It occurred to me today that you might not understand what I am saying when I say "hot", "rain", "supplies" or "traffic". So here is a funny post telling you exactly what we mean!

Here is a supply kit. Consider it my Southeast Asian American Express Card -- things you don't leave home without. My standard kit -- an umbrella (for rain or shine), a video camera, a still camera, water, sunglasses, sun cream, bug repellent, a sweat bandanna and lastly, hand sanitizer. Add to this kleenex. No explanation needed -- there are oh so many uses for kleenex.

Traffic: You may think you know traffic. No you don't. In Saigon, this is rush hour. This is traffic.

Rain: Maybe when I say afternoon rain, you think sprinkles. Maybe you have even experienced a monsoon or two. Well, I hadn't. So, when I say rain, I mean insane monsoon complete and total downpour rain. The kind that floods the streets in minutes. The kind you don't just duck out in with your umbrella. This is traffic stopping, soak you in 30 seconds, afternoon monsoon rain.

In the above video we are in Cambodia. In the video below, it was this afternoon in Saigon. After this video was taken, we then crossed the street to the traffic video.

And in a slight departure, its still raining. I can't wait to see the streets in the morning!! :)

Trees and the Jungle

Okay, for the last of the temple pictures. It is so easy to see from these pictures how the temples were "lost" for so many hundreds of years. One of the final temples we visited the locals nicknamed "jungle temple" because of how overgrown the trees are. Jason loved taking these tree pictures. I assure there is nothing funny about these photos -- the trees really are growing out of the stones!

Climbing up and the view and getting back down!

So I decided to tackle one of these temples. Straight to the top. If you look closely at this picture you can see that I am nearly vertical and my foot hardly fits on the step! So slowly I climbed to the top expecting such large rewards!

Here is me at the bottom looking up!

So, the top. There are wonderful Buddha's throughout the temples. They aren't naturally where they are now. Instead, they are local worship places put together for a local audience. They were still lovely and it was worth the climb.

The view wasn't half bad either.

And now for getting down. Slowly. Slowly. One foot in front of the other!

Carvings (Cambodia)

In case you were thinking I was kidding about the intricacies of the carvings on these temples, I have included a few close ups on these designs for your viewing pleasure.

This is the elephant terrace. Different from the temples that are built high above the grounds, the terraces are low-lying a currently right off the road. Their architecture is just as unique though. The columns on this particular terrace are actually elephant trunks. It was incredibly cool to see!

And finally, the big daddy! Just look at these carvings.

More money shots and a prayer. (Cambodia)

The post card money shot. It seems there are so many of these!! We are back at Angkor Thom, it is the second stop on a tour of the Angkor Wat park.

Only this time we had to get in to the shots. It was like have our own post cards to send around!

I am walking up to a different temple in the Angkor Thom complex. I love how incredibly detailed the temples are. There are so many different levels, carvings and designs to each of the temples.

And finally a prayer. An incense offering to Buddha and bowing three times is said to bring good luck to you. Of course, I had to try and so far -- well, I would certainly we have had good luck!

Angkor Wat and Surrounding Areas

We went wandering around Angkor Wat. The really cool thing about the whole area is that there are hundreds of temples. Of course some are rubble and others are really well preserved, but its nearly almost impossible to walk in any direction with coming across another temple. What's really important about this takes me back to the land mine conversation. Angkor Wat is all forest/jungle. There are paths around the grounds, and its very safe. This is of course because the land mines have been removed. You could see though how easily you could be harmed by the mines. They aren't in remote areas of the country. They are next to the towns and villages, by tourist sites -- everywhere. We felt so incredibly safe roaming around, but I did think about land mines everywhere we went.

Jason is standing in the entrance to a temple just down the path from Angkor Wat. Not on our guide of temples, it was impressive nonetheless.

I am inside this "unknown" temple.

Back at Angkor Wat -- this is an example of the intrinsic carvings. This is a Hindu carving telling the story of the "Churning of the Milk Sea". There are two walls of these carvings on the opposite sides of the temple.

We are ready to head a different part of the national park now, so this is our late in the morning (9:00 am) shot!

This is a new destination. Bayon Temple within Angkor Thom. Next to Angkor Wat is Angkor Thom. Angkor Thom is nearly twice the size of Angkor Wat, only its a series of buildings, terraces and temples, where Angkor Wat is one large structure. Angkor Thom has loads of carvings as well, only many of these are larger and lots more faces carved into the high points of the temples.

Angkor Wat (Take Two)

As the sun was rising higher and higher, I noticed that more and more people were arriving at the temple looking incredibly more well rested than I, so I have made an attempt in these photos to spruce myself up a bit!

I am thinking about my hair, and of course Jason is thinking about the stunning temple and all that happened here for hundreds of years during Angkorian rule.

The carvings on the temple walls, halls, floors and ceilings are amazing. For the most part they are very well preserved. Most likely because Angkor Wat was overgrown with jungle for a couple of hundred years. The carvings are so unique -- representing Hindu and Buddhist religions.

This is a picture from behind the temple. The scaffolding is evidence of the preservation efforts by the governments of many nations.

Angkor Wat (Take One)

The money shot. The one all the post cards are duplicating. And hey, we only had to get up 4:00 am to get it! The sun is up, and we have moved from our sunrise perch to go exploring.

Since it was so early, we are a bit sleepy still. But its okay, so was everyone else!

This is Jason standing with Angkor Wat behind him. The sun is just starting to rise above the temple.

This is what Jason is looking at as I am taking the picture. The entrance to the temple!

We are inside the temple now. There were many rooms, corridors and passageways. We are in an open courtyard near the main entrance.

Before I continue...

It would be remiss of me to discuss all of the wonders of Cambodia without mentioning the very real issue of land mines and land mine victims. It has only been about 10-12 years since the jungle around Angkor Wat was cleared of land mines. There are many victims in Siem Reap, and most are working with charities and other international organizations. If you would like to learn more about these charities or contribute their organisations, here is a link to the Cambodian Land Mine Museum Relief Fund.

http://www.cambodialandminemuseum.org/organization.html