Let’s go cycling

14th July-a big day!

Started the day with a cycle around the West Baray, a 32km round trip from the Purple House. Never ceases to astonish, the sheer size and volume of this man made Baray.

Then to find a Khmer cell card so we have some internet access on the road, and off to Chanthou & Socheata’s for the next three nights.

Chanthou led us on a bike ride through the jungle paths around the rim of Angkor Thom. Lesser known temples, monkeys, and the impressive cycling skills of 7 year old Reaksa 😎 made for a very fun afternoon!

Top off the ride with yellow pancakes near Angkor Wat- sadly the local villagers along with their businesses and houses are all being relocated outside of the Apsara zone so this is the last time we’ll be able to enjoy the yellow pancakes here.

They’re all being moved to a “new” village on cleared land about 30 km away, near the new airport currently under construction. Seems there is little thought or care by the ruling party here as to the fact that there will be very few tourists to find them in their new setting, and minimal opportunity for them to eke out a living. Promises of new facilities to be built on the new site won’t help these people in the short- medium term 😦

The ride back topped off an 80km day for us so feeling a little weary last night!

Neil managed to fit in a Khmer/English lesson with Reaksa and a chess game with Varaman to finish off the day…me…just collapsed in a chair!

And for a bit of fun…the very clever 11 year old Varaman put together a little clip of of our afternoon 😊