DEATH IN CAMBODIA Part 3

Angkor Wat

"What do you call this?", you point to the photo on your phone, asking the waiter where this big tree is. Though you didn't see Angelina's Tomb Raider.

"Ta Prohm," the Angkor Cafe waiter says and instructs you to just tell your tuktuk driver its name and you should be there in 15 minutes.

Above: Make sure to catch the
sunrise in Angkor Wat

Below: The Giant Tree
in Ta Prohm

Yes, you thought Angkor Wat was just one big complex, with all the temples and the Tomb Raider references. An hour earlier, you were just looking for it (that big tree) in Angkor Wat, but apparently you were wrong. The "Angkor Wat" we know has multiple sites, and public transport may be a hassle, so better hire a tuktuk. You got yours for $12, with pickup from the hotel at 5am, returning after lunch.

You get to Ta Prohm and the tuktuk can't drive you past the gate anymore. TC starts snapping photos again, and the sound of Cambodian music starts to fade in. After 10 minutes of walking, you see what could be the tallest tree you have seen in your entire life.

You and TC take turns in taking each other's photos, with you avoiding to offend the monk in the background. Earlier though, you took some photos of monks, beside the house you believe they live in. You're still in shock though, after seeing a smoking monk.

Past the very organized tour group of Koreans, all obediently following their guide's instructions, you navigate back to the entrance of the compound to say goodbye to your "Angkor Wat" experience, though technically, again, this is not Angkor Wat.

It's just about noon, and while tourists marvel at the history of all these Siem Reap temples, you thought of a different thing to do. While Superman navigates the highway linking  the temples to town, you ask your tuktuk driver while the motorcycle engine roars, "Can you bring us to a market where no tourists go?". He agrees.

Fried Crickets, anyone?

Half an hour later, you and TC try to find souvenirs in a local market in the middle of nowhere. No tourists, save for a Caucasian couple who may have had temple overload too. Everything costs $5, at least that's what the storekeepers tell you. You, however, don't bother how much edible crickets your five dollars could get you. •