Siem Reap

I set off for the 6 hour coach trip to Siem Reap at 12.30 yesterday, it was a fairly slow road in places as only a single carriageway for some of the time, but what scenic journey.
I can best describe it as one long postcard.
For almost the entire journey we were driving through beautiful countryside dotted with banana and palm trees, vegetation and rice paddies, and with stilted homes all along the way. The homes need to be raised as  to avoid being flooded when the rains come.
These homes varied from the poorest, barely held together with bamboo and palm leaves to those walled with corrugated iron, next, were those made from planks of wood, then bare brick held crudely together with cement and then what we would describe as a house, painted concrete walls and a paved front patio area.
Many of the others had dusty porch areas covered in whatever materials they could afford for much needed shelter.
There were many people tending their land, some with ox and cart to assist with the loads, water buffalo chilled out in murky waters and old and young alike laid in hammocks in the shade. Children played barefooted along the way.

We had 15 min stop along the way and this little girl was having some mango

I arrived to be greeted by my tuk tuk driver arranged by my b and b and taken 20 mins to my bed for the next 3 nights.
Once again I chose a place with a pool, this one $25 a night for twin room, this includes free internet, breakfast, and tuk tuk locally.
In case I haven't already said, the main currency used here is American dollars hence all prices quoted. Also there is not a British pound sign on the keyboards.
Within another 15 mins I was in the main streets that have a really chilled atmosphere, so many choices for food and drinks at various prices. I ordered a pina colada, green fish curry and stir fried veg and it was $5, found cheaper places after that.
I was in my comfy bed with a/c on and asleep for 10pm.
After early breakfast I decided to take it easy today and have a look around locally.
I walked to the Old Market that is just full of all that I love. For those that are familiar with the North Lanes in Brighton its kinda like that but lots bigger, in fact I think most of the things in the Lanes are from here or Thailand.
Selling mainly silver jewelery, silk scarves, bags, throws cushion covers you name it, hippy type clothing, and then lots of fresh food stalls in the middle.

A local Monk doing his shopping

The moped seems to be transport for almost anything, this guy had just driven in with all these bananas

These 2 cycles had fruits for  sale on the back, why didn't I think of that?

Portable florist

Xmas dinner?

These ladies were sitting on tiny stools selling their wares, looking bored stiff

2 gay hairdressers in the market

The food section was right in the middle if all the other stalls, it got really busy later on

The whole journey here and all that I saw today has been a photographers dream - and that's before I get to one of the most photographed places on the planet, Angkor Wat.
I have arranged a tuk tuk driver to pick me up at 8am in the morning and I will go to the top 3 first. It's so vast it can take a week or more to visit most of the temples and ruins but I will go for 3 days and stagger it over the week.
I also plan to do a local cookery course which sounds fun.
Today I have spoken to a German guy who has lived here for 2 years, a guy from the States traveling for 2 months who was in India before this and a couple from Ireland who were encouraging me to visit Laos and Vietnam while out here. I will definitely consider it and have a look at the options, maybe go from Thailand when I am back there,
Listen to me, considering my options, a traveler I have become...