The votes were in! Temples done and time to explore Siem Reap a little more closely. Not hard to do on foot as it is very flat. We've discovered the royal gardens and the royal residence. Wandered along Siem Reap River...a reasonably pretty spot when you see past the grime. Strolled past schools, temples, shops...locals getting on with their day to day lives.
Some more shopping for bargains was definitely on the agenda (when isn't it?).
We joined the many throngs of tourists and headed out to the great Tonle Sap...a large freshwater lake covering 12000 square km at it's largest, during the wet season. The lake is home to many thousands of people living both in floating villages and in very high stilted homes that, at this time of year, rise metres above the water level. Not all are Cambodians; some are from Vietnam and have made "comfortable"lives for themselves in their chosen new country. We enjoyed a pretty sunset over the water and some dinner before chugging back through the floating village and back to our hotel by minivan.
After our first couple of days of stair climbing and hill climbing, we have appreciated a slower pace with some well needed horizontal time with the occasional massage thrown in. Oh, and a little more shopping!
So a restful night tonight before our flight back to KL for New Years Eve.
