Cambodian temple raiders - the lost story

Sorry for not posting earlier, but somehow this story got lost. Also the pictures with Bernd on it. He was really upset about it, but all restoring of lost files did not help.

After X-mas we left Thailand and got on a bus to Cambodia (yes we still did not tell about our adventures there). The bus only got us to the border of Thailand and getting across reminded us to our journey to Myanmar. Also that we had to cross the street because the traffic is going on the right side in Cambodia.

We decided to stay at a very special guest house in Siem Reap, Bernd and I got a hint for this special guest house at the border to CambodiaThe Mad Monkey, a guest house for young people offering a pool and a bar at the roof top, sounds good and when we got to see the place it was as great and interesting as described.

In Siem Reap we had the big plan to go to Angkor Wat, the big temple complex. For sure walking won't be a good choice, you can walk around there for hours and still not reach all the temples.
Before starting our tour we found a used but still valid ticket from another traveler at the guest house. There was a picture of the guy on it, but we hoped that for the Asians we Europeans would look like each other. Like it is said from our side about the Asians and the opposite.
And it worked. We got in there without needing to pay.
First we got early in the morning to the Angkor Wat temple, the biggest of the temples. It was told to be very beautiful during the sunrise, unfortunately the sky was cloudy so no special sunrise this time.

After the sunrise we did take a look around in the big complex, must have been amazing being here in the past.

Again we some stone piles, sometimes we were curious if they used some kind of glue to get them this high. Bernd was close to smash one of these piles down but I managed to stop him, telling him that he for sure will get caught and be punished for doing that.

Also nice at this temples were the long empty halls, surprisingly not so many people around, during we were waiting for the sunrise it felt so crowded, that we thought we could not make a single step running into someone or having to wait in a long line of people.

From Angkor Wat we got to Angkor Thom, for us it felt more like the monkey temple from the Jungle Book, not only the first impression of the building at all, there were also monkeys around.

Before we entered the ruins Bernd had the bad idea to buy some pineapple and the next bad idea was to hand them over to me when we entered the temple. Only a few steps inside and one of the monkeys got to me and was not like a dog begging for the pineapple, he was almost assaulting me.

I let the monkey jump for a while before I let him get what he desired. Was not willing to fight for hours because of some left parts of the pineapple.
Especially we wanted to take a look around and not only stay at the "entrance" to the temple. At least this fighting with the monkey more made us think about the Jungle Book and start singing King Louies song "oh shubidu i wanna be like you.. ".

At the next temple we did much enjoy climbing around. Not like in Europe you are allowed to leave the path and find your own way. And it got more crowded around here, so it was easier to climb up at the temple walls instead of taking the stairs also we got a great view from the top of the temple.

The next amazing place was Ta Prohm, a temple ruin in the jungle. In the past they were taking some scenes for one of the Tomb Raider movies, not sure which one. For sure it was a good choice to take the scenes at this wonderful place. We both liked this temple most here.

  

At some parts Bernd got scared and did not want to go any further, so we had to go away from the specific place and find another way trhough the ruins, but it did not realy look that dangerous.

The temple was not just breaking down from the time also the nature was going to get back what was taken away in the past.  Making the temple look even more amazing.

We spent so many time walking around in all the temples that it became already evening and we hoped to at least see a nice sunset. Hoping that it won't happen like in the morning. At least the day was not all the time cloudy like the morning. And at Prae Roup Temple we got a very good view for the sunset. Interesting was here that all the other people were waiting at the edge for the sunset, it was more interesting to see some parts of the temple during the sunset.

When we came back to Siem Reap we were not as tired as expected and went into town to have a good night with live music and other travelers we met.

Diving and jungle fun

We left the north and got more to the southeast of Thailand to spent some time at the beach and I wanted to go diving.
For doing that we got to Koh Chang, not too far away from the Cambodian border.
The weather was already great when we got closer and on the ferry to the island we already enjoyed a sunbath.

At the island we took one of those group taxis looking like a pickup to get to the lonely beach, which was not really lonely. Surprisingly we found a few metres away from the spot we got off the taxi we a great place to stray at, the staff was very nice and the rooms very cheap. Well nit everything was perfect, it was not that silent around there, because the guesthouse was in the centre of the walking street, but we did not get here to sleep all the time. More to do some activities, diving and to enjoy some good music. What made that place even more attractive, every evening they have live music and not only this annoying house music you hear at beach parties.

First thing we were this time doing was not going to the beach, because I wanted to get a good company offering dives around the island. After that we went to the beach, jumping into the water and seeing a nice sunset.

We were having a good time and as a joke I told Bernd that I could catch the sun, he did not belief me so I proofed it to him.

The next day I went for diving, again with some teaching, the first diving spot was at a ship wreck and with the current certificate I was not allowed to go that deep, so the idea of only making fun dives changed to make also an adventure dive and getting another certificate.

Later again I met Bernd at the beach, where he found a new friend. His friend was looking like a snow man but actuality it was a sandman.

The evening we spent at our guesthouse and when the live gig was over we checked out the beach bars, as expected we only got to hear house music, what did not satisfy us. So we did not stay too long there.
At the next day we wanted to go into the jungle, not tracking this time. On the way we stopped at a nice beach, with some trees growing and staying in the sea. It did not look like they have been on the ground

Around in this area we found a sign scaring Bernd to death. He has for sure seen to many of those apocalypse movies with monkeys spreading a poison or virus.

It took me a while to calm him down and another time when saw some monkeys jumping around in the trees.
Luckily there were no monkeys around the treetop climbing park we were heading to. And he needed all his concentration for the climbing so he won't see the monkeys around us.

At the end of our trip to Koh Chang we saw a very great bar looking like a tree house, not on top of the tree but still very nice.