Teresa and Paul's World Tour - 2011

After we landed in Bangkok, we immediately started planning our side trip to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat.  Neither of us had read much about Cambodia and really didn't know what to expect.  What we had heard is that there are many victims of land mines and these victims can be seen on the streets frequently as you are walking about town.  And we heard that Angkor Wat and the surrounding ruins are amazing.  They didn't disappoint. The people in Cambodia are very sweet and proper. Even though this is a country and people that has been obviously scarred from it's past, they will welcome you, help you and give you a lovely smile. When greeting you, they will bow and bring their hands together.  Where those hands are located depends on who you are and the level of respect you are accorded.  For example, the higher the hand placement the more respect you are shown.  Elders are greeted with the hands at the forehead and...

Arriving in Bangkok was so wonderful! No one was using a horn as a method of signaling (as they do in India). The streets and buildings and shops were modern and clean. The locals were extremely friendly. The food was safe. It was all very refreshing. One of the first activities that we signed up for right away was a tour through a local market, a boat trip through some local villages and the floating village where you can shop for food, drinks and goods.   But really, we mostly wandered through the city, visited the Grand Palace and the Reclining Buddha. And we rested while we also planned our side trips to Cambodia and Chiang Mai.  While we were in Thailand, there was an election coming up.   I wanted this guy to win, but the lady who promised laptops and an internet connection for every school kid won.