Wednesday 1st December 2004
Another full day at Angkor. We set out on the tuk tuk at 9am and started the day at Angkor Wat. The main attraction, Angkor Wat is, in the true sense of the word, awesome. Inside the structure I could feel a resonance to the place. I felt lucky to be walking inside it and also climbing the steps to the top because I imagine in years to come the authorities will have to keep the destructive power of tourist's feet off in order to preserve it. We looked around at a lot of the other ruins, but the best one we saw last- Tha Phrom, which has been left to the forest. There are huge tree roots growing into the walls as it consumes the structure. Deep inside the complex we saw the old man from the cover of the Lonely Planet book (4th Edition), which was great, but he looked really fed up because so many tourists all wanted their photo taken with him. It seems fame does not agree with everybody!
Outside of Tha Phrom we saw a group of musicians playing some traditional Cambodian music. They had all been injured by landmines. It was a stark reminder of Cambodias troubled past. It is easy to forget that many people who have suffered here are still living with the after effects of the civil war and the Pol Pot regime.
This is the last day I will spend with Heiko & Katrien. They are on their way back to Thailand where they have a week or so left of their holiday. We spent our last night at Mollopor with shakes, good food and beer and we met up with David and Mila too. It was a farewell evening, but also a celebration of friendship. After less than a week of knowing them I really do consider them good friends. I will miss them very much and for a few days it will feel very empty without them.*
* Heiko and Katrien are now married and they have a little baby girl. They live in Belgium and I often think of them. I do hope I will see them again. They are two of the nicest people I have ever met.
