Phnom Penh, Phuket and Bangkok

Last SE Asia Vacation pics (I promise)

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Here are a few photos of Phnom Penh, which we flew into before going up to Siem Reap to see Angkor Wat. When we came back down, we spent a few days in Phnom Penh seeing what we could.

The view from the tuk tuk.

Here are some photos of the Royal Palace and other fancy buildings as we walked around:

What we didn't get was a good photo of just how many motorcycles are driving around Phnom Penh--it was amazing how many (and how many people you can actually fit onto one motorcycle if you try).

Here we are inside the grounds of the Royal Palace. It was an impressive place.

Really, Phnom Penh has some pretty modern areas--it wasn't until we got toward the edges of the city (like, as we were driving out on the bus) that we saw some very poverty-stricken areas.

And this is the waterfront area, not far from the Royal Palace. There were a lot of families hanging around, eating their dinners or just chatting here, and there are a lot of restaurants and other shops.

That night we went to a big playground on the way home (we had promised the kids). Phnom Penh seemed a little like Korea, in that there were still tons of people out after dark, and even families with little kids still up playing.

And, as we crossed the rest of the plaza/park on the way back to the hotel, there were huge groups of people dancing in unison (I think there were three different groups). 

Phuket, Thailand

After going to Cambodia, we flew via Bangkok to the resort island of Phuket.

It was the more relaxing part of our trip.

Here we are interacting with the baby elephant owned by the resort we stayed at:

Really, I was OK with the elephant not touching me. Kate and Allison felt the same.

Dave was totally OK with it.

The musicians in the lobby of our hotel. The hotel in Siem Reap had a similar lady playing a string instrument.

Walking along the Patong Beach area (the super crowded, super touristy part of Phuket). This is outside of an outdoor restaurant.

 And, riding elephants back near our hotel...

Allison was pretty brave and fed our elephant some banana. Katelyn still wouldn't do it.  

 While in Phuket, we went to a show/amusement park called Phuket Fantasea. There weren't any rides, but there were a few interesting attractions. The main attraction there is the big theatrical production and their huge (as in, the building and room are huge) buffet.

At the entrance. 

 This is one of the smaller attractions where you can kill time until the big show starts. They had, I think 4 white tigers in a zoo-like exhibit and some other animals.

At the huge buffet. I think Katelyn is doing the pose of the big bird-footed, winged statue in back of her.

Outside, walking to the big show (which, unfortunately, we couldn't take photos of--just imagine a lot of trained elephants).

 One night in Bangkok

(you know I had to, right?)

After leaving our fun stay in Phuket, we went to Bankgok, just for one day and a night.

The main thing we saw there was the Grand Palace. It was a neat place, but the temperature that day was amazingly HOT! That is, until it started raining buckets.

View from the lawn near the entrance

A huge "Garuda" statue

The interior hallways of the buildings have old, very intricate paintings with lots of gold leaf.

Applying more sunscreen. 

Had to take a photo of the lady who was touching up a painting with her mahlstick.

More golden garudas.

There were little fish in the bowl.

A model of Angkor Wat. I think I was pointing out to Andrew somewhere we'd been.

The ornamentation on the buildings was just overwhelming.

A sign outside of one of the temples with a Buddha--I think this one was the famous "emerald Buddha" that is actually made of green jade.

"DO NOT POINT YOUR FEET TO THE BUDDHA"

Andrew with a guard.

This is the "Phra Thinang Chakri Maha Prasat", which is the Hall with the royal throne in it.

Dave took a picture of this tourist taking a picture of us as we sat waiting for him to come back from the bathroom. People taking pictures of us (mostly the kids) in Asia is not uncommon. 

 The other place we were planning on going was the National Museum, but while we were there Bangkok was experiencing terrible flooding (it got really bad about a week after we left), so the museum was closed.

Women wading their way out from work.

Across the road at a public square of sorts, we talked for a few minutes with this monk.

And with these Thai ladies and their kids, who wanted to take their picture with our kids.

I always wonder what people do with a picture of themselves with a random blond child--maybe they put it on their blogs.  Hahaha.

Thanks for looking at our photos! Stay tuned for more pictures of Korea and possibly China in the Spring.