It's an early start in order to catch the sun rise over Angkor Wat — 5:15 am, in fact. It's a dark and quiet bus ride to the temple where we don our head lamps and walk over the bridge and into the grounds, joining the hundreds of others who have come hoping to catch a unique morning spectacle.
Enterprising vendors take our coffee and hot chocolate orders as the first rays of light begin to show. At precisely 6:00 a.m., as if on cue, the cicadas begin, their thrum rising up from one tree to the next. Perhaps this is a good omen that the sunrise will be spectacular?
Unfortunately, clouds block the rising sun and we are deprived the classic view of the sun glowing between the towers. We do get some thunder rumbles and we enjoy the buzz of being there at the historic monument so early and the fiery red sky photos we are able to capture.
Back to the hotel we go for a quick breakfast and then it's on to visit the "Tomb Raider" temple.
Used as the setting for the Lara Croft — Tomb Raider film, Ta Phrom's magical appeal is that it has been left to the jungle and appears virtually as it was found by Europeans in the mid 19th century. Roots and trees merge with the stone ruins to create a dramatic and fantastical affect.
Look everyone, it's Angelina Jolie!
The temple ruins of Banteay Srei is a half hour drive through the morning heat and over some bumpy road, but the reward is a beautiful stone monument adorned with some of the most intricate ornamentation of the Angkor era.
Thought to be constructed and carved by women (maybe that explains the miniature proportions and the pink colours?) Banteay Srei's elegant pillars and intricate stone carvings depicting scenes of Hindu mythology ensures our last temple visit in the area ends on a high note.
After lunch and rest, Alann takes us out on a local river boat for a bizarre and surreal experience — cruising the Tonle Sap river to the mouth of the Tonle Sap Lake (also known as The Great Lake) and the floating fishing village that resides there.
It is a bit like encountering a bobbing carnival. The village swells and moves depending on the time of year and depth of the water, but is home to about 6,000 people. Living conditions here are poor with most families living on shabby, leaky boats and fishing and/or using their children to beg for a living.
We are followed by several Vietnamese boats with small children aboard, clutching thick python snakes and asking for money in exchange for photos. It is disturbing and difficult to fathom that this is their life at such a young age. At the small floating shop/restaurant where we stop, things become even more bizarre as we are shown the crocodile pit holding a cramped group of glowering freshwater crocs caught on the lake (a fair distance away, thankfully) and waiting to be made in to handbags and/or eaten for supper.
There are more water snakes, cold Pepsi's, cheerful souvenirs and small Vietnamese children in wash tubs, floating in the lake, again begging for money in exchange for a photo.
Wide eyed, we take it all in, but are mildly relieved to head back down river and away from the floating creepiness. Cambodia, it seems, always has something new to behold.
Like cooked snake, for example. Neither of us truly have the stomach for it as we are still recovering from our bout of heat exhaustion, but as it is a local delicacy, we give it the ol' college try so we can say we've gnawed on a slithery beast.
This all occurs at the local hammock bar, an ideal place to kick back, take in the Cambodian sunset and leave the depravity of the fishing village behind.
What's a little snake if you don't try the eggs too?
Our time in Siem Reap ends with a visit to the night market for a few last minute items and gifts. Tomorrow, we complete the 29 day loop, heading for the Thai border and eventually on to Bangkok where we will say our goodbye's to South East Asia.
