Day 22 of 36
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Tim's last day of vacation in Southeast Asia
We got to sleep this morning but woke up with the sun about 7 am. We had breakfast outside on the patio at the hotel and then went for our "city tour" of Siem Reap on our own. We first walked along the Siem Reap River to the Royal Independence Gardens and the Royal Residence of the King and Queen of Cambodia. Today is a holiday in Cambodia - and all families are supposed to go to the pagoda to pay respects to their relatives. The Preah Ang Chek Preah Ang Charm Shrines are by the gardens and they were filled with people lighting incense and setting small birds free (for a fee). We walked to the Raffles Grand Hotel D'Angkor by the gardens and then headed back into town. We walked on the other side of the river to the downtown market area - this is what we were looking for last night!!!!
Many of the shops were closed in the morning but lots were open so we roamed through the streets and looked. When we got back to the Central Market area we went in and looked at the merchants stalls - everyone wants you to look - and many want you to buy a t-shirt! They don't seem to understand "No"! We just kept walking.
I bargained for some gold earrings for Lauren - 20 carat gold - she didn't have what I wanted but "her friend" got them from another booth. Deal done, we headed on and crossed the Old Market Bridge to find Wat Damnak. We went right by it (Tim said - thi s is a school! - but it was the Wat!). We went around the block and came in the back. Interesting. Lots of tombs - some of different colors. Some of the tombs had pieces of paper on them - this has some significance relative to your ancestors.
We then walked up the east side of the river to Wat Bo. Another interesting site. They were feeding the monks at a large hall (all a part of the holiday celebration). Back by Viroth's Restaurant to the hotel.
We went to the pool and went swimming - it felt wonderful. Had rum drinks - then got dressed and went to the cafe for a "proper lunch" - Tim had a deluxe club sandwich made with lobster and I had pasta. My strawberry daiquiri was definitely weird!
We then took a short nap and relaxed by the pool. Back to the room so Tim could pack - he is taking my duffel suitcase back with him and some of my really dirty clothes so I can use his big red bag on wheels with a handle - that will be a bit easier for me. We got dressed and headed to the lobby to get a tuk-tuk for a ride out to Angkor Wat for one last visit - and to get pictures in the afternoon sun since we had been there in early morning. LOTS of people - especially Japanese. They can be so inconsiderate too!
The tuk-tuk ride was fun ($5 each way is the going rate). Our driver took us there and waited for us while we visited and then drove us back. Tim showered when we got back to get ready for his trip back to the US. Hey - someone has to work!
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Tim's last day of vacation in Southeast Asia
We got to sleep this morning but woke up with the sun about 7 am. We had breakfast outside on the patio at the hotel and then went for our "city tour" of Siem Reap on our own. We first walked along the Siem Reap River to the Royal Independence Gardens and the Royal Residence of the King and Queen of Cambodia. Today is a holiday in Cambodia - and all families are supposed to go to the pagoda to pay respects to their relatives. The Preah Ang Chek Preah Ang Charm Shrines are by the gardens and they were filled with people lighting incense and setting small birds free (for a fee). We walked to the Raffles Grand Hotel D'Angkor by the gardens and then headed back into town. We walked on the other side of the river to the downtown market area - this is what we were looking for last night!!!!
Many of the shops were closed in the morning but lots were open so we roamed through the streets and looked. When we got back to the Central Market area we went in and looked at the merchants stalls - everyone wants you to look - and many want you to buy a t-shirt! They don't seem to understand "No"! We just kept walking.
I bargained for some gold earrings for Lauren - 20 carat gold - she didn't have what I wanted but "her friend" got them from another booth. Deal done, we headed on and crossed the Old Market Bridge to find Wat Damnak. We went right by it (Tim said - thi s is a school! - but it was the Wat!). We went around the block and came in the back. Interesting. Lots of tombs - some of different colors. Some of the tombs had pieces of paper on them - this has some significance relative to your ancestors.
We then walked up the east side of the river to Wat Bo. Another interesting site. They were feeding the monks at a large hall (all a part of the holiday celebration). Back by Viroth's Restaurant to the hotel.
We went to the pool and went swimming - it felt wonderful. Had rum drinks - then got dressed and went to the cafe for a "proper lunch" - Tim had a deluxe club sandwich made with lobster and I had pasta. My strawberry daiquiri was definitely weird!
We then took a short nap and relaxed by the pool. Back to the room so Tim could pack - he is taking my duffel suitcase back with him and some of my really dirty clothes so I can use his big red bag on wheels with a handle - that will be a bit easier for me. We got dressed and headed to the lobby to get a tuk-tuk for a ride out to Angkor Wat for one last visit - and to get pictures in the afternoon sun since we had been there in early morning. LOTS of people - especially Japanese. They can be so inconsiderate too!
The tuk-tuk ride was fun ($5 each way is the going rate). Our driver took us there and waited for us while we visited and then drove us back. Tim showered when we got back to get ready for his trip back to the US. Hey - someone has to work!
We got our same tuk-tuk driver and went into the downtown Siem Reap area (The Alley). We walked around a bit and ended up at "The Linga Bar" (appropriate don't you think?). We had 2 cosmopolitans each and they were discounted as it was happy hour so our total bill was $13.50 for 4 drinks - what a deal. We should have been doing this every night! We walked around a bit and went back to "Cambodian BBQ" restaurant that had been recommended in our small guide book. It was an experience. We had fried chicken spring rolls - they were just okay. But the main course was spectacular. They brought a heated contraption with an aluminum "cooker" on top with holes. They spread fat back on top to grease the cooking surface, and then we placed chicken, shrimp, and then beef on top to cook. Around the edge was a broth that they kept putting boiling water in. We put vegetables in this to cook - carrots, lettuce, cabbage, etc. That was good too. A new experience and good. Hopefully, the stomach will think so too.
We walked to the end of the alley and got a tuk-tuk back to the hotel ($2). Tim changed and packed up and we took him down to meet his driver to the airport for his 11:30 flight from Siem Reap to Seoul. He'll arrive there tomorrow and after a several hour layover, he will leave for Atlanta - then on to Ft Lauderdale, where he'll arrive back mid afternoon about 3.
I was full and zonked after the drinks and big dinner - so I watched CNN for a while, updated my blog and then went to sleep. I have a tour to the large lake - Tonle Sap. This is about a 20 minute tuk-tuk ride from the hotel and then a 2 hour tour on the lake where there are "boat villages". Should be interesting. But for now, I'm beat and off to sleep.
I was reflecting on this trip over dinner. Tim's favorite parts were Halong Bay in Vietnam and Ta Prohm (where all of the trees were overtaking the temples). My favorite was the thrill of visiting Vietnam and Cambodia where the US used to be an enemy and now they welcome us with open arms. The people are so friendly and it is always amazing what a smile accomplishes. Especially the small children - they want to wave to you and have you wave back. So we did that a lot.
This has been a physically hard trip - and my knees are telling me to lighten up. I didn't realize it would be so physically demanding but I'm proud that I did it all and experienced the things that I did. Wonderful. This is living.
This has been a physically hard trip - and my knees are telling me to lighten up. I didn't realize it would be so physically demanding but I'm proud that I did it all and experienced the things that I did. Wonderful. This is living.
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