Bus trip to Sein Reap and Angkor Temples.

Today we have  to be up very early to pack up our suit cases in readiness for disembarking from the Amalotus. We must have the cases outside by 7am at latest so we are up with the sunrise. it is almost worth getting up early.

Breakfast  this morning is at 6.30am and we enjoy a big brekky and Erle and I make ourselves a nice ham and cheese sandwich to eat along the way on the bus, as there is no plans for lunch today, we throw in a banana each and we shall not need to worry about lunch Some of the others though about doing this too, but I am surprised that most of them didn't.
The bus trip is 5 hours long and as many are not feeling well most of us sleep quite a few miles away. Pauline looks particularly unwell.
I decide to take some photos from the bus window of the countryside and in the small towns as we race past.

We stop on the way at a Road House, where some buy food and souvenirs, the cafe is situated on the edge of the Lake we were meant to sail down so at least we have seen some of it. In fact the balcony is right out over the water.

There is a very colourful shrine to some God or other in the centre of the cafe. 

We arrive at the Sofitel Sngkor Hotel another wonderful 5 star place of great luxury, amazing we never expected luxury any hotel would have done. There is a welcoming group of musicians and  dancers all dressed up. We were just pleased to get to our room and relax with a cup of coffee before we have to be back out at the bus to head to the first really big Angkor Temple.

Angkor Thom is the one we shall visit today. There is a big wide weed filled moat around it and the Temple looks great reflecting in the water. We walk in over a long narrow causeway and through quite hig walls These Temples were during the 12th century by the then king. This one is the biggest of all of them. The largest of all the ancient old structures around the world the guide said.

There are big high statues with 4 smiling buddah faces on each side,on partly destroyed by time but still impressive. Also a grey concrete replica which may be used to replace the damaged ones.

There are some pretty carvings and statues  along the walls that still look as good as when they were carved. There are a number of big steps to climb so I didn't quite go right up to the top.
I have so many photos from this Temple that I shall make a special blog on its own for  amazing Angkor Wat  including the early morning sunrise that didn't happen photos.  have to admit I am not at all sure which temple is which they all looked a lot similar.

There was this really scary staircase up to the very top special temple, but I couldn't bring myself to attempt it there were no guard rails and the steps were so steep and a very narrow foot place. many others did climb up and kind of wished they had not when it came to the downwards climb.

In the evening there is another big welcome dinner held at  several different restaurants  because none can handle 100 people in one sitting, we chose to go to Madam Butterflys and enjoyed a pleasant meal with about a dozen others, we went both ways in rickshaws.