Hey lady, hey mister

After spending a full day of visiting the main temple complex in Angkor, we decided to rent a tuk-tuk for the next day and explore the outer temples situated in the rural countryside. Our day included visits to the Banteay Srey, Banteay, Ta Som, East Mebon, Pre Rup, Neak Poan and Preah Khan temples. 

While Preah Kahn was the largest temple we saw during the day, the entrance to Neak Poan was a sight to behold as we walked across the river on a narrow wooden dock for about 15 minutes before reaching the water-locked temple. Because of the distance from the city, fewer tourists venture out to the remote temples. Most of the temples are set in the woods. The combination of fewer tourists mixed with the wooded setting of the grounds was just magical. There was a peacefulness out there in the woods, you actually felt the breeze as it rustled the leaves of the forest trees. 

As we entered one of the remote temples, we came across a group of men and young boys trudging through a shallow mud pond near the road in an attempt to fish. Some of the men worked to pull the brush from the muddy water as the young boys kept a watchful eye on any movement so they could call out the location of the fish to some of the other men. During the five minutes we watched them, the men must have caught 10 plus fish. I never would have imagined fish to have been living in the muddy watering hole had I not witnessed their capture with my own eyes. 

As we traveled outside of the city limits it was easier to get a sense of the way the majority of the Cambodian people live. The average Cambodian person lives on just 1 dollar a day. As our tuk-tuk driver Pundee lead us along the rural roads, we passed villages and homes with no electricity or running water. 

Most of the homes were built up on stilts, providing safety from the high waters of the rainy season. Many of the homes also had an open-air platform under the house, allowing for a shady retreat from the heat of the day. There were water wells every few hundred feet, shared by multiple families who would gather water by the bucket for cooking and cleaning purposes. Since none of the homes had bathrooms, we saw a number of people taking their showers outside. All of the homes had a hollowed out clay mound, serving as an oven, in their front yard where they cooked their meals and boiled their water. 

We saw a number of children who were walking or riding bikes, sometimes at long distances, to get back and forth from school throughout the day. The effort they went through to get their education was just inspirational. 

The majority of the people in the rural villages en route to and around the outer temples sell food products or crafts to tourists as a means of existence. Every man, woman or child seems to be a natural born hustler, and rightfully so, since every bit of money they can bring in is so vital to their survival. Although you are constantly bombarded with requests (Hey lady, hey mister) to buy their products, you never find yourself getting annoyed with their pleas. They greet you with a smile and show decorum and respect when you turn down their request. 

After a long but eye opening day, it was time to make our way to Angkor Wat to take in the sunset before returning to our hotel. 

Once back at our hotel, amidst the comfort and luxury of electricity and running water, it was difficult not to reflect back on the poverty witnessed during the day. What resonated with me most was that despite their circumstance, every single person we encountered throughout the day greeted us with a welcoming smile and kind eyes. A simple way of life does not necessarily mean a less fulfilled existence. Every smiling face that day was a testament to the willpower and perseverance of the human spirit to thrive in or under any condition. 

The road side markets and rural villages en route to the outer temples.

 

 

Exploring Banteay Srey, the women temple.

 

The group of men and boys fishing in a mud hole near the side of the road. 

Portrait of our second day of visiting temples in Siem Reap.

 

On the walkway to Neak Poan, I ventured out on a limb to have this photo taken at Jon's suggestion and dare. 

In front of Neak Poan, a water locked temple. 

Getting ready for sunset at Angkor Wat.

 

 

Buddhist monks on the grounds of Angkor Wat during sunset.