Hong Kong Airport early morning.

Siem Reap airport is very clean and new. After Yvonne’s flight arrived an hour later, our hotel shuttle arrived to drive us to the Hillock Hotel.

The lobby of the hotel, where we were greeted with a cold sweet tea like drink in champagne flutes.

Our room is on the first floor. There is no bathroom door but there is one for the toilet room.

The pool and the spa is in a building next to the pool along with a wet bar nearby blasting top forty American music.

View from the spa area and from where I received a $12 US pedicure for an hour. All she did was work on my toes... no massage.

I tipped her $3. Yvonne napped while I got my pedicure.

Orchids from a trunk of the tree.

We took a tuk tuk to Pub Street, where a lot of the tourists go to shop, eat and drink. The ride cost $2.

The driver wanted more business and offered to drive us to the Angkor Wat ticket office and Pre Rup to watch the sunset for an additional $10.

He had happened to drop us off at the Khmer Kitchen Restaurant, which Yvonne had heard was a good one from her coworkers.

I ordered the amok, a fish curry, Cambodia is famous for.

Also had some beer on Ryan’s behalf haha! $1.50 US for the can.

Tuk tuk to the Angkor Wat ticket office.

Three day pass is $62 US and they take a photo of you so you can’t sell or give away your ticket.

Off to Pre Rup, one of the oldest temples to watch the sunset.

We didn’t understand the crowd to watch the sunset over tree tops.

Sightseeing monks walking down the steep stairway.

Wooden structures holding up a wall.

Took a tuk tuk back to the hotel because we had to wake up at 4:15 am to catch the sunrise at Angkor Wat.

Picked up our box breakfast from the hotel and eating it at Angkor Wat waiting for the sun to rise. We are sitting at the edge of a small mosquito infested lake.

First break of day after we’ve been waiting at least half an hour. Angkor Wat was built in the 12th century and took 40 years to build and considered the world’s largest religious building.

A glimpse of the crew around us.

Is this the money shot? Yvonne and I are underwhelmed by the overhyped photo op.

This is a neighboring lake with more visitors.

Fanny packing makes for a bulgy belly. Well that and the holidays! (I’m speaking for myself).

There are four pools inside the temple 1) water 2) air 3) earth 4) fire. Whatever is your element you would have picked up water from that pool and bring it to a link to bless you with that water.

Lined up to go to the upper level of Angkor Wat. They only let in 100 people at a time.

Need to take steep steps up the temple.

At the top.

Stairs over every entry way gets very old.

Back on the lower level Soukeun explains this ceiling is renovated since the original one was wood and had deteriorated.

Aspara dancers - religious dancers

Bad relief explain a story. Angkor Wat was built by a Hindu king for his burial site, which is why there is so much detail. The temples are for meditation, learning and burial.

On the pathway out we saw monkeys being aggressive about getting food.

One last look at Angkor Wat.

Next stop is Angkor Thom. This is one of the entrances. Snake heads and bodies guard temple entrances.

Entrance is line one side with statues representing evil holding a snake in a tug of war with good statues lined on the other side of the road.

In the center of Angkor Thom is the main Buddhist temple called Bayon. There are many smaller temples within the walled area of Angkor Thom. It was dedicated to Buddha and is known for all the Buddha faces on \240many of the 54 peaks.

Bas relief on the outside wall depicting daily life and wars.

Soukeun told us to do this shot. He was very good about telling us to take photos in certain areas.

Then we went to Baphoun, the tallest pyramid temple, which was restored by the French. Soukeun did not go with us but waited at the bottom. He warned us of all the steps and steepness.

We are at the top level here.

Climbing down requires two hands on the bars.

We then visited the Wall of the Royal Palace but did not visit the palace itself. We walked through a few terraces.

This is a sporting arena where the king would sit where we were standing to watch wrestling and other sport matches.

Because we had been going for 6 hours Yvonne and I requested we eat lunch by 11. I felt sick from the heat. The guide took us here, which was double the price than other food places we had been to.

Got to drink coconut water with a view of a man made lake.

Afterwards, the driver and guide rested on hammocks and invited we try it.