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Published: September 28th 2007
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The end of March is a good time to visit Siem Reap...the weather is not too hot yet, the tourists have just left, and hotels are starting to offer great discounts! So, off we went! This was Ben's first adventure north of Phnom Penh (we tend to head south to the beach!). He ended up loving Siem Reap and we had a great time. The weather was perfect, Angkor was magnificent, we met the most awesome tuk tuk driver ever, the hotels were scrumptious and the weekend was utterly relaxing. After the traffic, car exhaust, insane motos, pollution, and general lack of green space in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap was a slow, neat and nature-filled haven!
Since we are spoiled kids, we chose to take the 45 minute flight rather than the six hour bus ride. We needed a break from daily life in PP and a six hour bus ride listening to Khmer and Thai karaoke and the non-stop honking of the bus driver did not sound too relaxing at this point. 😉 Ben was able to see Camboidan countryside from the air. At this time of year, the dry season is half way through and things are pretty
Ben at Bayon
Ben's smile is as big as the faces on Bayon ;) brown. The rice has all been farmed and the normally beautiful green paddies are dry and brown. But, the land is still beautiful and the stately palms are still swaying in the minscule breeze. 😊
We arrived at our lovely $28 guesthouse (great place!) only to find that they had lost our reservation and only had a room for one of our two nights! Most the cheaper guesthouses were full, so we splurged and stayed the second night at a fancy pants resort hotel (which is still lightyears cheaper than most hotels back home). It was fun to relax in pure luxury the second night!
Our first hour in Siem Reap, we met an AWESOME tuk tuk driver!! He was so kind and sweet and great to talk to. He took us all over and we asked if he would take us to the temples the next two days. We had such fun with him and he took great care of us. I shared his name card with all my friends and coworkers and now he has a constant stream of business from PP. Everyone falls in love with him! He's quite famous now 😊
We spent
Hallways
Endless hallways, climbing over stones, getting lost in the mazes...it's all part of the fun at Angkor! two days touring the Angkor complex. The tourists have mostly headed out and our first day (Friday) was really quiet (lovely!). The second day (Saturday) was a bit busier. We had great fun and spent our evenings eating out, walking around town, and shopping. We visited the Landmine Museum, which is run by Aki Ra, an incredible man with an incredible story http://www.cambodialandminemuseum.org/home.html. Visit his website to learn more about landmine history in Cambodia (which has the largest number of active landmines), Aki Ra's story, and what he is doing to care for landmine survivors in Cambodia.
Many Cambodians (and quite a few Vietnamese) are migrating in droves to Siem Reap b/c of the tourism boom. Some are able to find jobs in the tourist sector, but some also end up begging on the streets. The local government is under pressure to get all the beggers out so it "looks pretty" for the tourists. This means that people migrate in, they are rounded up, sent to "re-education centers" and then bussed back to their province of origin. Once there, they just come right on back or try another big city. If the families or children have a legitimate business
Bugs, anyone?
These ladies rushed over to sell us their best bugs when we pulled up to this rest stop in Kampong Thom. on the streets, they can stay. I have a friend who runs a street-kid outreach program up there and she's doing awesome things with all the kids and their families! It's called Green Gecko and the website is:
My friend, her husband, and wonderful staff and volunteers help the parents start a mobile business (selling books, shoe polishing, selling souvenirs, etc.) if they agree to let their children go to school for at least four hours per day. Many of the parents have blossomed and are running great businesses! They are able to stay in Siem Reap and earn earn enough to care for their family. The kids go to school in the morning, get one healthy meal at noon, and are able to learn and play at the open-house center. Most of the kids work with their families in the afternoons. So don't forget to support working parents and their businesses when you visit town!! If the parents make more money working than the kids make begging (normally the kids make tons more b/c that's who tourists feel compelled to give to), then the parents feel good about sending their kids to school!
OK..enough of the soap Lining the Entrance to Angkor Thom
These faces line the bridge as you enter the Angkor Thom complex. box, Ben says (ok, he didn't say it but he probably would be thinking it right about now). 😊 We had grand dreams of visiting the Tonle Sap lake, one of the floating villages, or see how silk is made, but we were worn out from all the Angkor touring. We had one last loungy, lovely morning in our plushy hotel and then we headed back to PP.
Ben said that our weekend in Siem Reap was the first time since moving to Cambodia that he felt like he could take a deep breath, see nature, and walk in peace down the street! He felt really energized by the town and the people we met. We had a lovely time and can't wait to take you guys there on a personal tour when you visit us!! 😊
On a separate note, I went up to Siem Reap without Ben a couple months ago! We drove back to PP from Siem Reap and got to see some fun things along the way. May/June/July is peak bug season....and Kampong Thom is the place to go! Kampong Thom is half way from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh. People are very inventive...they
hang up clear plastic sheets like a curtain in their front yard. At the top is a flourescent light. At the bottom of the sheet is a huge basin of water. At night, the roaches and crickets will head towards the light, bump into the clear sheet, and slide down into the water and drown! Brilliant! Every morning there is a fresh supply of buggies to sell. Crickets, roaches, and spiders are fried in oil, peppers, and other spices and are considered a declicious delicacy and yearly treat. My Cambodian friend won't touch them but her husband loves them, so she of course bought a massive bag of "mixed bugs" (roaches and crickets) to bring home to him. YUCKY!! There's no way I will try these things. Most my expat guy friends say that the crickets are good...just like crunchy flavored potato chips, the roaches are too wierd and a little gross, and that the spiders are just like eating a soft-shell crab....Crunchy, flavorful, with a juicy center. Wanna try one? 😉
On our drive back, we also passed some aritisans who were carving some Buddhas, so we took a picture of them. We also saw an INCREDIBLE sunset!
Tired of Walking?
These guys wait outside the temples to give tired (or curious) travelers a ride. Not sure the elephants love those wooden crates on their backs, but that's another story... They are so cute and fun to say hi to! The photos don't do it justice, but enjoy! I love the palm trees here and the watery rice paddies.
Ok...that's all we've got for you this time! Enjoy all the photos and don't think it's the same as being here...you still need to come over and see it all in person 😉. We were a little slacky about taking photos at Angkor...the complex is much more amazing than the pictures show! My brother is coming in December and he will take amazing photos...so keep an eye out for his Angkor blog 😉.
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flor
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Great Pixs!!
Hey glove trotters!!!! Thank you for sharing these pixs with us :) they are great!! I feel part of your trips! :) Oh! and you inspired us, yes! Micah and I will spend our 4th anniversary in Egypt!! :) so traveling tips are welcome! :) Take care!! Love, Flor, Micah and Cata.