Alright my last part for the Cambodia trip where I'll be talking about Siem Reap town! I didn't spend that much time in town. In fact, I actually only spent about 15 hours in total in the town haha. Since I spent most of my time at the Angkor Complex, and only going to the city centre for food and walking around. I didn't have time to explore other parts of the town. Which I really wish I did.
So as mentioned on the first part, I arrived in Siem Reap at 2:30 PM, and took a tuk-tuk (rhyme intended) to the hotel. Which after that I went to walk around the city centre as well. The first afternoon was just spent getting myself familiarised with the city and the surrounding. My hotel is located about 5-minute walk to the city centre. Which is kinda nice because it's rather quiet mwahaha. It can get pretty bustling and crowded in the city centre. Or you can take a tuk-tuk and cut it short to a minute.
Psar Chaa. We call market pasar too! I wonder where's the similarity from
On my first day I just spent walking around the old market or Psar Chaa. The inside of the market is actually a local market, with vendors selling food and seafood and other goods. In the morning they even have vegetable and fruit vendors where the locals buy! Whereas the surrounding of the market is more of the tourists with souvenirs and clothes etc. I was just walking around to see what's there to see and buy. Got myself some postcards as usual. And then I went for dinner at Haven!
Haven!
I found Haven through TripAdvisor and also a vegan YouTuber (Libby and Marcel). Was reading online that they are easily booked out for dinner so I sent a reservation in the morning before my flight to Siem Reap heh. Thankfully they replied and I got a table! Okay I didn't have any meal since like 11 AM so I was very hungry. I ordered 3 dishes and the staff looks so shocked hahaha. But he's really nice and attentive, making sure I enjoyed my meal at a comfortable pace! :D
This is the sour soup with vegetables. I've never eaten such cute lotus roots before heh
Okay food I ordered are: Cambodian Khmer curry, a local sour soup with vegetables and vegan armok made out of tofu! armok is a traditional Cambodian dish usually made with fish. But here they made it with tofu and it's really good. I only had one plate of rice and three dishes. I think the sour soup with vegetables is the best dish. Very refreshing and delicious. The food at Haven is very very good. They are well-seasoned and the portion size is very good. Thankfully I made a reservation cause as I was eating there are lots of people coming in. I might not get a seat! I recommend everyone to come here :)
Murals depicting life of the Buddha at Wat Preah Prom Rath
Oh yes I also went to two temples at Siem Reap. The first one I went to was Wat Damnak and then Wat Preah Prom Rath. Wat Damnak is located near the hotel. I was just wandering around and went inside to take a look. There were a few monks and a few locals (look like students!) studying on the benches. War Preah Prom Rath is located beside the old market and it is a beautiful temple. There's an area with walls depicting the life of the Buddha. Very serene and quiet to walk around.
Okay something embarrassing happened. So at the temples, there are beautiful stupas at the temple ground. Some of the stupas look really beautiful, some look ordinary. I took a photo of one of them. The next day I asked Mr Sophea what these stupas are and... It's a place where family put the ashes of the deceased in, and do prayers. Oh dear, I was a bit shocked and embarrassed haha.
Chilling with Angkor beer after a hot day out!
That's all for my first day in Siem Reap. The second night (after I returned from Angkor Wat) was just spent eating dinner and walking around the old market to look for things to buy home. I had a Cambodian porridge? It's usually made with fish but I asked the lady at the restaurant no fish, no fish sauce, just tofu hahaha. And thankfully she understood! But err no fish sauce so it was a tad bland, had to ask her for some soy sauce. Pretty good and heartening dish definitely!
My tofu porridge haha
Okay this is really random and weird. I don't know why but throughout the trip I was craving for soupy and warm dishes, when I spent my day under the hot Cambodian sun :O
All you need after doing a temple run
My third day ended in the afternoon. After Mr Sophea dropped me off at the hotel at about 3 PM I think, I went to take a shower because I was sweating like crazy heh. And then rested for a while and headed off to town again at 4:30 ish. This time round I was looking for something light since it's before dinner. Found Fresh Fruit Factory again via TripAdvisor and had a superb shaved ice dessert with mango!
Lazy Sunday afternoon at Fresh Fruit Factory
The cafe is owned by a Japanese couple who served with Japanese hospitality. Like the lady actually walked with me to the entrance of the cafe to look for a tuk-tuk! Had a nice chat with them as well. And the shaved ice is so so good. Usually shaved ice is bland, but I think they added milk in the ice which makes it sweet and delightful. All you need after a day of doing temple run definitely!
Then I went back to town. With time to kill I went to get foot massage hah. My legs are feeling really sore anyway. And then I went to get dinner, this time round at a pasta place. I usually refuse to eat non-local food when I travel abroad. But I went past this restaurant and I was just craving for carbs heh. So I got myself some nice cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper) with homemade pasta. It was really good.
Too old for this shiz
Walked around town again to check the hyped pub street but I feel like I'm too old for that shiz haha. Beer is so cheap though, I saw bars selling like 50 cents beer! Also I got asked by so many random tuk-tuk drivers and men if I want "massage girls" and "go-go girls". No thanks.
I went to the Angkor market which is kinda similar to the old market. Went to walk around again to different parts of town. And I decided to just go back to the hotel to do some journaling and packing up. Well I really wish I had more time to explore the other parts of town, and even to go to the Angkor Museum. Well maybe one day if I return again I'll come back to these places! Thank you Siem Reap :)
Sunset in Siem Reap
Okay my first impression of Siem Reap is that it really reminds me of my hometown. Or in fact it reminds me a lot of Indonesia. The houses, the people and the hustle and bustle. Well after all we are in Southeast Asia so we all kinda look a like haha. Siem Reap is kind of like a combination of quiet and bustle. I love the pace of life here, but at the same time things around me seem to be so active and are moving quickly. It's a mixture of both. I can't really put it into words.
On the other hand, life moves really slowly on the outskirts of town. It's very quaint and pretty pleasing to drive around the countryside. The houses around me are still built traditionally (they are high above the ground). Paddy fields here and there, with the occasional cows and buffalo passing by. If I can spend some time staying with a local here I would definitely do so!
Locals at the old market
Cambodians are also some of the friendliest and warmest people I've met. I didn't have a lot of opportunities talking with a local, apart from Mr Sophea and few others. Okay the reality of life is not that sweet here. And it breaks my heart a little seeing little kids selling things at the Angkor complex, when they should be in school studying. But such is life I guess, just like in some parts of Indonesia.
Okay I don't know much about the politics and economics of the country. But well, after a tumultous history that the country had to endure, I really just wish that Cambodia and her people will always be blessed with happiness and prosperity as they move forward. It's really a wonderful country, although I've only seen a tiny fraction of it. And I hope I can have the chance to go back one day, to see other parts of Cambodia, and see the Angkor Wat again hopefully!
Alright that's all for my blog posts of my trip to Cambodia! Another country ticked off the bucket list, and I wonder where else I'm gonna go. And when! Haha that's the ultimate question. My heart's fulfilled seeing the Angkor Wat. A place I've been fascinated with since young. To walk along its walls and grounds felt pretty incredible. I hope you'll have the chance to see and visit them too.
Thanks for tuning in!
Au kaun Siem Reap
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