Adventures in Angkor Land

Roosters performing an ecstatic concert at 5 am signal the end of my sleep. I shake the sleep out of my eyes and re-establish my whereabouts.  Siem Reap, Cambodia.

The view from my room's smoking-allowed balcony

I inspect the sheet with Khmer phrases handed to me at reception yesterday and quickly memorize Sousdey (phonetic) as Hello!   Of course, every one of the hotel's employee's says "Good Morning, Sir, how are you?", so it's hard get apply my newly acquired linguistic skill ;-(

My cell phone does NOT roam in Cambodia (Thanks again, Wind Mobile!) and the receptionist, cute as he may be, has NO IDEA how to operate the telephone to make an international call.  Good old Skype to the rescue again; Grandma is expecting her daily telephone call.  Since the hotel has EXCELLENT internet, the Skype call is as clear as a regular phone call.

Looking at the menu, and being from where I am from, I assume I should chose between French Toast, crepe, baguette, a fresh croissant, and toast.  NOT.  My plate contains all 5. I suspect that one person wrote the menu a long time a go with the idea of a choosing guest in mind, but that the kitchen staff abandoned that idea a long time ago.  A theory corroborated by the fact that the jam and butter helpings are a bit small for all that dough, but at least it is strawberry jam this time and not ketchup ;-)

At 7:45 I get my camera ready (after having a sip of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc; hey it's evening in Vancouver already) and head  out into the streets of Siem Reap.

I walk around for over an hour, find a bank machine (it gives you the choice between US$ and Cambodian Real; DO choose dollars!), and towards the end of the walk stop in a small supermarket.  It is perverse.  Here in a country where most people don't have enough to eat, I again MUST choose between 10 kinds of toothbrushes, 15 types of shampoos, and 20 types of body lotion.  
I spent $12.50 for 2 packs of cigarettes, but for that money I also get 1 mandarin, 1 yogurt, 1 large noodle soup, 1 large bag of dried bananas, 1 chocolate bar, and one tube of OFF insect repellent.  Not bad at all.

And it's the sign in the below picture that in retrospect almost killed me:

Because when I see this sign and its inscription "you only live once" I re-consider.  So far I had thought that spending US$ 100 on a hot-air balloon ride at sunset in a country where most people don't have enough to eat would be foolish. 

Bicycle tours & rentals

A sure sign that Siem Reap is not worth visiting

Gasoline in Gin bottles ;-)

Some people come here for this

I come here for this

Heading over to the other hotel that referred me here yesterday because it double-booked and sent me a No-show charge notice this morning is not as easy as it looks on the map.  Not because I'm not an expert map reader but because the hotel isn't actually where Google Maps says it should be.  After inquiring with four different sources, I finally find it at the very end of a side street originating from where the map puts it.  The no-show charge is quickly settled and I'm glad they double booked.  The hotel itself is nicer but the location is MUCH further from where the action is in Siem Reap

I get back to my hotel all sweaty.  Temperatures have risen quickly and it is amazing to see how high in the sky the sun rises on this 10th of February.  Having cut the distance to the equator by 2/3rds (Vancouver 5461 km versus  Siem Reap 1478 km) is making quite a difference ;-)

Still no reason to rest or rust: Time to visit the 'Night' Market at 11 am. I see amazing Angkor-like wooden carvings which I'd take home if I had a suitcase. I see very inexpensive copies of very expensive watches (NO, NOT a stoopid rolex. A very pretty Vacheron Constantine), which I'd take home if I didn't have a watch already). What I do buy is Khmer-style thin wrap-around long pants and a hat, both pretty much insurance against being fried to a crisp on the speedboat whenever I take it.
Plus it's something that very few people will be wearing in Vancouver this summer ;-) LOL.

They look much more dignified when walking, LOL

I have a nap between noon and 2:30 (tired plus it's  good to stay out of that HOT noon sun) and afterwards go on another quick walk, more to be able to smoke like a chimney and to clear my head to  figure out the future path of the journey, whether to stay here another day, to fly back  to Da Nang from here,  to take the  speedboat to Phnom Penh  tomorrow,  or  maybe to fly from here to somewhere tomorrow.  I  make my decision and am back in the hotel to take a quick shower before the late afternoon adventure begins.