After my short tour and visiting the shops I decided to go to the mall and pick up some socks and a few things I needed. I absolutely love the MBK and normally I hate malls but this place is just too damn great! Any excuse to get something I go here... Theres socks at the 7/11 - So what I'll get them at the mall. So I spend maybe 2 hours there but an hour getting there. The traffic at 5pm is as bad here if not worse than anything I've ever been in. Plus you add the maniac driving in there and oh boy.

    So after my time at the MBK it was dark and by the time my taxi dropped me off at Khao San rd I just wanted to eat and go lay down. I did have to go through the road again as its blocked off at night so my taxi drops me here. The guesthouse is maybe 10 minutes walk from here but getting through the masses makes it much longer. At night the place comes to life 100x more. Its a mob scene with hardly any thai's in sight. There are so many interesting sights though like people advertising foot massages from biting fish, to bars that try to get young kids by advertising they don't card lol. I decided to video the walk basically just for this blog but glad I did. There was alot going on with bar girls standing outside there respective bars trying to lure you in, music playing everywhere, people selling fake diploma's and passports to a guy on a crazy bike with all too many colors going on....

    The video is in 2 parts as it was quite a long walk. Its a nice stroll through the above mentioned plus all the food stalls, trinkets and t-shirt vendors... well the video tells it better.

   Really not a bad day at all. Probably going to spend two more days here using the internet and uploading pictures and walking around town before crossing into Malaysia before the visa runs out. Pesky visa's.....

    It's been refreshing to do nothing for a few days actually and starting to get rid of some of the run down feeling from so much moving and activity. Really getting to know this town with all its places to eat and go having so much time to just observe.

    I am planning on going to the safari tommorow so really wanted to have it up and operating so I can get all those pictures up. :-P The leopard really got me wanting to go, and really I want to be able to get close to a giraffe. Wish me luck tomorrow.

    Talking to the handler afterwards, he gave me a pamplet about the Safari Park Open Zoo Conservation Center ( What a long name ) which I just might go too. He actually mentions Tiger Temple in his pitch about the place saying the animals here are very much awake and full of life. Its definately a case of a place being a bit pricy but you need it to be that way. When its cheap, you end up with abused animals rather than a place with the actual funds needed to care for them. Before leaving I watched a very lucky guy get to bottle feed the young fellow which was one of the most priceless things I've seen to date and play around with an aempty water bottle. Truly a great time.

    After the great leopard adventure, I made my way to the bridge walking up and down before stopping where I posed for pictures before and asking someone to take one for me. It was really interesting because a little less than 3 months ago I stood here with a bunch of stubble on my face, the birth of what was to become the great mop. Made for some really great before and after shots though!

               After (1)                            Before                               After (2)

    Heading out I looked down the long railway and watched a man walk down the ride which for whatever reason I found nice. I was hungry so ate riverside before getting a ride back to the room and then internet shop to get the leopard on here while I was still excited about seeing him. Decided to take it easy and stay here a week really taking in the place, enjoying time with the family I'm staying with and in the end also save some money in the long run. It's going to be nice and really I think a much needed stay.

    The bags great and be converted into a diuffle bag which  strap. Very large and the material is thick and sturdy. Back at the room and Ioaded all my things, new and old with ease and wasy very happy with it all. There was one broken button, but you get what you pay for here. Its a cheaper version of a most likely very expensive bag back home. Nothing much else happened after being back besides eating and walking around before heading to bed watching a movie. A very productive day though. Off to Kanchanaburi in the AM.

   ( Also for some reason my responses to comments are not posting, so I would love to still have your comments but for moment I am unable to respond.. If you need a response use the email contact form )

    I was about 20 minutes drive away to the next stop going along some crazy dirt roads and over a small bamboo bridge only made 3 days ago. Just after the bridge I had to walk up the hill as the not so great bike was not getting up it with me on it. Just a few minutes later we arrived at the old wooden temple called Maha Leap. Its over 100 years old and made completely out of wood which is actually an accomplishment since the Khmer Rouge destroyed nearly ever one of them during there regime. From the outside it looks like a crummy white house of no interest but the inside is another story. Walking into black and gold columns all made from wood, the entire interior amazes me with its multitude of columns. The ceiling was fully painted with scenes from myth, the columns paint faded from it being stripped by khmer rouge troops before converting the building for there own use. Although it was seriously impressive I found myself distant and not really enjoying anything for whatever reason. I think its perhaps from just needing to stop and relax somewhere for a while but either way I don't like it. Exiting, I briefly check the outside before getting back on the bike and heading into town for the next stop.

    Wat Nokor, an 11th century temple, was the next stop for the day. The outside was surrounded by the familiar outer wall with entryways but upon going through I noticed another wall not to far ahead with the main buildings inside. I did a walk around this wall and about halfway around one side I could see a really great site. There was a modern temple crammed within the grounds of the inner ruins, seemingly mixed right into the structure. I keep going around the outside until making a compete rounds and heading inside. the entryway in maybe 1ft from the wall, really making everything feel crammed and certainly wall overkill.

    Inside had a much more open feel but still quite cramped. The center sanctuary was filled with buddha statues and it was made impossible to go behind because of the giant new temple squeezed within inches of the stone wall. What possessed someone to think it was a good idea to put a modern building inside these ruins is beyond me but.... I walked around looking at the strange top of the main tower, the lintels, and well of coarse the painted columns and all around strangeness of the modern building. I walked around for a bit along with 3 others that where here, trying to get the most out of the place. I went outside after a little while and was ready to love on to the next stop. Heading outside the wall on the way out I could see a section that was crumbling and climbed on top. the view from up here gave me an amazing scope of how the place looked, including the horrible modern building inside.

    On the way out I managed to actually get lost in the walls and go the wrong way,  but I did come out to a small dirt road with an amazing line of trees on both sides of the road. Truly a nice view. On the way back out the front, I jumped a little scared as another lizard popped out from leaves and caught me off guard. This little fellow was really cool looking with green colors all over. I photographed him for a bit before moving on.

    After leaving Wat Nokor I went to two mountains across from each other locally called man hill and woman hill. Every local has a story about why the woman hill is taller usually with males being lazy as the reason. The first up was woman hill which although there was a good view at the top, it wasn't worth 300 stairs at all. I went down quickly and made my way to man hill. It was much more lively but quite strange being filled with funeral monuments and strange library's with giant bayon style heads on top. I walked around for a bit in this Han Chey like mini amusement park before heading back to the room. My lack of interest today made the day go by fast, but getting back I didn't mind at all and just wanted to relax and eat.

    Perhaps I'm just starting to feel the wear and tear all this traveling and being sick, probably should just take it easy for a day or two.

    I saw him ride up in front of where I was staying from across the river and went to meet him and we got started. I was glad to be going around here with him as he started with the bits of info right away with the fact that the people fishing are Muslims living along the river catching there own fish since most meats are pork products here. I get info the entire ride, which passed some seriously amazing countryside and some of the greenest fields yet to be seen by me. The ride was not that long, getting to the base of the mountain before long. I was shocked and relieved to find out that we were driving up the road that went around the hill. I had gotten so used to walking hundreds of steps it was a welcome change. We pulled over still near the bottom to find a small tower from the 7th or 8th century from The Chenla Empire which later became the Khmer empire responsible for Angkor. It was interesting to see but it was small and little to do but appreciate the fact that it had alot of historical value for those interested in Khmer past.

    Getting to the top, I drive moto and all to the back of this crazy large flat top with alot of building on it. There were two small Chenla buildings the first being a red brick tower with some very old inscriptions inside and out. The interior had a really great head of Jayavarman VII, which although modern I really liked. The second was a square box which was strange, and my driver tells its from the 1st century which is actually before those people were a force. I think he was going to far back and was wrong, but who knows, what was clear was that this was older than anything I'd seen before and unique but not really special. I ound it rather plain after the first few seconds of interest from its shape.

    We then drove to a place by the cliff edge and parked where he invited me to explore the grounds while he sat in the shade and waited for me. I immediately noticed the view of the far reached of the Mekong river, with beautiful islands in teh center view and various types of plants and tress gracing every viewpoint. between 2 balconies was a set of stairs going down to a dock at the river. The entire staircase was flanked by trees and was really quite pretty. The islands and river were in the top portion of my view which was tunneled by the stairs straight down. I really wanted to go down, but it was hot and doing stairs after getting a ride up here just seemed wrong. To the left, there was a really crazy looking set of 4 small pavilion looking things around a pond. They had a clownish feel, not really sure how else to put it, but they seemed out of place. So after appreciating the view I went exploring.

    Before I made it into the heart of all the buildings here which I could from a distance, I stumbled upon the coolest monkey in the world. Sitting on a ledge completely alone ripping apart some food, he acted as if there weren't 50 people sitting nearby looking over the river view. I watched the silver black faced animal for quite some time just amazed by him. I was able to get quite close and really loved it. He was like nothing I'd seen before, never mind actually in the wild. He's not in the forest for sure, but he does go as he pleases and I found out he just comes here and monks fed him so now he comes when he's hungry. I couldn't be happier since I really enjoyed seeing him.

Heading into the heart of the large area up here, I'm just dumbfounded at the entire place. I have really no idea how I hadn't really noticed it all coming up but it was basically to me a mini amusement park with a buddhist monastery in it. Statue gardens sit next to monks quarters, giant fruit statues line the sides of towers and near temple grounds, various structures that have no place and I have no idea what they are, music playing... I could go on. The place just made me laugh really hard, like nothing I'd ever seen or could even have imagined. The giant mango overlooking in the river was quite nice lol. I walked around the rest of the grounds, getting barked and chased by the dogs that roamed the grounds, stumbling upon the crumbling remains of 2 more chenla towers with really nothing left. The entire place was really something and probably deserved more time that it got, but after I had my laugh it all blended in as you can only laugh at seeing so many fruits. On my way back to the bike I saw the monkey walking on 2 legs, yes 2, which was really awesome as the silver color made him look simply fake to me. A walking stuffed teddy bear, thats what he made me think of. I made my wait back to the driver who was sitting down resting so I joined him. He was having a drink a sugarcane and suggested I get one which I did and soon after tasted the sugariest drink ever, I know quite shocking since its sugarcane after all but really it was strong. We headed off soon after, and I must say I really enjoyed the time here.

    On the way back passing the just gorgeous countryside and that I'd passed along the way I was more than pleased when we pulled over becuase he wanted me to try a local fruit. It was along the countryside and across the road I could see endless green. After trying whatever it was I tried as I can't remember the name we walked over into the fields. The vast green was great made all the more so by the women tending the fields, the fox looking dog jumping through the fields, farming grazing cows... It had a real country feel to it, and man the dog was just so cool to see disapparing into the crops.

     Back on the bike a few minutes down the road we pull off the road again this time at a farm for growing fruit and of all things flowers. Walking on thin raised lumps of dried dirt along irrigation channels I stumble along until we reach the godly fields of flowers sitting in the water. I'm told there actually given to the temples and sold to various places for offerings etc. Looking at the vast field, I was in awe at the beauty of so many huge flowers all in one place. Getting close, the camera really brought out the detail that the eye has trouble seeing. Before they flower, they are acutally a fruit which although I tried, I actually felt guilty stopping on of these beautiful things from blooming....

    Back in town, I had dinner at the place next door again, Lazy Mekong Daze Restaurant addicted to there amazing western food. The spaghetti with Alfredo and mushrooms is particularly great, which I would have more and more after, but dinner tonight was chicken and potatoes. The highlight of my night was the full moon which was completely orange, the color of a sunset as the glow off the river made it change into a most beautiful color. In the morning the full tour of Kompong Cham, and looking forward to exploring this amazing riverside wonder of a town.

    With almost 500 very steep steps its certainly no easy climb, but at least there are actual steps and not just dirt like some others. Its really straight forward aside from the following of young man who had some mental disorders and just couldn't stop laughing. He tagged behind for a bit but eventually lost interest. Out of breath but at the top, passing the very familiar big lizards that seem to be all over the hills here, I see the quite tranquil setting on the top. I pay a small fee and head straight past the newer active monastery that inhabits the top and head for the good old ruins. A lady starts following me pointing to the most obvious things and saying stuff like " Buddha " when theres a 10ft tall one in front of my eyes. It's at that point where if you don't distance yourself and stop it that you'll end up paying for a "guide" at the end of your short visit. At first its no big deal, but if you give $1 to 100 different people, one at every sight that you go to and never turn them away, well quite frankly your out a $100 and that adds up fast. So one my own I make my way to the temple grounds seeing an older group of maybe 10+ seniors with there guide visiting the temple. I looked at them seriously impressed, since that climb had me almost heeled over, but hey good for them. As I get to the base, I can see the modern buildings just behind the old, with a really nice looking set of trees and bushes lining both.

    Starting at what appeared to me to be the front, I go right and start around the outside in by now my usual pattern. Along the side wall there are maybe a dozen pieces against the tall still standing outer wall. They look rather modern and maybe be from the active monastery, but if they are older they are quite impressive made all the more so by the grass inching its way through them and the wall. When I get to the corner, looking around I can see the very well preserved back entrance and its entryway going right to the face if the mountains edge.

    Its upon going over the just that same entryway that I realize that this was without a doubt the original front entry as I stare to the bottom on the mountain with stairs all the way down. I can see at the base on this side a stone building which would have been part of the long pathway up the steps leading to the temple. I can almost see the pillar flanked steps leading to the building like it must have looked back then. Who knows just how far it went, but looking further I can see another same type of building far in the distance behind the other. It almost looks like from the river, there was maybe a building every mile or so leading to the steps at the base of the mountain. It was really great and staring at gave me lots to ponder. The circle dirt road that went around the building at the bottom, including the stairs, has a road going off perfectly in all the main directions. I can't help but think that those same roads were there almost 1000 years ago, and not much but the dirt has changed. Even if they are newly made roads, its obvious by the layout that something similar existed back then as well. The views on either side offered amazing views of the countryside, and you can really see the beauty of putting the temple on the edge here.

    Just taking all this in here, I can't help but think about all that there is too see out there in all the countries this world has, and I can't think of any place where there are more monuments per mile that have survived more than 1000 years. There are literally thousands of temples in Cambodia, and virtually every city or town has some to offer visitors. I just can't think of anywhere else where the same can be said. It's truly amazing here.....

    Finishing my circle of the outside, I make my way once again to the front but this time I enter and stay my way through. Through one of the doors one of the monastery dogs just caught my eye as heat baked in sun just laying there. I looked around the center which was actually in really good shape with really no random stones anywhere except for in between the walls. The space was small, being a rather simple temple but that was actually really nice as it makes things very easy. The layout seemed really jammed in the small space, but I really couldn't see much from where I came in. I went through a small hallway and climbed on some stones from a broken portion of the wall and got a semi high view of the grounds behind the main building and towers. From here I also was able to admire the lintels above the many doorways, which where of really great quality here.

    Moving around the middle but going around rather in the center building, I notice that one one side there is a rather interesting head of a creature that is obviously part of an old drainage system. I know the Khmer were pros at moving water, but seeing this was really great.

    Around the side and heading back to the part of the center you'd see first coming up the ancient steps is where all the towers where. Here you can immediately see the cramped nature of the space, and also that it was added onto later after the original construction. Towers are squeezed within inches of touching the center sanctuary and it all just looks rushed and rather careless. Someone wanted more towers in this place for one reason or another and how it looked to the eye didn't matter. One of the corner towers of red brick had a "modern" wooden door blocking entry with yellow paint on it that just forced you to look at it. It has " Your not allowed in here " written all over it and has that feeling that would make a young curious kid kick it down to see what was inside. I settled or looking through the broken pieces but there was nothing but a small shrine. From there I went inside the remaining space in the outer wall, which was covered in grass and other greenery which was quite nice especially the yellow flowers. I entered some of the other towers which looked exactly the same, but these simply where now being used to house random pieces of stone yet to be put back in place. Making my way to the back again, I skip going inside the center because lots of locals are doing some type of offering inside. I make my way to the back hallway and pass some large yoni's but no linga's on top, and then a large window with a great view of the outside. Not bad views for the inside of a wall.

    Back to where the steps are, I look down and have an urge to walk down to the lower building. I can't get it out so before long I was making my way down the crumbling steps. I made it about halfway down when I stopped and looked back up to get a picture of the entryway from the mountainside. I could see the dirt-way going all the way to the river now so clearly and as great as it would have been to go all the way down it, I just lost the energy to do it. The heat wheres on you so easily I just wasn't going to make it never mind having to go all the way back up. Just going back up what I did descend killed me and had me aching for water. Luckily I knew there was some backwhere I had to pay for coming up here and headed right there.

    It was really nice up here and altogether a good way to spend the morning. Great combination of things up here and the landscape a great place to sit and relax if you come up when the sun in a space where you can sit shaded from it. I made my way back down where the driver asked if I wanted to eat before going to the next stop which I probably should have, but I just wasn't hungry. So off to Tonle Bati I was, happy with the day so far.

    Heading back the way we came about 20 minutes, we turn off down a dirt side road that lead to the water. The area was really nice and although having to by a ticket for this single temple seemed unreasonable, I went ahead anyway. Pulling up to the temple, about 7 people, mostly older kids, rush the bike to the point where I can't get off trying to sell there flowers and incense for statues. Now normally this doesn't bother me and after a few stern no's they move on. But this was different, I was followed wherever I went and even some very annoyed no's didn't put them off. I was soon joined by a gang a elderly beggars and I just walked away from the temple towards the out wall. This barely did anything as the kids just followed, and soon after so did the elderly. I did manage to get a brief look at the outer wall, but my pictures couldn't even be had without some of the mad group in them.   

    I wasn't going to be followed into the temple, so I just walked around the outer wall to the other side. In the back by just really walking fast and trying to be left alone eventually it got across. Now it probably seems really wrong, but being out here changes alot of things. Within a few short months you'll be hit up by a few thousand beggars and of coarse you can't help them all, but its more than that. Most won't take food even if you try, they just want money which leaves a bad taste in your mouth. After that happens a few dozen times you just stop listening to the calls, another month goes by and you just start staring straight ahead not allowing yourself to look, and then before you know it not even empathy comes anymore. You become so accustomed to seeing and hearing it every single day from people who are mostly better off then they appear and will right in front of you take the money and use it for anything but food, hurting those who would really need it. So here I am now, at a point where nothing moves me when it comes to begging, I am numb to bit, theres just no empathy left, and what scares me most is that I'm not all that scared about feeling that way. So when it came to these people here surrounding me selling things proving they can buy things that are a complete waste, I was actually really pissed as bad as it sounds. But eventually alone again having made my rounds to the other side I was finally able to get a calm view. The place was not that much bigger than Phnom Chisor, but was really alot more pleasing to the eye. Surrounded by flowers and garden like plants, the place had great atmosphere. Lintels lined the ground, trees all over, the walkway to the inside just looked like something from a garden.

    Approaching the entryway, I come across something that just was odd but really looked nice. Basically something like a railing was made with 2 lintels that had fallen from somewhere and for some reason now flanked the door. One displayed a scene of the churning of milk, which is really always great and the many ways its shown never gets old.

     Entering, I immediately notice that the real garden was on the inside of this small walled complex. Directly ahead was the central tower and sanctuary, and at the four entryways where towers directly in line with the wall, so you could would the entire square wall passing through each tower. Looking from side to side, I can easily tell that this place has the simplest layout of any place I'd been. A perfect interior, the four towers spell each direction and the near perfect walls connect them all. Nothing clutters the center aside from 2 small buildings on each side of the entryway that probably housed divinity statues. The three small pictures below if viewed in order connect and give you a full view of the first sight inside and the entire inside at that.

     Exploring the 2 smaller buildings, I find some of the best examples of lintels I'd seen since the first " My Pet Monster " one at Ek Phnom back in Battambang. They were a nice touch to the inside and didn't clutter it at all. I also noticed the 2 bushes on each side of the door I came in, a realy great touch to the garden feel inside.

     I explored the insides of the walls soon after, finding small altars very much new but something similar most likely was there when the structure was in use during the Khmer's time. I really love finding sections of the wall I can walk in where the ceiling has just enough gone to see the sky and the outside, I just really like the feel of being inside a stone wall and having a view.

    Finally turning my attenion to the interior building, I walk around it on the outside first dreading going inside to face yet more people inside who will smile and just try to hand you something to put on a statue and then expect money, however small. The exterior is gorgeous, with pink flowers of all types along the sides of beautiful carvings of aspara's and much more. Bunches of peach flowers hide in the corners adding to the feel of the entire lonely middle building. The almost perfect center structure with practically 90% of it carved is just something to behold and really made that much greater much the atmosphere of simple flowers.

    Entering the center just passing those inside, Theres really nothing there except for some modern statues, and the lack of space reinforces the fact that these places were not went for lots of people to gather, but simply to house statues and literally the gods themselves. Everyone competing to build a bigger badder house for there god. After not too long inside, I emerge to find 2 of the girls following me again waiting to follow me to the nearby tower across the road. Forgetting the fact that I managed to have the main place to myself, I just get annoyed again.

    So followed but with just two young kids its hard to anything more than be stern, but I'm not going to yell. However during the time here I really wanted to, it would have been so much easier to just scream. I think the ammount of people made it all the worse, since being surrounded makes be have like mini panics, but it is what it is. On the other side of road sat a single tower in the middle of a very large and active monastery on the lake. Very picturesque, but very simple and nothing special. Inside, I finally just took the stupid incents and walked away after admiring the towers features being the lintel and the fact that it was directly in front of a modern temple. On the bike heading back, I gave the 2 a $1 and was on my way.

     I did stop a part of the lake to take a beautiful shot of massive amounts of green floating on the water. A really beautiful last sight before the ride back.

    On the way back however, I was given a nice laugh when I was passed in traffic slightly by a small sawntheaw bus/truck with a baby being rocked in a hammock in the bed of it. How awesome is that. I mean pigs on the back of a bike OK, but driving with a baby in the hammock of a truck and he's sleeping? Amazing!

    Back at the guesthouse, I rested up and then did a massive stint on the internet for the blog as usual lately before kicking back and watching a movie or two while eating in the lobby/restaurant. The atmosphere at this place is top notch, allowing you to sit at anytime during the day and watch a movie in a relaxing large room at a table eating or just having a shake. At night, everyone is here and it has the feel of a movie theatre inside of a small bar. Been my ritual for the past few days here, and am going to miss it after leaving here tomorrow. But have to move on, off to Kompong Cham.

    Tomorrow I'm going to visit 2 mountains and get some overlooking the countryside done hopefully. Most likely moving on to the east soon after for a few days and spend some time in the mountains at a place called the nature lodge were horses roam freely on the vast fields. High hopes for it anyway, just have to wait and see.