Leaving Siem Reap early I get up with my things already packed and head upstairs to check out. The tuk tuks didn't take long to sniff me out seeing my bag as always and was off toward the bus station. He tried taking me to a tour place to buy the ticket but I knew better and got myself to the bus station were a local bus was leaving with the hour. The journey to battambang I knew to be roughly 4 hours, so I grabbed some bread and water for the trip to hold me over. Once we got going, I really don't remember anything other than waking up every half hour or so as I literally slept the thing away solid which I am never able to do. Once In battambang I was spotted by a driver who immediately caught my attention. Cheerful waiving a sign or his guesthouse with a t-shirt of a baby with piercings and an Obama shirt on, I had to go with him. It was a great choice because he spoke perfect English and was an absolute riot! Everything he says is from a movie. He greets you with sayings from movies and knows more pop culture than I do. His first words to me where " How's it hanging dude " lol. Then some other saying, which he said he got rom watching Back to the Future. When we got to the place he told me about the sights and the costs to do them with him and they were cheap and I had to go with this guy. So it was settled, the temple of Ek Phnom this afternoon and some countryside villages, then the mountains and the bamboo train tomorrow.

    Getting settled in and having a few hours to spare until the 3pm meet with my new driver friend, I unpacked and went to get lunch. This proved hard as there is literally no food places here set up for foreigners and I ended up at a Chinese place that thankfully had a menu. I ate there, then went across to the bank to pull some james bond stuff. Well really I had to try and sneak a torn $50 into there and change money. US dollars are as good if not better than local riel, but I was going to try and change 5 $50's and hope my ripped one got by. To my surprise it did, and I saved losing alot of money. Back at the room I rested a bit before meeting my all too cheerful friend on his bike, and his parting words were " Lets blow this joint ". It didn't take long to reach the temple, maybe 20 minutes, joking and passing really nice countryside along the way. Entering, I would say the first thing I really noticed was the temple, but here it was the lizards! They were everywhere crawling under the inches of leaves that littered the floor. Iguana's, red lizards, green lizards etc.... ( someone at home show this to Justin.)

    After following lizards halfway around the entire wall, I eventually got myself back on track and started my way around the temple. It was simple and small, with a basic outer wall and a large T shaped building with towers in the ends. The central tower was rather large but I focused on the outside first and made my way around the wall, poking my head in here and there still really looking for lizards. I even exited on one side to get a view of the wall from outside at one point before going back in. The main building was rather nice looking though, and so before long I was making my way inside.

      While going up the crumbling steps of the side I came in on, I could see the modern temple that we passed coming in, putting new against old. The site here had buddhist flags everywhere showing the temples presence nearby.

     Inside was a bit chaotic and small due to fallen stones, but its here that I came across my favorite lintel of all time. In near perfect condition if not restored, this piece just screams at me. The guy in the center reminded me of a movie I hadn't seen since just past diapers, but it all came back as " My Pet Monster " flashed before me. Flanked by flags on each side, the doorways top is by far its greatest. Getting closer, the center looks like the cat from Alice in Wonderland only very angry.

    I spent time inside, but before long there really wasn't much left inside as the space was small but I was surely impressed with the detail I found here. Outside, I circle again trying to find things I'd missed when I come upon a red flower that is so at odds with the grey and brown color scheme here that it had to be given attention. I took a reel of photo's, this one being best I think.

     Before heading out, I did a circle around again being so easy given its small size, and this time decided to duck in and go inside the remaining wall. It was interesting looking over the stone from inside, but its only so interesting I was soon moving on. I wanted to visit that temple that had caught my eye so thats were I headed on my way out.

     I went over to the driver and told him were I'd be and he said he'd meet me over there and then started the short walk over. The new temple was actually stunning, with painted decor on almost every inch of its walls and ceilings. All depicting various myths, they paint a pretty picture. I walked around head facing straight up a bit, trying to take some of it in although the story wasn't a concern as much as the art was. Combined with pillars, it really made for a great place to appreciate and reflect the paintings. The one that really caught my eye is of a heaven and the buddha getting greeted by a sort of angel monk and celestial dancers. Its really a well done piece.

     Directly across was teh temples giant buddha image, although again different enough to be completely refreshing. Giant and all white, it stood out against the second day of rains dark clouds. The picture this created was stunning, a dark contrast of gray and white through the trees. What really made it though was its white stone monks on each side that when looked at from the front is breathtaking. I really liked it and stayed here until the moto pulled up signaling it was time to go. We left with the phrase " Lets make like a banana and split ".

    After leaving I thought it was done for the day, but he wanted to show me everything we passed along the way. If we passed fruit he told me what kind, how they make it, about the people etc... So when we got to a place that makes cheese out of fish and stopped, I knew I was in for a rather smelly treat. Now just hearing cheese from fish is hard to take, but seeing it fermenting into it is another. The whole process was happening before me as heads were chopped of by people who he laughingly called " the killers " and others were filling buckets with dried fish from the racks. I believe towards the end I saw close to a bucket filled with the fish paste, but I wasn't sure. Quite interesting though, and back at the bike he bought a small bit and gave me one to try. It looks like a string cheese stick of provolone but pink, and actually wasn't bad although not good either. Can' believe I had it though.

    Leaving here, he starts with " Let's hit the road jack ", and for whatever reason I actually was feeling free spirited on the bike flying along and sung the next line, and so for the next minute we were just chanting tunes. Our last stop was on a country road to a village that made sticky rice in bamboo sticks by slow cook the rice in bamboo with beans inside. We bought a whole stick and took handfuls on rice and stuffed our faced for 2000 riel. Good way to end the day, now time to get inside before the rain. Sure enough not later being in my room 10 minutes it was pouring, and even the locals were dumbfounded by it. Later after it stopped I went looking for a place to have dinner and came upon a place called White Rose packed with 50+ people, locals and foreigners alike. Should have kept looking because it was like an hours wait and the whole scene here was like nothing else in asia but it shows how little there is to chose from here for food. I ended up being joined by a Chinese girl who actually lives in Boston that I'd met back in Siem Reap and just stumbled upon again here. Her food somehow came pretty much right after mine and ate together and talked for maybe an hour before taking off. The streets here are pitch black with no lights and it does have an unsafe feel so I went with her to her hotel before heading to my room. On the way back I kinda wanted someone to walk me home lol. Tomorrow a full day of adventure, gotta rest for the hiking....