Siem Reap

Arrived in Siem Reap early in the morning at 8 a.m. with multiple forms to fill including a health declaration due to the H1N1 virus. Not to much of a delay though, as we had our own pens and did not need to queue for pens :D.

Headed out for lunch in town, opposite the Old Market, at Angkor Palm. The food wasn't too bad, and I was quite impressed with the lunch platter which was quite nice. Plus, it was an introduction to the local cuisine :D. It reminds me of Thai food really...

Angkor Palm

Lunch Platter for 2

Headed to the Old Market right after lunch to have a look see. The place is certainly an eye opener. Not only the market but the surrounding areas too. Despite being a town, it still has much more potential to grow. The country is poor and it shows in their daily lives activities and possesions. It made me realized just how lucky I am.

Streets of Siem Reap

The old market, aka Psar Chaa is sometimes used as the reference point in Siem Reap as it is also a popular tourist spot selling a huge variety of things.

Pots & bowls

Fresh food

Shoesssss

Textiles

There wasn't anything that really caught our eyes as nothing was really... suitable. So we left for Psar Kandal, also known as Central Market. This market is cleaner and more spacious. A fairly well-ventilated place, which was great for us. Plus, it provided us a shelter from the sun :D. But it essentially sold the same things, perhaps a little more costume jewellery than Old Market.

It was also here that I bought a book, "Stay Alive, My Son." by Pinthay, which is a really good read. It gives a good insight on how things were during the Khmer Rouge period and how it impacted on the people then and even now. It gives us a better understanding to know why Cambodia is how it is today. A truly sad read I have to add.

Next stop : Wat Preah Prohm Rath

If I remember correctly, and if I understand the information correctly, the pagoda carries the story of a Buddhist monk who used to travel on the Tonle Sap River, and despite it being long journeys, the rice that he carries always remains freshly cooked. In a time where he was attacked by sharks, part of the boat floated back to the village and the villagers built a wooden statue of Buddha from there. There is a reclining Buddha statue in the temple itself.

Pretty drawings

There were drawings on all 4 sides to the main building of the temple, which flows like a story starting from the left side. It was I think the story of Siddharta since he was born until he obtained nirvana. The drawings were really pretty and the colours were intense. It was quite a good 'read'.

The pagoda was really quite clean given that there was only 2 caretakers there when we were there. It was quite spotless I have to say. Those two must work really really hard to look after such a big place. Funnily, there wasn't other people while we were there, making me wonder how is this not a tourist spot. Or maybe, we were just there when it was really quiet. Not that I'm complaining... I love not bumping into buses of tourists :P.

5 head Naga

Someone told us what it means, the 5 head naga. But all I can remember now is that these statues are often built with odd number heads, none of them with even numbers. And the maximum of it is 7, and of the 7, 1 is a female Naga. The exact translation to the numbers, I can't recall at all.

Couldn't fight the sun anymore, we headed back to the hotel to get some rest and cool air before heading off to Bakheng Hill. Although many told me how hot it can get in Cambodia, it certainly hasn't prepared me. We were sweating profusely and constantly annoyed at how hot it could get.
*sigh*

Bakheng Hill

A temple built at the top of a small hill, a great place for sunset except for us, as the sun refused to show itself that day. To get to Bakheng Hill, one would actually need to get the Angkor Temple Pass. As we bought our pass after 5 p.m that day for next day use at the temples, the visit to Bakheng Hill is included for that evening :).

Phnom Bakheng

The temple was built by King Yasovarnam I as his capital after the move to Angkor. It is built in a little pyramid structure, where there is a main temple at the top, surrounded by 5 towers. It is a six-tier pyramid, if I remember correctly.. or was it five?

One of the few towers

Main building

One of the many gorgeous carvings

Oh no, no mr sun .. :(

The whole area was filled with tourist, all waiting for the sunset, but unfortunately, it wasn't one that we could appreciate fully so we decided to head down before the crowd but not walking down through the main step. We took the steps to the side instead. Less tourists around and there was also local children playing around with monks nearby. A scene of how it probably is, before the place was flocked by thousands of tourist.

We had reservations at Angkor Village for the Aspara Dance and Show Dinner, which was really quite nice. I found it difficult to make decide which one to go for, as there as plenty of places that offered the same combination and I didn't want to go to one that would have been laid out in normal tables and chairs with bright lights. One that didn't have the ambience for such a show. So when I stumbled across Angkor Village's website, I jumped at the chance of booking it, despite it costing a bit more than the others. (It was USD 22 ppax).

It was one decision that I did not regret :).

Dinner set Samosa & Tempura, Chicken soup with lemongrass, Country side salad, Saraman Pork with red spices, steamed rice

The dinner included was not your usual buffet as in other places, rather it was a set dinner. And pretty yummy at that! :). The theatre hall was made to look the part with it's great wooden structures, the curtains and even the seating arrangements. We were on the ground level, which meant we had to sit on the floor for dinner. The seatings upstairs have tables and chairs. There is a virtual tour of the hall on the company's website :). *That was what that sealed the decision for me*

Dessert - Coconut custard and fruit salad

There was 5 dances in total, starting off with the Aspara Ballet which was a slow dance before picking up at the next dance, the Fisherman's Dance. The latter was truly enjoyable, with comical moments. The other 3 were Mekhala Dance, the Coconue Dance and lastly a dance-play of Legent of the Reamker.

Aspara Ballet

Fisherman's Dance

Legend of the Reamker:



We went for a massage after the show, in town near the Old Market which was recommended by our guide, before returning home for a good night sleep. Till we brave the temples of Angkor the next day :D.