Bayon Temple, photo by llamasonic
My sister and Tom just went back after a 2 week visit. We miss you guys! I had a great time in Cambodia. Angkor Wat puts you into a state of Wow. Siem Reap provided much fun trying to find the coolest bar and happiest pizza.
Funky Monkey Bar
FCC Angkor, best free WiFi in Siem Reap – Also try Blue Pumpkin for decent connectivity.
Nachos on Pub Street
Siem Reap Hostel was not bad, but not great. Our room smelled like shit until Tom figured out it was the seal at the base of the toilet and fixed it with wet toilet paper and toothpaste. Go Tom. It made sense for 3 people, but I’d look for a different place next time. You need to walk about 5 minutes to get to “Pub Street” and although the walk is not bad it is really, really dusty. Bring a mask or a handkerchief for the dust.
Siem Reap Hostel
You’ve got to be in decent shape to really see the temples. It’s serious exercise. Wear good shoes, bring sunscreen and lots of water. The Khmer people are some of the nicest I’ve met. They genuinely appreciate you visiting their country and sharing their culture with you.
You’ll encounter many kids asking you to buy this or that as you enter temples but it’s not a desperate pitch. They understand it is a numbers game and won’t bother you that much before they move on to the next person. Some of the kids are really cute and you’ll be tempted to purchase something for, “One dollar sir, one dollar” but remember that these kids should be in school, not out selling trinkets to tourists.
Cambodians have embraced the English language and the dollar in a big way. I have a feeling their future is going to be bright. Go to Cambodia. Great experiences, adventures, friends and tastes await you.
Security at Ankgor Wat Temple. He knew what the logo meant and wants to buy a Mac one day.
Visit Angkor Wat before it becomes a Disneyland monorail ride. When you are climbing through, up and over temples you get the feeling that surely one day they will limit access to the temples for safety and preservation reasons. Siem Reap also will eventually become expensive and over run with big hotels. I’m glad I went and look forward to going again.
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