Day 10: Sat 17 Nov - Siem Reap

Ride: 65km; total: 530km

Day 8: Rolous Group & Tonle Sap Lake (50km)
Depart from the hotel, crossing the bridge at Old Market to cycle 15km toward Rolous Group. The first 2km, is on the tarmac road toward the bus station. Then, passing the rice field and the village. Rolous Group was the first capital of Angkor Empire during 800 A.D. Visit the Pre-Angkorian temples including Preak Ko, Bakong and Lo Lei. Afternoon, cycling to Tonle Sap Lake. Turn left at the crocodiles farm crossing the bridge. Then cycle on small road along the river through villages, pagodas and schools. This road is good for cycling as to avoid the busy traffic. After cycling 8km, turn right across the bridge to the main road as there is no further access on the small road. Continue cycling toward the hill about 3km (July-December) where the boat stop. (Note: January-June, the water is low and the boat will stop further 3km). Board on the boat to visit the floating village, floating school, fishing farm. After 1 hour boat drive. Return the Siem Reap on the main road to avoid cycling the same road. Overnight in Siem Reap. (B,L,D)

After a great breakfast we started another cycle touring day of the local area.  This district has so much wrapped up in a small package.  We headed out 25km to the temple precinct to visit two very old but beautiful examples of temple architecture.  First it was Barkong, the second oldest temple in Siem Reap, constructed in 881AD out of sandstone, the first to use this material. 12 shrines / towers representing the months / years, similar to the Chinese year of pig etc, adorn the terraces.   It wasn’t a conventional temple as such with no halls, just a series of terraces and chambers in the main structure and scattered around the grounds.   Sadly this temple was used as a torture chamber and killing zone during the mad Khmer Rouge regime.   Can't believe that people of this lovely peaceful and polite race could be capable of such atrocities. But you never know what man is capable of. 

It was then onto Preak Ko, oldest temple in Cambodia.  This one was constructed out of bricks in 871AD by pre-Angkorian kings in order to unite the Khmer Empire.  The French restored a lot of this temple after they colonised Cambodia in 1863.  

A fantastic scenic ride along dirt roads and tracks through quaint villages and rural areas followed. I can't get enough of this sort of riding.   This found us at our lunch stop for the day, a local restaurant.   The food, as always, was gorgeous, fresh, tasty and certainly local. 

The group then split into three with some going for more temples, some going for a boat ride and others (having had their fill of temples etc, me for one) heading back to the motel.  

That afternoon Kev (room-mate) Kerry & Bob Kent and I just went out for a slow wander round the old markets.  We were also hanging out for a decent coffee.  We randomly picked a coffee shop and on entering was greeted by an Aussie lady.  She also ran a guesthouse in the city with her husband. Finally great coffee!  

Dinner was at a fancy touristy restaurant, but the food was not as nice as the real local places serve.   

Lady selling Jackfruit at Siem Reap

Pub Street, Siem Reap