We got our tickets the day before for our early morning bus ride to Siem Reap. The whole journey is about 320 km and it takes about six hours.... oy... like we didn't have enough traveling already. But it was actually an amazing experience - the incredible things that you get to see from the bus window! And once again I was surprised how absolute poverty can exist side by side next to such luxury. In the middle of nowhere you could have a HUGE HUGE mansion next to a thatched hut. We spent the whole ride observing everything passing us by - people taking baths in their mud ponds, babies running around naked in their yards, super skinny cows grazing in dirt fields, Buddhist monks walking on the side of the street with their huge umbrellas and people carrying their whole families on one motorbike. Hey, you can even fit building supplies, two dead pigs, huge sack of rice and a wife on one scooter...who needs a car! Why do you need a hitch on the back of the bike when you can have your friend sit behind you and put it over his torso... safe right?... oh and did I mention there was a horse on top of the trailer that was being pulled?!
Anyway... it was a fantastic drive from one town to the next with no dull moments...
Once in Siem Reap, we got a tuk tuk to take us to our hotel - Bopha Angkor. The hotel is amazing... a little oasis with fountains and secluded corners where one can relax. It has a very spa like feel with a fantastic pool that sure feels great in this sticky hot weather. We chilled by the pool and after a little R&R we went on to explore the town itself.
Siem Reap finally feels like we are on vacation. A cute little town with silk lanterns in the trees and plenty of small shops and restaurants around every corner. Oh... did I mention you can get a massage for $6/hr... we are thinking about having foot & leg massage at the same time as head and shoulder one. I think $12 just may be worth it!
We finished the day with our complimentary 6 course meal at our hotel's restaurant. Oh my god, I fell in love with traditional Khmer (Cambodian) food - Fish Amok... soooooo good. Basically it is a green curry with fish, but so much better.. and their version of Thai beef satay is unbelievable!
Tomorrow we are heading out in our tuk tuk to finally explore Angkor Wat!
The connectivity here is limited so I will have to post it all at once when I have a chance.
Stay tuned.
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