Day 9...or when no food for a day still can't stop my sightseeing.

Ankgor Wat

The heat in Lao coupled with there only being water (no Gatorade to replace electrolytes) ravaged my body. I was super sick my first day in Cambodia, but I found some crackers and ginger ale at the market around the corner and started spending all my cash on Gatorade.  By the evening, I was feeling a little better so I booked a driver out to see Angkor Wat.

The plus side of the trip out there is that it starts at 5 a.m. and is done by noon...so I avoided all the super hot sun.  After that, I told myself I could take it easy and relax by the pool.

Well, my 4:30 a.m. alarm came and I dragged my butt out of bed.  I decided not to eat anything just
in case my stomach problems hadn't been solved. So I was HUNGRY. In 24 hours all I had eaten were some little crackers.  I grabbed a Gatorade and my tuk tuk driver picked me up inside the hostel.
The ride out was actually chilly!  I haven't been cold in a week and a half unless I was standing under ice cold showers, but before the sun came up, Siem Reap was more than tolerable. With the wind whipping in my face, it was actually enjoyable!

Sun rising over the pool inside the temple

Waking up that early did have a point, I got to watch the sunrise over Ankgor Wat.  It's a Unesco World Heritage Site and the largest religious monument in the world.  Interestingly, the Archaeological Park also contains a number of living villages, mostly descendants of the ancient villages.  It was kind of strange seeing homes and schools inside such a protected landmark.

Built in the early 12th century, the temple itself is a monstrosity. The moat around it alone is over 2 miles long.  Inside the temple walls, there are intricate carvings spanning the entire interior walls.  So much work is put into the preservation of the art and the temple grounds.  Walking around, you see employees meticulously sweeping away sand to keep the temple area as clean as possible.

At the next temple, a cute little boy started talking to me.  I knew he was going to eventually ask me

for money, but his English was good and he was telling me really cool things about the temple.  He even took a picture of my nose touching Buddha's nose.  We climbed up a tower that was marginally terrifying (he was maybe 8 or 9 and much more nimble). Bless his heart though, he tried to give me his hand to help me up.  I would've pulled the little guy over the edge!

He did end up asking me for money, but the kid spent a good 20 minutes showing me around the temple. So I looked at it like the European free walking tours and gave him a little cash.

The last temple is the second most famous as it's the location for Tomb Raiders. The foundation was laid in 1186. It's real name is Ta Prohm, but literally everyone calls it Tomb Raider.  The temple is crazy because it's filled with these weird trees that have solidified over time.  This is because it's been left in pretty much the same condition in which it was found, compared to other temples that have been restored (and I saw a ton of restoration work).

BONUS PICS!

Right before sunrise

The outer walls around the temple are just covered in intricate designs.

Ankgor Wat through the library's windows

The kiddo brought me up these steps...more like a stone ladder. I thought he was joking at first.

The untouched beauty of Ta Prohom

I avoided an adult "tour guide" by asking some Chinese guys to take my picture. The Cambodian man kept offering, but he did the same thing as the kid and I just wasn't going to have it. As soon as I asked someone else to take my picture, he disappeared.