Bike ride through Cambodian countryside

Siem Reap is a tourist's town, offering many ways to "see" the country of Cambodia.  Tour companies offer trips through the countryside on bikes, ATVs, and ox cart (just to name a few).  While my brother-in-law, Dave, was in town, we decided to check out Grasshopper Adventures (http://grasshopperadventures.com/) and took a 1/2 day bike tour through a few rural villages located southeast of Siem Reap.  The company equipped us with bikes and helmets, all in excellent condition.  The guides were friendly and knowledgeable of the area, having lived here their entire lives.  Our bike ride took us off the main roads and down some bumpy trails, offering a closer look at life in rural Cambodia.  Riding along the narrow dirt tracks, we encountered a few small villages, a wat, and one of the oldest temples in Cambodia.  There were several occasions throughout the trip where I stopped and took pictures or just gave myself a moment to take in the beautiful scenery around me.  I am forever grateful for the patience of the tour guide who stayed with me and even pointed out great photo ops.  

Here are photos from our morning on the bikes.  Enjoy!

Grasshopper Tours office (located on road 26)

Heading out on our bikes.  We've only begun riding and I am already lagging behind.

The worn down dirt path you see here (about the width of a bike tire) wove through the countryside...  

past homes and farms...

past farmers working in their field...

past hammocks hanging between trees...

past vast rice fields....

and cows...

and a mama water buffalo and her calf...

and a family mausoleum.

We just kept pedaling...

and pedaling...

until we come to a village situated along a rather busy intersection (for rural Cambodia)...

and we stop at the local market...

where you can pick up a quick snack or toy...

buy some fresh vegetables or fruit...

get a shave and a hair cut (two bits!)...

or purchase an ax or machete.

We stopped at this woman's shop for a drink and to rest our legs for a little while...

then it was back on the bikes and we hit the trails...

where we stumbled upon this wat...

  

  

and pedaled on past another little village settled along the Siem Reap River...

  

and ended our bike ride with a visit to this old temple.  

Our guide informed us that this temple is one of the oldest in Cambodia and served as a "practice temple" before building the great temples found at Angkor Wat.  

  

This little guy watched us closely while we walked around the temple.  He never had to show us why he was carrying that long stick but sent the message loud and clear that this was his temple and not to be messed with.  We have him some riel (Cambodian money) before we left and our guide thanked him for keeping a watch on the temple.  

  

Then it was back on the bikes one more time to head home.

Although I take a 30 minute bus ride everyday to and from work in a small village outside of Siem Reap, seeing Khmer people going about their daily lives without the glass windows of the bus to separate us made a lasting impression on me.  The people of Cambodia have an amazing spirit, even though their lives may be quite difficult.  They are warm and welcoming people; children smile and wave as we pedal by on our bikes.  There is much that can be learned about what is important in life and this bike ride has taught me a few lessons that I will carry with me.  

Thanks for reading!