Hey! We're in Cambodia now~ it's so beautiful here... hard to accept just how amazing it is what with the fact that it's a 3rd world country and we're staying in a luxury hotel... but anyway, it's a much deserved vacation and we're enjoying every minute of it.
I'll backtrack.... So we left Singapore last monday and arrived safe and sound in Bangkok~ we did have some concerns about what the situation would be upon arrival what with the country being on the verge of a civil war at times, but we've not seen anything out of the ordinary (as far as we know). To put it mildly, Bangkok is insane~~ it's like New York City times 1000~~ the traffic is out of hand and people drive like they are on speed~~ it's like riding a rollercoaster without hills. Our hotel is in a great location, the skytrain is right out the front door. On our first day we pretty much just checked in, napped, and then went out for dinner & then walked around a bit~~ it's extremely hot and smoggy, so spending too much time outside during the day isn't much fun. Tuesday morning we met our guide, Charlie, at 7am and he took us to the Floating Market ~ we rode around in a little canoe type boat and pretty much felt like jerks. I say this because it's a total tourist trap~ a river filled with tourists in boats while the local Thai people are clamoring to sell you things you don't need~~ I didn't realize thats what it was all about or I wouldn't have gone there~ I felt embarrassed because we didn't buy anything... the people there are so poor.
Oh! I almost forgot~ before we went to the market, Charlie took us to the coolest thing~ I dont' know what to call it other than a *train track market*~ if you can imagine a train track with vendors set up on either side of the track selling everything from fruits, veggies, meats, fish, toys, etc~~ they have set up canopies that form a tunnel over the track... people walk down the track to buy things from the vendors.. the train comes through 4 times a day and right before it passes, the vendors quickly whisk away their canopies & tables and people step back to let the train pass~ it's very strange~~ so efficient. It reeked of rotting meat and there were flies everywhere. I tried to breathe through my mouth so I wouldn't have to smell it but then I was afraid of a fly getting in my mouth.. so yea.. kinda gross, but SO cool!
After the floating market, Charlie took us to the tiger temple in Kanchanburi~ about a 2 hour drive from Bangkok. This was the highlight of the day~ we got to hang out with tigers for a few hours~ babies and adults.. we pet them and fed the babies with bottles.. it was so magical and I wasn't scared at all. I think Patrick was for a minute when a tiger turned his head a little too quickly when he pet him.. but hey, it's a tiger, what are you going to do? ahahah. After that, Charlie took us for lunch and it was reallyyyyyyyyy really good and for dessert he drove us up the road a bit to see some wild monkeys!!! He had a bag of corn for us to feed them... if you've never fed a monkey, I highly recommend it.... seriously, it was so weird~ they are like little people, little greedy children snatching the corn out of our hands. That was a very long day and we took tons of photos which will be uploaded when we get home~ too difficult to do on the road.
So then the next morning we flew here to Cambodia~ only a 40 minute flight. There has been some border disputes between the Thais and the Cambodians~ apparently the Thais want to claim the land that the temples are on~ 4 people (soldiers) died yesterday. We got up this morning at 4am to see the sunrise over Angkor Wat. It was pitch black and as I was trying to adjust the settings on my camera I accidently deleted all my photos.. woo-frikkin-hoo... needless to say, while everyone else was ooohing and ahhing over the sunrise and the temple, I was crying. Good thing Patrick has been taking amazing pics with his camera, so it's not a total wash.. but nonetheless, I was upset.. I did get over it pretty quickly while traipsing around these amazing temples.. who could possible care about photos being deleted when you're in the jungle climbing around thousands of years of history. It certainly puts things in perspective.
Hope you're all having fun, too! I'm going to go eat some spring rolls and have some tea and then back out to the pool before we go for massages~~ only $6 for an hour~~ no happy endings, hahha!
Love you all~
Beth & Patrick
