raider

the tree roots have pushed this apart.  the metal is there to prevent the facade from falling 

Seim Reap

           five on a bike

                 yes we rode ox carts

             Mom and I

             the driver

            brian can your truck do this

          a rice wine still  the pot in the back is heated, the pot in the front has cool water, and the silver pot is where the "wine" ends up.  it is then bottled and sold

    local pig which was next to the still

          floating houses on a lake

            the local store   yes it is on the lake floating

           the floating school

this is a monastery in the lake.  the water level is low now but you can see the water line on the wall when the lake is full during rainy season

Phnom Penh to Seim Reap (Angkor Wat)

Today was another long bus trip.  Interesting road, interesting towns.  Well we made it.  Tonight out to dinner than back to hotel for rest.  we will be here for 3 days.

       the map of where we drove today

      how the locals roll

                Lotus flower

      inside.  the area above the stem is edible.  little seeds with a nut like flavor

             tarantulas ready to eat  

         baby sparrows ready to eat

      a cashew growing on the bottom of the fruit

          on a tree,

      the open air ride   one fellow traveler counted 27 persons in a toyota van.   the type sold in USA

the making of the statue 

        my lunch plate yes that is a cricket on the plate

                in the mouth                 tastes like chicken

    bridge built in late 12 century

 same bridge 

Tan Chau, Vietnam to Phnom Penh, Cambodia on the Mekong River

We left this morning and these are houses that are built above the Mekong river next to the banks that families live in.

these are floating homes so when the river rises in the rainy season they rise also

this is the boat that we took this tour on.  That is Mom the fifth one back 

This is a house being set up as a fish farm.  The farm is below the house, a wire net is wrapped around the bamboo and the house is dropped so it would be a river level.  Fish are put in and fed daily.  Six months later they are ready for harvest and the whole cycle starts again .    

This is where the fish are and where they feed them 

This is after food is put in the water