Cambodia

Gosh, what to say about our time in Siem Reap, Cambodia? Wow. We loved it here!

Siem Reap is a charming little city. Plenty to do and eat and drink and see. Sidewalks. Cheap tuktuks on every corner. Friendly dogs on every block. And a smile to match every one we gave.

Our visit didn’t necessarily begin promisingly when our Airbnb flooded overnight. The toilet ran aaaaaall night while we slept. And we woke early our first morning to 3 inches of water underfoot. But we found a “boutique hotel” with a slamming last-minute deal on a room with laundry and kitchenette and 2 bathrooms. So we ended up in town with air conditioning and a swimming pool and a concierge to connect us with a local driver. Perfect!

We went to a pottery studio one day. Where we tried our hands at throwing on a kick wheel. It was hard (moreso for some of us than others) to concentrate on both keeping a rhythm with a leg as well as pay attention to the clay between hands! But we produced a few pieces ourselves and felt good supporting a business that employs disabled persons and underprivileged women.

We went to a traditional Khmer restaurant where they had to search for a menu in English. When we asked for “no meat” items, they showed us the entrees containing frogs. We sat on a raised platform, on low mats, with intermittent breaks in hammocks right there at our table. And very much enjoyed our seafood soup (served in a donut-shaped crock over a flame), fried rice, and spring rolls. We don’t think we ended up with any frog.

We learned about rats that are trained to sniff out landmines. (They are too light to trigger explosions.) And spent a morning playing games at a board game cafe owned by a couples Brits. And spent an evening at an arcade playing family Mario Cart and singing along to Blink 182 songs. Oh! And we played mini golf in a downpour. The course was the owner’s yard, under his stilted house. His wife and kids and father hung out at the “cafe” tables (around a refrigerator stocked with drinks in cans) doing homework and using their phones and eating lunch with their pet parakeet. And we found at least 3 different kinds of frogs along the 14 holes.

And the temples. The reason most people come to Siem Reap. The reason we did, mostly.

Most famously there is Angkor Wat. The largest religious complex in the world (according to the national museum). So famous its silhouette is on Cambodia’s flag. It is familiar to everyone, even if you don’t know it, because it has become the stereotypical “jungle temple” we all picture. We went there first, knowing its import. It is indeed large, when you take into account the outer walls, the bridge over the moat, the inner walls with their bas relief carvings, the secondary buildings, the shrines, the main temple. All restored to its original cohesive Hindu/Buddhist beauty. Immense and impressive!

But Angkor Wat is far from the only site in the area. There are many many others, in various states of restoration or decay, from various centuries of history, embodying different religious ideals and mythologies. Each one we visited had its own unique feel (or vibe, as the kids might say).

And visiting when we did, the rainy off season, we often, unbelievably, had places all to ourselves. And we were allowed to touch almost anything! Go nearly anywhere! Eat a picnic lunch sitting on the steps of the innermost temple!

It was fascinating and humbling and awe-some and provocative and fun! And sweaty, oh so sweaty. The sun, the humidity, the stairs. Soooo sweaty.

Oh! And did I mention the wildlife? Pigs wandering through parking lots and monkeys opening water bottles at shrines and spiders in doorways and cows in city streets. And butterflies eeeeeeverywhere.

And although the temples were our main motivation for coming here, and were certainly absolutely spectacular to experience, they weren’t the whole reason we liked Cambodia so much. It is a mixture of modernity and tradition. Creature comforts and hardcore jungle living. Mostly kind-hearted people who are quick to smile and always willing to help and unassuming and genuine. We will miss Cambodia! And we certainly left plenty to do upon a return!