Siem Reap - 19th July 2009

Another lazy morning. Breakfast, yet again, was amazing. Despite it not being a buffet, I still had plenty of choice and variety, including the delicious fresh fruit and tasty coffee, too fill me up for the day.
I had a chat with one of the staff about my plan for the day, but their prices seemed a bit excessive for what I was wanting, so I decided to head into town with my bike, in the hope that I'd find a cheaper moto or tuk tuk, willing to take me to another temple and the landmine museum. After wimping out of asking a few people, mainly as I was put off about what I would then do with my bike, I approached a moto-driver on a street corner and I managed to get some better prices, and then somehow was able to get a tuk-tuk instead!
He put my bike in the tuk-tuk, my foot wedged just to keep it in place with the front and back wheels overhanging at the sides. He said he had somewhere we could leave my bike, so we headed off down a dirt track not too far from the village; stupidly, on going through the rather thin gate, the bike hit the wall, sending the driver almost flying, and the bike wedging in a weird position. I was fine, although I was dreading finding out if the bike still worked and whether it looked obvious that it had been damaged.
Thankfully both tuk tuk, driver, and most importantly, my bike, all worked! Although the mud guard was bent and scratched, which the driver did his best to straighten out.
We set off again, this time I was quite thankful that we'd dropped the bike off, as we headed along the road to Angkor Wat which I'd cycled quite a few times by this point. We were heading out to the Banteay Srei temple, famous for it's intricate carvings in the stone. We passed many rice farms on the way with many workers getting sore backs leaning down to collect the rice; very small children were leading cows along the road! I thought about how terrifying that job would be! There were many water pumps, donated by foreigners as part of a clean water project. We had to stock up on petrol on the way, which comes in the form of a yellow liquid in a drinks bottle; a young person pours it in for us. Many other stalls were selling fresh fruit. Whenever a large lorry passed, I had to close my eyes for a while, as lots of dust, sometimes feeling quite muddy and damp, would fly at my face. By the time we arrived, as with most journeys on bike or open transport, my face felt quite dirty.
Eventually we arrived at Banteay Srei. My driver sat down and had a very early lunch, whilst I looked around. Indeed, the temple was very beautiful, the carvings were so well preserved, each telling a short story relating to what the temple was about; one was to do with a story about two monkeys who fought, and one died as a result. There were pretty white monkey statues around the temple grounds which added to the beauty of the area.
Unfortunatly yet again I was harassed by a not particularly pleasant vendor, trying to sell me books. It is annoying that they carry all their merchandise in their hands, as they are able to just follow you everywhere. I wish they would just realise that 'no, I don't want it' is not going to change into a 'yes' just because he has stressed me out enough! It really takes the pleasure out of touring when such people are in ones company.
I joined the driver in the cafe and had a very delicious coffee, before continuing on our way. We managed to settle on an extra $5 for him to take me to a waterfall (----whose name I cannot recall at this present time-----).
The waterfall was a 1.4km walk (one way) through a national park. On the way I passed many very beautiful butterflies and a few lizards. It was really quite a beautiful area. There were huge boulder rocks and a terrific view of the area, and the tree roots added character to the walk. Shortly before arriving, I passed a couple of boys who said that the waterfall was really disappointing and not worth seeing. I wasn't sure if they were 'for real' or not, so I continued on my way. There were lots of bugs crossing the path in a military fashion, from their home to somewhere else. The first sight was a very small dip in the river, underwhich was a carving in the stone which was quite pretty. Someone had abandoned two cakes on a rock, served up on a leaf, which now was being devoured by ants galore! I continued down along the river, stopping to admire another carving in the rock on the river bed. Following the signs, and the noise from some joyous people, I arrived at the waterfall. Admittedly it wasn't particularly spectacular, but it was being enjoyed by many as a means of getting showered and a place to relax. There was a really cute little girl sitting on the river just splashing about and playing with the sand.
I walked back, a bit faster than on my way there, stopping every so often to try to catch a photo of a butterfly, but didn't seem to manage with one of the particularly beautiful ones; a blue one with extra little lobes coming down.
On arrival back at the entrance, I was disappointed to find that the Centre of Biodiversity exhibition was closed, so I searched for my driver instead. The cafe people shouted along the line from one cafe to the next, as I walked alone, that I was looking for my driver. Subsequently a driver or two was woken up, before they shook their head and said I wasn't there passenger! Whoops! Eventually I found my guide, and we headed off to our final destination; the landmine museum. The museum was set up by a man who had dedicated his post-war life to de-mining Cambodia. He had fought with the Khmer Rouge, and then with the Vietnamese Army, during which time he planted many landmines himself.
There was a film showing him de-detonating the mines, which looked like a terrifying job, and then also him walking along with a stick in search of more mines, which he could then do the same job with. He has apparently made millions of mines safe over the years and has taught others to do the same. There wasn't much too the exhibition, but what there was, was interesting. Money raised goes towards de-mining projects, and also the local orphanage which takes in street children and also those whose parents cannot cope with the extra mouth anymore, and so the man is able to offer certain children a better life. All food, bed and education is included.
His parents had been killed by the Khmer Rouge, and he spent most of his childhood fighting wars, so he wants to give these children a different type of childhood, which is admirable.
Once the Khmer Rouge had ran away to Thailand, there was a lot of landmines planted in the north west of the country to prevent them returning to Cambodia, hence why this area is particularly unsafe.
We then headed back to get my bike, and I was dropped off by the river so I knew where I was. I headed up to the Tonle Sap exhibition and on my way I got a bite to eat. Near the exhibition, as explained by a few of the exhibits, was an orphanage/special school for the deaf and blind. It had taken me a while to realise this when, just on arrival at the exhibition, I was met by two girls who didn't speak, but managed to mime incredibly well that saying they could fill my water bottles up for me. I had just thought that these resourceful young girls were only able to speak Khmer, and no English, and therefore knew how to act out what they wanted to say! It was quite cool that I understood their sign language though. They are taught to read braille, and sign language, and also there is the nearby Blind Masseurs. The exhibition was really interesting, very geography related and about the surrounding wildlife. Apparently there are only a few Siamese crocodiles, so one is unlikely to be eaten!
I crossed the road, hoping to give blood as was requested by the cello concert the previous night, but to my disappointment, having a period disables me from doing so. I still hope to be able to give some in Phnom Penh instead though. I was hoping that it wouldn't be a blood/HIV type of exchange, but the Swiss doctor seemed very official, and the place smelled very sterile, so it seemed like good conditions.
I then headed off to hopefully go to a concert given by a local orphanage. I wasn't sure whether it would be on, as it was a Sunday, but the leaflet had said every evening, so I thought I might as well try. I;m sure most visitors must arrive by tuk tuk, as the map was impossible to follow. I asked many people for directions, and I was unsure whether some of them were just putting me on a wild goose chase! It was quite an enjoyable trek, bumping my way along the rough red soil that had about potholes absolutely everywhere, which were hard to avoid! I was getting a bit nervous that my bike would end up with a scratched mudguard, and a puncture! But thankfully I was okay! On asking a man where abouts the orphanage was, I noticed his wife looked rather like my Nicaraguan mother. The way she held the map the wrong way round, I thought she would be completely hopeless at giving me directions, but to my surprise, she walked up to me, and in perfect English told me where I was to find the orpanage. I still couldn't find it, and eventually a guy on a motorbike told me to follow him, and pointed out an unsigned house. I was ten minutes early and so thought that if anything was going to happen here, it was very unlikely. I left, and bounced my way back, until I got onto the highway along which my guesthouse was somewhere. Of course, me being me, I chose the wrong direction to go in, and after not coming across my guesthouse after a minute, I scarilly and rather dangerously did a u-ey, so I could go back the way I'd came, along the highway!
I had dinner in the restaurant next to mine, which was a very delicious and a very local rice and vegetables, before spending a short time on the internet and heading off to bed.