Cambodia part 2: Siem Reap to Battambang

After a few days in Kampot I headed back to Phnom Penh to meet Andrew and Amy who I used to teach with at Ellis Guilford.Both now teach at an international school in Malaysia.They decided to come out to Cambodia for a few days over their half term with another colleague, Linda.It was super to see them. We had one day in Phnom Penh together and visited the Royal Palace and Central Market for a spot of shopping ( more hareem trousers for me!) and then headed to Siem Reap. As we travelled by bus though central Cambodia it was easy to see the evidence of the recent floods that have been the worst in decades in this part of the world.Siem Reap itself has suffered although we arrived as the waters had receded thankfully. Siem Reap is the town that is the life blood for visitors to the famous Angkor Wat.
I've included some pictures so you get the idea. It's a huge site with many temples, the most famous being Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom (the one with the many facies, said to be a remarkable likeness to the King that commissioned it, Jayavarman VII), along with Ta Prohm (made famous in the Tomb Raider film).
We did the famous sunrise on our first day which mean a 5am pick up! Despite the crowds is was very special to see and experience albeit with hundreds of others, and we continued visiting the various temples throughout the rest of the day. The following day (I had a 3 day pass)  I went cycling with a couple I had met earlier in the trip, Sam and Lucy. We did some of the less well known temples and it was a great way to do it, on bikes. It was surprisingly cool as much of the site is under trees, so despite the mid  30s temperature it was manageable (and a great work out!) On my last day (I did manage a sneaky day off too) I took a tuk-tuk to visit Banteay Srei, a Hindhu temple and probably the best preserved in the whole site. (Again, pictures  included). I also made a stop to visit the Landmine museum. This was set up by a former Khmer Rouge soldier, Aki Ra, who was only a boy at the time of the conflict. He has now dedicated his life to clearing mines all over Cambodia and worked for the UN on various projects and campaigns. It was a sobering visit as alongside all the exhibits was information about all the children who the museum helps, themselves the victims of landmines. I was shocked to read that the Khmer Rouge were still laying these mines up until 1998! I have included images with a link to a website for anyone who is interested in reading more about this,

After Siem Reap I made my way to Battambang, closer to the Thai border in north western Cambodia. It was a pleasant change to be back in the 'real' Cambodia after Siem Reap, and I ended up staying an extra day over what I had planned. One reason for this, other than the fact I fell in love with the place, was the opportunity I was afforded to visit a school. I met Bunnarath as I was walking along the riverfront after a ride on the 'bamboo train' (a not to be missed experience that is soon to be no more- see pictures). He gave me a leaflet about a school he provided for children to learn English. Whilst I was not willing to give a donation there and then, I did arrange a visit for the following day. Many of the children who attend the school are denied regular education due to the financial implications. Started in 2005, the Slarkram English school is based 7km from Battambang in an agricultural based community that has little in the way of amenities we take for granted in the West. The idea is that a basic working knowlege of English will greatly enhance a child's career prospects, particularly with the growth of tourism. I met the staff and students during an afternoon visit to the school and it was one of the most rewarding experiences. I even got to teach part of a lesson! If you want to find out more check out http://www.brick-for-cambodia.net/

I enjoyed it in Battambang so much that I hope to go back next year and work at the school. Watch this space!
 The pictures I have included are the crowds and sunrise at Angkor Wat, me at Ta Prohm, the carving at Banteay Srei, victims at the Cambodian Landmine Museum, sharing a ride on the 'bamboo train' with fellow traveller Jonas and some of the class I taught.