Things I saw while riding through the Cambodian countryside on a tuk tuk

A tuk tuk, if you're wondering, is a motorcycle pulling a carriage. They're the more humane replacement to old-school rickshaws/cyclos. And for those of us who aren't crazy about zipping around ON the motorcycle. Anyway, I've spent a LOT of time in the countryside over the last 2 days--more stories than I have time to post here, though maybe I'll fill in a bit later. But here are some of the more arresting sights:

--1 cat, and more dogs & chickens than I could ever count. The dogs are all lactating, and they all lay as if dead in the red dirt. The chickens all have a ton of babies, too.

--lots of people in pajamas. I'm not sure whether they were manufactured as such, but it's sure what they look like. Although Cambodia never gets cold, most people over 10 wear long sleeves & long pants all the time.

--motorcycles with entire families on them. In Phnom Penh, the driver is usually wearing a helmet, but here nobody does. The kids stand on the seat between the parents, squat between the driver's legs, or, if they're really little, cling to the driver chimp style.

--gas sold in old pop or liquor bottles

--coconut husks all over the place

--snail (?) vendors. The shells are spread out on screen-type things that remind me of what we used at Antietam to sift for artifacts. Did I mention that I also saw street vendors selling beetles and other insects? Still more appetizing than bundaegi!

--temples. Some of the farther flung Angkor temples are surrounded by huts, and are just an everyday part of people's lives. At one, a baby played while her brother slept in a doorway. Kids laughed and chased each other over ruins, and on top of one pyramid, two little boys laughed and showed off for the tourists.

--lots of huts suspended over the river, many with balcony pigpens

--a kid driving a cart pulled by two white oxen

--swarms of kids in school uniforms (they look just like the Mercy one), pedaling bikes taller than they are

--tons of kids waving. They're insanely cute, especially when they're not trying to get money out of you. Even tiny ones crack a big smile and wave when they see foreigners, and the older ones often yell "Hello!"

A couple other interesting events:
-I got dollars out of an ATM for the first time in months. The Cambodian currency, the riel, is so devalued (though there are possibly other reasons) that American dollars are used for most everything. There aren't any American coins, though--or any coins at all, for that matter--so riel is given if your change is less than $1. It's about 4000 riel to the dollar, so a 1000 riel note is equivalent to a quarter.

-In Korea, I keep hearing about these places where you put your feet in a pool of fish and the fish eat all the dead skin. Everyone says they want to try it, but I've never actually seen it on offer. Here it's everywhere, always called Dr. Fish. I figure there's no way I'll find it in Korea for $2, so I tried it. It tickles insanely, but it seems to have been pretty effective, and was an interesting diversion to boot.

-Angkor Wat was pretty awesome. I'll post pics when I'm back. Going back for the 3rd day tomorrow to see sunrise, and the temples that are all overgrown. Then I've got one day with absolutely nothing to do, back to Phnom Penh on Saturday, and then time for some sightseeing before my plane leaves on Sunday. The week has felt incredibly long, but suddenly it seems there's not much left. Getting back to Korea will actually be kind of relaxing, but, while I'm glad to have winter, going back to jackets & hats doesn't hold much appeal. If only my hotel window opened...