October 21, 2024

Farewell Gibraltar! Monkey Play!

View of THE ROCK as we pulled away tonight at sunset off AFT patio seating at dinner. Wine glasses shook alitlle as we thrust off the dock, but what a beautiful way to be living! Have to keep pinching myself!


Today, I stayed on board the ship all day and just recharged. I have had a head cold for last 2 days and needed solid sleep and hydration. I sweated a good 2 hours playing pickleball in the afternoon and gave over my cabin to maintenance to replace some parts in my toilet vacuum system. A Win Win for All! We have been moving at an aggressive pace ever since leaving Belfast - so I was glad I had been here in Gibraltar before, and didn't feel the need to explore anymore. Lots of residents went to the top of THE ROCK to see and play with the monkeys! I preferred to do a quick face time with these 2 Monkey's!

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Ta Prohm Temple ( AKA Lara Croft: Tomb Raider), CAMBODIA

By Pat Patrick • September 28, 2026
I rallied for our last temple of the morning, because I heard this one was unique and I think it was my favorite. Ta Prohm was built starting in 1186 by King Jayavarman VII as a Buddhist monastery and university dedicated to the king's mother. It was left mostly un-restored so that huge banyan and silk cotton trees grow directly over and through the walls. In 2001, the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider movie was filmed here.

ANGKOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK, CAMBODIA

By Pat Patrick • September 28, 2026
Angkor , a UNESCO World Heritage Centre , is one of the most important archaelogical sites in SE Asia . It extends over 400 square km (250 miles). It contains hundreds of distinct structural remains and major temple sites (with around 72 recognized major structures). Below are a few other temple sites we saw. The first two were from a distance, on our sunset hike, the first night.

ANGKOR WAT, SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA

By Pat Patrick • September 28, 2026
Angkor Wat is the largest temple and the Capital of Angkor World Heritage . We hired a separate English speaking guide and tuktuk driver for the morning to escort us though this massive complex. We entered Angkor temple thru the west entry, the same one King Suryavarman would have entered via elephant, back in 1150, when it was built as a Hindu temple, dedicated to Vishnu . It took roughly 38 years to build, starting in 1113 and was done with lots of elephants, thousands of men and a bamboo pulley system, maneuvering the giant blocks of lava stone for the base and sandstone, for the structure, all quarried from the surrounding area.