Job Posting

Do you like Legos and art history?

 

Do you like to do puzzles but hate that you already know the picture?

Cambodia has the job for you!!

Come to Siem Reap and reconstruct entire temples like Preah Khan!

Knowledge of trees is preferred 

and a familiarity with Hindu and Buddhist iconography is a must. 

Salary is in U.S. dollars and is as negotiable as the local markets. Apply today!

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

I don't know what to tell you guys. Just get here as fast as you can so you can see it for yourself. Angkor Wat and the surrounding area is beautiful and majestic and for some reason you can just walk all up in it. I don't think they should be letting us do that so get here quick before they figure it out. 

We arrived in Siem Reap, Cambodia, yesterday and headed to Angkor Wat in the late afternoon. It was hot but worth it to traipse all over this magnificent sight. Angkor Wat is a UNESCO World Heritage sight and rightfully so. It is fantastically preserved for being around since the 12th century. It was likely a funeral temple for King Suryavarman II and it includes many Hindu elements. The entire temple is stone with elaborate carvings and tiered towers. 

I could actually just post hundreds of pictures but I figure the average reader doesn't want to scroll for days. If I have grossly underestimated your interest level, check out my google+ photos for the full "Kelly takes too many pictures and even deleted half of them" experience.  

Today we declared "Elephant Day" so we put on our matching Thai elephant pants (also hugely popular with the Cambodian street vendors and many other tourists), boarded a tuk-tuk, and went to find the elephants. 

We ended up at Bayon Temple, a temple in the Angkor Thom complex next to Angkor Wat, where you can ride an elephant around the temple. 

The ride was immensely worth it. Our elephant was super friendly, our driver serenaded us with hits played on a leaf, and we had great views of the temple. We also are now the stars of many other tourists' home videos. 

After riding, we went into the temple itself. The temple is known for the faces which appear on 52 towers around the temple. There is one face for each cardinal direction on each tower. The faces are said to be of King Jayavarman VII who had the temple built in the late 1100's. The faces are smiling, friendly, and welcoming. 

Following Bayon we went by another temple, the Elephant Terrace, and through the main gate to Angkor Thom. 

Our last temple of the day was Ta Prohm and it is my favorite by far. Ta Prohm answers the question "what if we built a really cool temple but just let all the trees grow in and around it?" A few parts have been restored but there are still large sections with stones in piles on the ground, waiting to be reset. Enormous trees are everywhere and their roots are creeping over walls, over floors, over everything. The effect is magically creepy. 

I think I can safely say that this is the most amazing place I have ever been. I am fascinated to know how long it will be in this condition with relatively few tourists, a low admission entrance, and free range to basically climb over and touch everything. I'll say again that you need to get here soon before they put up ramps and scaffolding and limit your access. 

Tomorrow we explore other sections and I can't wait!

 

How-To ... Ask Strangers to Take Your Picture

I've had a bunch of people asking me about getting other people to take your photo. (Well, one, but I'm trying to sound popular. Shout out to Andrew!) Specifically, Andrew said:

"I want more context of how you ask strangers to take photos and how worried you are they'll run off with your phone, pleasethankyou"

This is a constant struggle for the small-group or solo traveller. You want to be in the picture and you don't want everything to be a selfie. At some point you have to ask a stranger to take your picture. 

(Selfie. Why can't I ever stand the camera upright and hit the button?)

Here is my approach:

1. Look around for people clearly not in a hurry at your picture destination. 

2. If multiple people fit 1st criteria, narrow it down by perceived friendliness and who you think will take the best picture. Ageism, sexism, and racism are all factors here. I, personally, think Asian* women in their teens-30's take the best pictures and my own photo history has confirmed that. If you see someone taking the exact same picture you want, they are also a good choice. If someone asks you to take their picture, you obviously ask them to take yours. 

(Taken by a Portuguese man who asked us to take his picture in the same spot.)

3. Once the target has been identified, look extra friendly and smiley and get their attention in a non-threatening way. Sometimes this means you say, "Oh! Excuse me!" several times before they notice. 

4. When the fish is on the line, continue smiling constantly, gesture to your camera, the view, and the people you want in the picture all at once while saying "would you take our picture?"

5. No one has ever said no to this face. 

6. If you have an Asian girl, you give them the camera and they automatically know what to do. If you have a non-Asian-non-girl, you set up the picture for them and hope they don't put the people in the center of the picture but off to the side like you clearly demonstrated. Fortunately, everyone the world over knows how to use an iPhone camera now so you don't have to show them how to use it unless you feel like a real jerk. 

(Taken by an Asian girl)

(Taken by an Asian girl)

(Taken by a man)

7. Smile for the picture. Laugh when they count off in their own language or say a word you all will understand. Examples: cheese, sushi, Mickey Mouse, etc. 

8. Take the camera back and friendly laugh and gesture "oh, it will be fine!" when they ask you to check it. If they're insistent on you checking it, fake click a few buttons before giving a big smile, a thumbs up, and saying excitedly, "ooh, yay!"

(In hindsight, this could have used some checking. We were aiming for the large golden thing behind us.)

9. Thank them in all the languages you know but especially English, the language of the country you are in, and the language you think they speak.

10. Continue being super nice because you're all tourists and odds are good you'll see them at the next picture spot. 

(This nice Austrian woman did not get the thing in the background but we saw her everywhere.)

If you follow all these rules, the concern for someone stealing your camera is 0, pleaseyourewecome.

I totally take questions now! Let me know your other pressing concerns!

-KT 

*Note: we are currently in Asia so this sounds like a very easy task. Not in Asia? Fear not!  Wherever you are, there will be Asian tourists.**

**Note: if you consistently find yourself somewhere where there are no Asian tourists, you need to seriously reevaluate your travel choices. You can only tour the backwoods of Alabama so many times.