Monday, November 6. Today was essentially a repeat of five years ago. I skipped the water buffalo cart ride, though this time they traveled on a much smoother dirt road.

The floating village boat ride was a repeat. The village experience was much different. Instead of a restaurant/gift shop, we visited a retired couple. Heard more than I wanted to learn about being a mid-wife. They raise fish in a cage, selling to a middleman. The village was “moored” to bushes and spread out, not tied together. There was a surprisingly large school (five barges). Students commuted (in uniform) by boat, some by paddling, some by engine. Overall, the village is incredibly poor and run-down.

While the others visited a Belgium company that trains rats to find unexploded ordinance, I sat at the hotel’s swim-up bar. Sue me.

Late in the day we visited one of Angkor’s ancient temple grounds. Only a little bit restored. Massive trees and above-ground roots. Overcast skies. Rainbow!

I dined at a fancy restaurant called Hot Stone. Pick some cut of meat and they serve it mostly raw on an extremely hot flat stone. Let it sizzle until it’s cooked to your liking. The Australian meat wasn’t the best tasting, but it was better than water buffalo. Great place. It was pricey by Cambodia standards, Very reasonable by mine.