Guest Posted June 27, 2011 Posted June 27, 2011 I also hope Shameless Mack returns, even if he feels the need to reduce posting frequency. Quote
Moses Posted June 27, 2011 Posted June 27, 2011 Blog of cambodian boy who is living in Siem Reap. He is freelance guide in Angkor Wat and Siem Reap Quote
TotallyOz Posted June 28, 2011 Posted June 28, 2011 Mine is closing in on 400 posts, and while it has a wider range of subject matter to work with it's still somewhat of a challenge to compose, prepare and assemble images and get a piece posted that might be of interest to a general audience. Khun BaoBao, I have always enjoyed your blog and think it is excellent! I hope that you continue for a long time! I also hope that Shamless Mack's returns soon. Quote
Guest thaiworthy Posted June 28, 2011 Posted June 28, 2011 Khun BaoBao, I have always enjoyed your blog and think it is excellent! I hope that you continue for a long time! I second that motion. But alas, Khun Baobao is one of those elusive people I have not had the opportunity to meet. After reading so many wonderful posts and blog entries, I just want to take him off, cuddle and grope him. Metaphorically, that is. He is my type in every other way. Where for art thou Khun Baobao? Man cannot live on blogs alone. Quote
Guest Thor69 Posted June 28, 2011 Posted June 28, 2011 It's my hope that life has just been too busy for Mack to post as regularly has in the past and not that he's wrestling with a case of blog burn-out, which has happened often enough with otherwise enjoyable sites. Mine is closing in on 400 posts, and while it has a wider range of subject matter to work with it's still somewhat of a challenge to compose, prepare and assemble images and get a piece posted that might be of interest to a general audience. Naturally, there are always critics - it's far easier to bitch from the sidelines than it is to come up with regular original content - but they're entitled to their opinions, and people have been kind enough to send positive feedback, too. I haven't agreed with everything Mack's posted, but I still checked it regularly for something new. I hope he (and Rice Queen) re-activate their sites, and if Mack sees this, I hope he'll share info about invites if that's the direction he's finding it necessary to go. Your blog is one of the best! I enjoy all your writings and photos. You seem to be a classy guy! Mack's is somewhat sleazy and that type of content is available almost everywhere. Quote
Guest tabacone Posted July 3, 2011 Posted July 3, 2011 Blog of cambodian boy who is living in Siem Reap. He is freelance guide in Angkor Wat and Siem Reap His name is Pelu. He was our guide for 3 days touring temples in Siam Reap for a very reasonable price. Smart, funny, speaks 5 languages and way cuter than his pics. He works a couple of jobs that keep him busy so he's not always timely in answering emails. Quote
TotallyOz Posted July 3, 2011 Posted July 3, 2011 His name is Pelu. He was our guide for 3 days touring temples in Siam Reap for a very reasonable price. Smart, funny, speaks 5 languages and way cuter than his pics. He works a couple of jobs that keep him busy so he's not always timely in answering emails. What were his rates? Quote
Guest Posted July 3, 2011 Posted July 3, 2011 I don't think you need a guide for the Angkor Wat complex & even some a little further afield, as a good tuk tuk driver will arrange an itinerary all in his standard fee. However, for me this guy could be good when arranging trips to some of the more far flung parts of Cambodia. His website clearly states "not an escort", which is good, as I'd rather be free to sleep around . Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted July 4, 2011 Posted July 4, 2011 I don't think you need a guide for the Angkor Wat complex & even some a little further afield, as a good tuk tuk driver will arrange an itinerary all in his standard fee. If you are going merely to view the temples, then I'd agree. But with all respect to z909. when I spent 4 days going around the Angkor sites a few years ago, I found the guide was absolutely essential. There is so much background and history to each temple that unless you have done some study in advance and have a detailed guide book in hand, a good guide makes a huge difference. Quote
TotallyOz Posted July 4, 2011 Posted July 4, 2011 If you are going merely to view the temples, then I'd agree. But with all respect to z909. when I spent 4 days going around the Angkor sites a few years ago, I found the guide was absolutely essential. There is so much background and history to each temple that unless you have done some study in advance and have a detailed guide book in hand, a good guide makes a huge difference. I agree. But, if you are marketing yourself as a guide with pouty kissy lips and then say no sex allowed, should you not take some more pics? Perhaps ones in a business suit or holding an umbrella up to keep the group on task? Quote
Moses Posted July 4, 2011 Posted July 4, 2011 But, if you are marketing yourself as a guide with pouty kissy lips and then say no sex allowed, should you not take some more pics? It's not fair I post this pic coz I did this shot and I like this pic It was my choice which image will be attached to my post. There are a lot of photos at website. Have you visit it? By the way: name of this boy isn't Pelu. 100%. I know them both - Pelu (you can find his photos at Men's Resort advertising) and Chay (who is at this photo). They looks similar but they even aren't relatives. Quote
Moses Posted July 4, 2011 Posted July 4, 2011 If you are going merely to view the temples, then I'd agree. But with all respect to z909. when I spent 4 days going around the Angkor sites a few years ago, I found the guide was absolutely essential. There is so much background and history to each temple that unless you have done some study in advance and have a detailed guide book in hand, a good guide makes a huge difference. I agree 100%. If you want to visit Angkor Wat just for to be sure if it is exist and it is 76 meters tall - then you don't need guide. But if you want to know Angkor, his history - you need guide at least for time of visit to Angkor Wat and temples of small circle. By the way - rules of Angkor Park forbid to drivers to leave their cars and tuk-tuk when they are inside of park, so they can't assit you inside of sites. Quote
Guest Posted July 4, 2011 Posted July 4, 2011 Good point. I'm very happy to be driven to the entrance of each of the many temples and spend hours wandering around at my own pace. Should you prefer a detailed explanation, then of course a guide would be helpful. Assuming he's knows the subject and can communicate in your preferred language. Cute would be a bonus. Quote
Moses Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 Good point. I'm very happy to be driven to the entrance of each of the many temples and spend hours wandering around at my own pace. it is working in many other sites but not in sites which are so huge as Angkor Wat or Angkor Thom are... Imagine: Angkor Wat + Angkor Thom + 3-4 other "must see or die" sites. If you can wake up early then you will have 8-9 hours to watch. You will have about 3 hours for Angkor Wat and about 1 hour for each next site then. Angkor Wat is 1 km x 1 km site with apr. 800-m gallery of carving (history of Hinduism, gods of hinduism, history of god's war, history khmer imperia), and main temple with 3 levels. I'm not sure if you can to find on site every interesting place and watch it by yourself even with book in hand and map just for 3 hours. It is huge! That why I wrote about guide for Angkor Wat and small circle of temples. Prices for guiding are the close to be the same in whole Siem Reap per day: English 25$/30$ (low season/high season) French 30/35 German/Spain 35/40 Japan/Korean/Chinese 40/45 other: 50/75 (app) Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 A suggestion for anyone planning to spend 3 - 4 days exploring a lot of the temples - get your thigh and knee muscles in shape before you depart! I was then reasonably fit and not overweight. So, over 4 days I happily wandered and climbed everywhere, thinking nothing of it. Until the last day, that is. We'd left the main Angor Wat to last. Climbing to the different levels means ascending very steep and narrow steps which rise at a very steep angle. Half way up one set near the top, I realised my thighs were giving out and did not have the strength to lift my body upwards. I decided to go back down - until I looked around and realised that would be even more difficult with the very real possibility that I'd fall. So using arms and whatever strength was left in my legs I just managed to get to the top, thankful in the knowledge that on the other side there was a set of steps going down with a handrail. My thighs had literally seized up! Quote
Guest Posted July 7, 2011 Posted July 7, 2011 Imagine: Angkor Wat + Angkor Thom + 3-4 other "must see or die" sites. If you can wake up early then you will have 8-9 hours to watch.You will have about 3 hours for Angkor Wat and about 1 hour for each next site then. My Tuk Tuk driver found each site. Then I wandered around each one for as long as it takes. So far I've spent 3 days at this. Some sites need more than 1 hour. Quote
baobao Posted July 8, 2011 Posted July 8, 2011 I spent four days visiting the sites in Cambodia on my last trip and only scratched the surface of the 40+ places the guidebooks list. Traveling with a knowledgeable guide that can tell the stories in your language brings far more of the history alive, but there's no right or wrong way to visit; some go to take photos, some go for spiritual reasons and some go just to stand in awe and observe and walk around these magnificent sites. A guide can walk you along 100 feet of an extensive carved wall mural and point out the story line details you'd probably miss, even with a good printed guide. When I was there one book all of the kids seemed to have was "Ancient Angkor" by Claude Jacques, with photos by Michael Freeman. It's generously illustrated with maps, reference photos and stories on its own, but I prefer to have someone tell the tales at the site than spend time reading about it there - or trying to carve out the time to do detailed research before going there. My guide was personable enough that we've remained in contact and I've had the opportunity to learn more about his life, family and hobbies. As was mentioned, there IS a lot of climbing involved to really see the sites, so be prepared. They're often multi-leveled with steep stairs, and railings are rare. Eventually I'll get around to posting my Cambodian adventures on the blog. Quote
