Cambodia Vacation Day 2: Siem Reap

Cambodia Vacation Day 2: Siem Reap

The street in front of the hotel last night had been dark, quiet and devoid of people and traffic.

It's 7AM and the scene couldn't be anymore different. The hustle bustle of the country's biggest city is in full swing. Tuk Tuks and families of three and four (the record I saw in Cambodia was 6) are wizzing by on the dusty streets. People, commerce, noise and dust make up this exciting tableau. 
This being my first time in Southeast Asia I was completely taken aback by the multitude and vivaciousness of this very alive city. After being wowed after only 10 minutes it was time to board the minibus for Siem Reap.

The minibus, which was closer to a van really, was comfortable, seating about 8 people and had air conditioning. The bumpy ride to Siem Reap was roughly 5 hours. Along the way we traveled on dirt roads that overlooked the flooded wetland landscape of the Cambodian countryside. We drove past orange-brown flooded  pools over tall grasses and under palm trees and blue skies decorated with great, heavy white clouds. There were small towns along the way with homes and business made of wood and corrugated metal. In one town we needed to stop to make way for roughly two dozen cows that need to cross the road.

When we arrived in Siem Reap there was a tuk tuk driver waiting for us to drive us to our hostel. We took the tuk tuk to our hostel and drop off our bags.

Once at the hostel we decided to rent hostel bikes for $2 a day and take the bikes around the historic and beautiful city of Siem Reap. We rode along the Siem Reap River until we quickly arrive at our first destination, the beautiful Wat Preah Prom Rath. We got off our bikes and view the vibrant colors and beautiful architecture of the temple.

It was a Buddhist holiday so there were monks chanting. There was also some restriction into temple areas for that reason.

Here is a video of monks chanting. I didn't film them directly, I just wanted to capture the audio:

Then we went to another temple called Wat Bo.

We rode along the Siem Reap River and visit a few more temples. The stories of this Buddha indicate the wildlife prevalent to the ancient people of the times. Artwork shows the Buddha with monkeys, elephants and tigers, very different from artwork depicting the Buddha in Korean temples.

We visited Wat Po Lanka

Also at Wat Po Lanka with the help of a friendly young monk, I had my first experience with a non flush squat toilet. Basically you do your business and there is a bucket with water and a ladle and you wash it down.

We continued biking north along the river. It's humid but overcast. We make our way to a rural outskirt town. This is a town of dirt roads, corrugated metal houses and shops, diaperless toddlers, stray dogs and chickens. From people in the town, our presence doesn't come off as unwelcome but more just a bit confused. We stop at a local cafe/mart for 50 cent beers and rest a bit from a day off travel and biking.

Afterward we head back to the hostel and change to get ready for our evening in Siem Reap. We start off with delicious and highly affordable food. I ordered beef rolls which is beef rolled around a spicy pepper and mince pork stuffed tomatoes. I thought coming to Cambodia I would lose weight. The price and deliciousness of the food had created the opposite effect.

Fully stuffed we walked around the night markets of Siem Reap featuring vendors selling such wares as Cambodian art, souvenirs, souvenir art, silks, foods and sustainable products made from repurposed packaging. 

There was a store that sells crocodile-skin products like bags, belts and wallets. They even had full crocodile skins for sale.

The night market also had a performance stage where we watched a group of 6 Cambodian women do a traditional dance wearing traditional Cambodian costumes. Here is a video of their performance (turn down your speakers):

There's the tourist friendly Pub Street, but thankfully Ailee and I were old enough to know better than to sacrifice morning time at Angkor Wat for a long night at Angkor What? (A popular foreigner bar on Pub Street).

Also in Siem Reap you can't walk 10 feet with out some one offering you something:  tuk tuk ride, massages, foot massages, fish eating dead skin off your feet massages (see day 3).

That night we rested early to prepare for a big day in Angkor the next day.

A note about child poverty in Siem Reap:

In Siem Reap, children will approach you selling trinkets and post cards. Although it may seem sad initially one needs to put it in perspective a little. Compared to that earlier rural town outside the city, in the city Siem Reap there is more opportunity. It's not a good situation, but giving money to children encourages the behavior whilst also not helping the child directly (the money goes to someone else. People who want to help should support by donating to an NGO.)