Upon our arrival (Nov 26) at the two-month old, Chinese-funded, very modern airport serving Siem Reap, Cambodia, we were bussed to our hotel, the Sofitel Siem Reap Resort, in town. From there, we explored the amazing temples that are numerous, centuries old and astound in their architectural complexity. The main temple are is Angkor Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which houses dozens of temples. A few restored. Many quietly decaying in the jungle. Our first visit (Nov 27) was to Bayon Temple built in the Buddhist style in the late 12th century. We next went to the 12th century Ta Prohm. Ta Prohm is a good example of how these ancient temples degrade with time. The limestone blocks are quarried some 50 miles away, brought to the temple site and assembled using no mortar. After a temple is abandoned, the jungle soon encroaches on the site. Trees send roots into the very narrow cracks and with time turn the temple to rubble.

In the afternoon we were taken to the city market, which was an amazing display of ethnic foods and handcrafts. On the 28th, we visited the enormous Angkor Wat. A sprawling 12th century complex. In the afternoon, we visited a local school established by our local guide to provide education, particularly English and computer skills, to children over and above what they get from the public schools.

On Wednesday, Nov 29, we were transferred by bus to Kampong Cham, Cambodia, where we embarked on the Viking Mekong. During the 6 hr trip, we stopped at a "bus stop" and ate our box lunches prepared by the Sofitel. Rubber tree plantations are common in the area, and we stopped briefly at one for a short tour and explanation of how raw rubber is harvested.