Spa Special in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Devoured by ravenous little swimming creatures at a fish spa in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The sensation is exquisitely ticklish because you feel their nibbling mouths taking on your dead epidermis. Though you don't noticeably see the "smoothness" in your skin after this ordeal, there's a degree of catharsis to be had. Think survival from mini-piranhas. Think micro-vanity. Think trying on a new experience... and you go back to your hotel room smug.

There's plenty of these touristy endeavors along Street no. 8 otherwise known as "Pub Street" where rows of restaurants and shops congregate.

This is the Eye in the Sky! 

The Boy in Angkor Wat (Cambodia)

Not all visitors in Angkor Wat are foreigners. Some locals find their way inside. They mill around, sit on windows, observe the manual traffic inside. You find them after entry into the most popular temple, the sprawling temple. I found this boy asking for alms. He seemed very comfortable talking to strangers. And though this may be cliche, he's better off inside a classroom, isn't he?

Angkor Wat, the largest of the Khmer monuments, is located 6 kilometers north of Siem Reap. The temple grounds require entry tickets, a day pass, to visit. King Suryavarman II built the temple in the first half of the 12th century. Siem Reap, where most visitors are based, is located 320 kilometers (199 miles) north of the capital Phnom Penh.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Boundless Awe in Ta Promh (Angkor Wat Complex, Cambodia)

I never get tired of Ta Promh, the temple built by King Jayavarman VII as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university. This was going to be a place for learning as well as a dwelling for the monks. Built between 12th and 13th century, Ta Promh, aka Rajavihara, is built in the Bayon style. These days, huge silk cotton trees and strangler fig trees with gigantic adventitious roots have coiled among the ruins. I was as amazed on my second visit as when I saw it for the first time. I suspect that the novelty won't wane even on a third visit.

Another feature of this site is the dearth of narrative bas-relief found aplenty in other temples. One explanation: Hindu iconoclasts destroyed most of them during the death of Jayavarman. This culture of destruction keeps on repeating time and again. Why is man so destructive? One wonders. These days, India is helping in the restoration of the site.

Ta Promh is located 1 kilometer from Angkor Thom, roughly 6 kilometers from Siem Reap in North Cambodia.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

On Fried Crispy Insects, Leaving Siem Reap & Buses to Phnom Penh

I was a bit anxious early in the day. Despite relatively expensive prices, I decided to check out Shadow of Angkor's restaurant for my early breakfast though I wasn't particularly hungry. But a safe rule in Backpacking 101 is always having your meals at the right time - when you can - because you never know when or where you're exactly going to get your next.

I ordered an American Breakfast which constituted 4 small pancakes immersed in honey, with slices of bananas between each stack; then there's either coffee or tea - all for $3.50! The trouble here was, it took them 30 minutes to prepare and I was getting antsy because I knew that at any moment, my pick-up coaster would be arriving to take me to the Bus Terminal. This transfer service was part of the bus ticket purchased from the hotel. Sure beats dealing with tuktuks just to get to the terminal, which is 20-30 minutes from the city center.

My bus this time would be the Sokha Komar Tep Express bus, a heavily peddled bus service from my hotel's front desk. At $6, it was 50% cheaper than the Mekong Express Limousine Bus so if you are scrimping (I wasn't, I just wanted to check out how good is this $6 ride), you might as well take this bus.

HOTEL OR GUESTHOUSE

My pick-up coaster made a 10 minute rounds to pick up more tourists bound for Phnom Penh. Such beautiful guesthouses, and at no place in Asia is there such magnificently cheap accommodations looking like grand hotels. The reason? I was told a few years ago while staying at Mom's Guesthouse that using the name "hotel" would entail paying more taxes than using "Guesthouse". Moreover, the hotels that use "hotel" to name their establishment here in Siem Reap are really gargantuan in space and spread - think Shangri-La Mall!

Tonle Sap Lake

LEG ROOMS, MEKONG EXPRESS VS. SOKHA KOMAR TEP

Sokha Komar Tep Express Bus wasn't bad. Most foreign tourists are curiously given the backseats - this has been my observation! I got a seat at the 9th row, where there are 12 rows. The Europeans behind me were trying to fit themselves and had to contend with the steady traffic of people using the WC (toilet) situated at the back of the bus. What's the difference from the Mekong Express? The floor of the bus is a bit elevated and there's less leg room for comfort so if you're a tall person and you hate trying to fit your lower extremities for a 5 to 6 hour ride, then I would say, Sokha Komar Tep isn't for you. Get the Mekong Express, by all means. It's an $11 seat, while Sokha Komar Tep is just $6.

DEEP FRIED AND CRUNCHY

At 10AM, the bus made its single stop at Kampong Thom, the same place Mekong Express made its stop last time. I didn't bother getting a meal as I was still stuffed with the 4 little pancakes served from Shadow of Angkor. It was a 30 minute stopover so I walked around the nearby psar (market) to check out their local products. I bought sugarcane juice at 1,000 riel and purchased a coke in can (2,500 riel) for later. At the other end of the roadside compound, I found stacks of deep fried ready-to-eat insects cooked with local herbs and spices stacked like rice - crickets, grasshoppers, giant aphids, a-ping (tarantulas) all ready to eat. I'm told that these are delicious alternatives to the crispiness of pretzels and potato chips. Finger food, anyone?

I slept through most of my ride. But one hour into Phnom Penh, I noticed an area where buddhist temples gleamed side by side each other, built with different materials - wood, concrete, steel, etc. There was also an area filled with oil refineries or gasoline depots. I didn't notice these places before. Cambodia is such an enthralling potpourri of sights.

Sacks of a variety of insects deep fried and spiced up. This photo only courtesy of Photobucket's adhanoa.

Crunchy grasshopper battered up! This photo only courtesy of hubpages' billericky.

The trip back to Phnom Penh took 6 hours. Good thing I already emailed Seng, owner of my new guesthouse - Europe Guesthouse - in the capital. He already arranged for a pick-up service, a tuktuk at a measly $2. My airport pick-up to Green House was a car service worth $12, though understandable since the airport is far from the city center ($6 by tuktuk).

I waited for 10 minutes for my pick-up. It was a kind-looking young man named Banh. Yup, if you've never seen a face that looked "kind", you have to see Banh. Haha. I will post his photo and contact number one of these days. Europe Guesthouse was just 3 blocks south of Sokha Komar Tep's garage (it's not a terminal, but just a parking space outside Sokha's main office in the heart of the city) - very near Sangka Wat Phnom area and just 1 block from Sisowath Quay! It is a great place, just like Mekong Express, because you're already at the heart of the capital's new backpacker area (Boeung Kak lake area has mostly been demolished) and Sisowath Quay!

For me, it was another opportunity to rediscover Phnom Penh, a city I was once scared to visit. Not anymore.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Sokha Komar Tep Bus

Temples of the Angkor Wat Complex

In the morning, I was in a quandary. I was told that Siem Reap was already celebrating the Buddhist Water Holiday and for the next week, there will be no outgoing buses. I was stuck in the expensive “town” of Siem Reap! What to do? In a couple of days, I had a flight from Saigon to Hanoi - and I was stuck in Cambodia! The morose-looking “mom” made her calls to the other bus companies, but I was out of luck. My only option was to book a flight (read: expensive - add to this is Siem Reap’s airport departure tax - $25). So I was to fly from Siem Reap to Saigon! I withdrew cash at a nearby ATM machine and handed $120 to "mom". She was still sporting her characteristic smirk, but by this time, I was sure it wasn't personal. With that taken cared, I was now set on conquering the Angkor Wat temples. The options were varied: a taxi could be arranged to take me around the temples. And there are tuktuks and the motodup as well.

I wanted the wind on my hair, and I wanted a comfortable sit as well, so I hired a tuktuk (a motorcycle pulling a 3-wheeled roofed carriage). Passing through the town center (luxury casinos, resort hotels, golf courses – a far cry from the squalid capital Phnom Penh), my driver drove me to Angkor Wat’s central office. A foreigner has to buy a $20 day-pass. This “pass” is randomly checked - and you have to show this at every temple entrance.

My first stop was the main temple, Angkor Wat, looming majestic with a moat and a baray (body of water). My driver waited outside while I navigated the temple. Stepping on the moat leading to the Wat was like stepping back in time. One can’t help but be mystified by the history and regal bearings of each structure. I had goosebumps.

The complex of temples spans around an area as big as Manhattan. Some are closer to each other, while others are far away, like Banteay Srey which is 37 km from Siem Reap. Each temple has specific features. My personal favorites were: Ta Promh (where they filmed Indiana Jones and Lara Croft) – with gigantic trees growing out of temple structures, a case of nature’s triumph over men; the Bayon, a part of Angkor Thom, which has more than 200 enigmatic faces in half-smiles looking down their visitors; and finally, the magnificence of the main Angkor Wat. If you closely observe the details of the designs, they tell stories of the 12th century. Every part is picture perfect.

Reality is, one cannot possibly view all these temples in a day, though the temple grounds open as early as 5AM (for the avid photographers, this would mean daybreak photos overlooking the Western Baray and Angkor Wat) and close at 5PM. You need a minimum of 3 days (that’s $60) to appreciate majority of these temples.

You also need a comfortable ride because it is almost impossible to walk from one temple to the next, unless you have several weeks of holiday. A bike may be used but Siem Reap (SR) has prohibited bike rentals within the town’s confines (unless you have rented your bike outside SR.)

Some of these temples are poorly maintained, remote and unpopulated. Some can be found in the bowels of a jungle, thus not so safe especially for lone female trekkers (a couple of rape cases have been reported). Next important thing to consider upon visiting these temples: it is physically daunting! You need some stamina to climb up and down each temple. There may be limited mobility/activity for the physically challenged (the handicaps) or the elderly, unless they're happy watching the view from the outside. I had 4 shirt changes during my visit. The sun can get harsh - so bring extra shirts, bottled water, and maybe a face towel.

As I moved from one temple to the next, I would raise my soaked shirts against the wind (best sensation there is). Another must-have: a good sunblock with high level spf! I used enough and still got fried. Some of these temples, like Ta Keo, were very very steep. After persevering it’s very thin steps, I was petrified coming down. It was hard to maneuver your feet sideways (to fit the width of the steps), balancing yourself so you won't suffer a long, bumpy fall.

Another tip: if you have agreed on a $15 whole-day ride with your tuktuk, make sure that this includes Banteay Srey. I was emphatic to point this out to my driver - or it would be a “no-go”. Banteay Srey turned out to be “pretty”; it was a girlie temple, relatively small and with a pinkish hue! This "most beautiful" temple is some 30 minutes from the central congregation of temples.

Banteay Srey

I enjoyed the ride through the countryside on my way to Banteay Srey. Green fields, wooden houses that rise on stilts (typical old khmer architecture – as noted by a Chinese farmer who first visited the temples way back 12th century). This was a far advanced civilization, with a population of 1 million when London only had 100,000.

I noticed several “artesian wells” that had signage’s “donated by Mr. So_and_so of Toronto, Canada” or “By Fredirique of Nice, France”. There were signs that led to other temples further afield, but you had to risk landmines as well as hoodlums to visit such remote temples.

Outside Banteay Srey, there were stalls selling brass wares, paintings, souvenir shirts. Several young men offered Lonely Planet books of Cambodia and a Special Edition of the Angkor Wat Temples. It was sold at $13. I had no intentions of buying one, but these young boys were so persistent. “I wait for you, mister,” remarked one of them. I told him not to wait for me, but he disregarded my reply. After roaming the temple, I found him waiting outside. He kept dogging me every step of the way until I finally relented. "$9," he offered, but I wanted him out of the way so I said, "$6" or I'll go! He stared at his wares then finally handed the book over. I almost felt sorry for him, but this was a book I didn't need! Was I bad? He was the persistent one! Over at Shangrila's Powerbooks, the Cambodian Lonely Planet sells at $36 (PhP1650)! This edition was a special edition of just the Temples of the Angkor Wat!

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Note:

I have since visited Siem Reap and the Angkor Temples for the 2nd time this year (July 2011). The actual travelogue is posteD here - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2011/07/siem-reap-bakhen-temples-golden-sunsets.html - and the successive posts follow.

Siem Reap - Gateway to Angkor Wat

After an arduous bus ride from Phnom Penh (see October entry, “An Amorous Khmer”), I found myself in a dark, wet and muddy bus station in Siem Reap. It was a moderate downpour that lasted the whole night. I scampered to the nearest shed, with bag on my shoulder. Stood there wondering how I could get to anywhere. This is barrio! There were motorcycles waiting. Like Vietnam, most of these motorcycles double as motodups (motor taxis). I approached one and asked how much it would cost me to get me to Two Dragons Guesthouse (supposedly along Wat Bo Road with clean aircon rooms starting at $7 or about P336) OR at Family Guesthouse (they have aircon rooms from $6 – about P260) I read from wikipedia. We couldn’t understand each other. Finally, a young lady approached us and offered to translate. Turned out my $2 offer wasn’t good enough; that it was too far. He had to agree at $3.

Hmmm. I knew I didn't have much choice. I just wanted to leave the damp station, and relax in some dry comfortable bed. I stepped behind the driver, with my 13kg backpack flinging to my side. Put my cap on, and held on to the driver’s shoulder, as he slowly sped southward. Rain was falling; water dripping down my face. I was starting to feel the weight of my luggage from my right arm. We passed by rows of expensive looking hotels, and then turned left to Wat Bo Street. I noticed that majority of these hotels were named after specific temples, e.g. Banteay Srey Hotel, Kbal Paean Resort Hotel. My eyes were trying to catch any familiar name from Lonely Planet.

When it was obvious that my driver didn't know where my intended guesthouse is, I instructed him to turn around and head back to Mom’s Guesthouse (no. 0099 Phom Wat Bo, Siem Reap) just a few walks from the main highway (National Route 6). It was way past 9 and a friendly looking girl in her mid-20s met me. The place was well lit and looks like a small hotel with a chandelier and a spotless marbled floor. She suggested that I dry myself first and come down later to fill up the registration. We went to the building annex at the back and went up a stair. Ooops, it was occupied, “I forgot my uncle is staying here tonight,” she explained. We went down again and up to the 3rd floor of a room that was facing Wat Bo Street. I got a room with a view and a veranda as well. Nice drawn curtains. Very clean. Split type aircon, beautiful bathroom with a tub and a huge double bed. All these for $15.

I told her later that this looked like a “hotel” more than a “guesthouse”. The male owner joined us later, explaining why they opted to keep the name, “Mom’s Guesthouse” instead of “Mom’s Hotel”. Any establishment with “Hotel” on it is straightaway taxed more than a "guesthouse". He kept asking where I was from (“Hmmm. You don’t look Malaysia coz they have beards on their faces”), or how I learned about Mom's (I don’t have to tell them they weren't my original choice. In fact, they were not on my 3 picks at all. I later realized that travelfish had several complaints about them, and that the site refused to place them on the recommended lists. This was mostly due to the stern faced matriarch who frequents the front desk. She was morose looking, and seemed like she'd rather be elsewhere than deal with you. On hindsight, I believe she was just “made” that way. She booked my tuktuk to the Temples. She offered me a $2 breakfast. She booked my plane ticket back to Vietnam when I found myself stranded in Siem Reap due to a Buddhist holiday - a water holiday, to be exact-that I wasn’t aware about.)


My inexpensive meal in Siem Reap @ Tokimex Station
(a gas station with fastfood/convenience store)


After a few chitchat, I headed out in the rain- to grab something to eat. It was almost 11 and I realized I haven’t had a proper meal since the long bus ride from Phnom Penh. I went to a restaurant nearby. Everything in this place was quoted in US dollars. It’s practically their monetary unit of choice, instead of riel (KHR). You pay them in dollars, they change with riel unless you specify that you want your change in “US dollar”. Even the nearby internet café quoted in cents of dollars. Here’s my expenses: $0.50 for bottled coke, $3.50 for Amok (their National Dish – curried chicken – the khmer dish is characterized by a sweeter taste; in fact, their curry has sweet potato in it!), $2.50 for grilled pork (their barbecue sauce is well recommended and not to be missed). I had to emphasize to the waitress that it was “pork” and “NOT FROG” coz she sure sounded like she was saying “f’og”. This caused hilarity among the waitresses, but I had to make sure, since frog was actually on the menu! After the late dinner, I proceeded to the internet café ($0.050/hour) to check my mails. The shop closes at 12 midnight (it was still 11PM in Manila). I retired to my room 135 and planned my itinerary for the next morning. Set my alarm early, then drifted to a peaceful sleep.




Wat Kesaram


Monks texting



Tnor Bridge
connecting the backpacker's area of Wat Bo and the French Quarter


Siem Reap International Airport (small, intimate, relaxed)
BUT with a steep airport tax of US$25



Siem Reap: In a Nutshell

One common mistake that tourists make on their Cambodian visit is ignoring Siem Reap altogether. The gateway to the Angkor Wat temples offers so much more. It is rather easy to ignore this town since the temples are natural spectacles, natural scene stealers. It’s easy to get enamored with the flurry of activities related to temple watching. The whole activity is physically exhausting and once all has been accomplished, the ordinary tourist would prefer to recharge and rest, or better yet, endure the 7-8 hour bus ride back to Phnom Penh for a more earthy social interaction! Heck! The bus ride will only cost $3.50! (These days, more direct Saigon-Siem Reap routes have been made available by bus companies - usually at $18 one way!)

There’s a LOT of gallivanting that Siem Reap can offer. A walk from Wat Bo area towards Siem Reap River alone can yield varying degrees of pleasure. There’s the park just across the river; a façade of the elegant Grand Hotel. I was standing at the center of the park when I noticed distant mice sounds. When I looked up, I began noticing hundreds and hudreds of bats hanging down the branches of the giant trees that lined the park. Aren't a majority of bats nocturnal? A few would fly off their perch, but they were still making lots of noice. Sat on the grass for 10 minutes, just observing them. There were so many of them, I couldn't believe I almost missed them.

There is the Royal Palace, partially covered by hedges on walls. The lawn of Siem Reap Museum is inviting too. A visit to the Central Market is an exciting shopping activity: several souvenir items, commemorative stuff, blankets, paintings, shirts and blouses, brass items, just about anything that is sellable. Buddhist temples are a dime a dozen: big or small. Then there is the French Quarter, where nearby, rows and rows of restaurants and specialty shops abound. At night, these dining places come alive! Think Eastwood and Greenbelt with a more eclectic mix of cuisine! Add a good serving of moolah-spending backpackers! It is a little wonder why the seat of government hasn't been transferred from Phom Penh to Siem Reap!

For the adventurous, one can visit “Happy Herbs Pizza” for the seasonal cannabis-laced pizza. You do have to remember to steer clear from their men in uniform. Cambodia is, after all, considered the second most corrupt country worldwide, although such nefarious practices are more concentrated in the capital PP (checkpoints that bleed with bribes for foreigners with imagined infarctions!)

My stay in Siem Reap had been one eventful experience. Due to the aforementioned Buddhist holiday, all the prices have been jacked up, thus most of my dinners would cost me $6, or $9 (when I feel like treating myself after a well-planned itinerary). When I found myself stuck in SR, I had to look for more reasonable dining places. I remembered emailing my friends, complaining about being stuck in an expensive "city", not knowing yet when I'd be able to leave. Was fretting like a baby, refusing to leave the Wat Bo premises - as if anybody cared if I boycott Siem Reap's nightlife.

From Wat Bo, crossing Tnor Bridge to the other side, there is a Sokimex (a petrol station) Express Counter; a mini fastfood and a 24-hour convenience store. I discovered some of the most sumptuous meals during my travel – at a very reasonable price. Eh ano kung gas station, basta masarap na nga, mura pa! Hehe. A chicken meal was $1.25, plus $0.40 coke in can. My dinner that day was from the same place – fried noodle with pork @ $3.50. An ice cream cup (with 4 scoops of different flavors) was $1.25.

Along National Route 6 (the national highway that leads to the airport), one can visit Wat Kesaram. From there, I flagged a motodup to take me to the SR Museum. Most locals are not even aware that such museum exists. Mr. Motodup brought me to the WAR MUSEUM instead (for $1). The latter charged a hefty $3 entrance fee – and nothing much to show. From the entrance pa lang, you would see a decrepit building which has seen better days. Located far from the center of town, we had to pass through an isolated street. If for some reason my ride left me, it would be a kilometer's walk (of an almost deserted road) back to the National Road. Scary. Anyway, I asked my driver to wait for me, then proceeded to the Central Market ($1.50). This town has 3 Markets: Angkor Market (which looks more like a department store), Psar Chas (Old Market) and the Central Market.

I bought a VCD of the Apsara Dance, where the world-famous Thai dances have been derived ($3 each); souvenir shirts at $1.50 each (instead of the usual $3); beautiful local paintings at $14 (from the original $40).

After shopping, I went back to my guesthouse to pack my stuff, soaked in the tub, and relaxed before my flight. My tuktuk driver met me at the lounge. He was gonna take me to the airport. I asked him to take me to the roundabout where the restaurants and bars are. I wanted to see it again before I leave the city. There were several streets I wasn’t able to visit earlier while just walking around, and my driver went around these places without me telling him. He was a silent guy, an honest man, who works hard for a living. Night has fallen over Siem Reap, and the incandescent lights bade an indifferent goodbye as we turned towards the highway. It grew dark. I was finally leaving Siem Reap, a name I haven’t even heard of until early this year. A sense of serenity and a bit of sadness embraced me, as the cool night wind brushed against my face. We got to the airport ($3 entrance fee). My driver got off his tuktuk, offered his calling card and earnestly shook my hand. I was grateful that he made my stay safe and easy, though we hardly exchanged words (his English was serviceable, but not that good.) I paid more than what was earlier agreed. As I headed inside, I couldn't help but feel a sense of elation knowing that he will somehow think of Filipinos in a positive light (not as big tippers LOL), much as I'm made aware that Khmers aren't different from the hardworking, honest Pinoys back home.

An Amorous Khmer - The Ride From Phnom Penh

.
Buddhist Monks waiting for their ride.


Royal Hall


Phnom Penh Museum


Preah Sihanouk Boulevard


Independence Monument

Everyone becomes a different person once uprooted from his native land, whether for employment, education or a simple holiday. I am no different. I am polite and patient more than I usually am. I am also decisive and careful. But I take chances when doors of opportunity open up. It is in this vein that I tell of an amusing anecdote that, though it was uncomfortable and constricting at that time, I now look back with fondness and a hearty laugh.

My bus ride from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap started rather uneventfully. Someone drove me to a corner in front of the Phnom Penh Cultural Center where I was to wait for my bus. A couple of middle-aged Chinese guys (who I initially thought were Japanese) waited with me. We were both trying to make conversations, but all they could mutter was “Temp’l? Temp’l?” – so I gave up after a while. I stood infront of an apothecary where an old lady was smiling, spewing words in French, and all I could say was, “Sorry, je ne parle pas le français.” She must have understood me - she offered me a seat – which was so sweet, as I didn’t have any business for her, and sheepishly offered back my “Merci beaucoup.” An old lady offering me a seat! Imagine!

Thirty minutes later, the bus arrived, and a flurry of embarking activities followed. The stowage compartment from the side of the bus was gradually filled with a potpourri of stuff that city dwellers bring home to their folks in the countryside. Sacks of what-have-you's, packed garments, crates of yam and bananas, everything went inside the compartment, including a live chicken in its cage. I slowly made my way inside, looking for my seat, where I was pointed to a seat whose number doesn’t match my assigned ticket. The assistant implied that my seating had been changed, so that’s it.

From the looks of it, this was gonna be a packed ride, with a strictly local population – except for the two Chinese guys and myself.

I refused to part with my 12-kg bag, which was a good idea, since the bus would drop passengers along the 6-hour (and later, 7-hour) ride, and the aforementioned compartment outside would be constantly subjected to disembarkation. With a window seat and airconditioning – I couldn’t complain. This will be a breeze.

Then came a group of Khmer ladies. One of them sat beside me, while her friends were behind us. She closely looked at me and smiled, so I said, hello. She had a friendly face, long hair pinned on a twirling bun. Turns out she couldn’t understand a single word of English. Not even a “yes”, a “no”, “thank you” or the word “English”. I would have loved chatting with locals. Oh well. An interesting 6-hour bus ride flew off my window. Or so I thought.

The bus started playing on video a Chinese comedy-adventure series dubbed in Khmer. Every hour or so, the assistant would change the disc for its continuation. The passengers totally lapped it up - hook, line and sinker! They love this rollicking slapstick! I was grateful that it wasn’t a continuous barrage of Cambodian videoke, as I was forewarned.

My huge baggage settled snugly between my legs - so I couldn't move much, and I just had enough leg room which didn't allow me to slouch down. Nor did I have enough elbow room to make a comfortable side maneuver. Moreover, all the aircon vent were decidedly set elsewhere but my direction. I thought, “alright, this is your country, so be my guest…” I wasn’t gonna argue with a bunch of Khmers when I didn’t even know where I was gonna sleep that night, not having made any reservations – again! I was gonna wing it!

Two hours into the ride, the bus made a stop at some carinderia, not much different from those we see on a bus ride to Baguio City. Everyone got off the bus but I waited until I didn’t have to squeeze myself from anyone. My khmer seatmate stood, looked and smiled at me, and invited me down. I nodded and said, “Later. Thank you.” Once back to our seats, my amiable seatmate started talking, whatever it was about, I just nodded and smiled. It felt like I’ve swallowed a lizard’s tail too. She pulled a pomelo from inside her bag and offered a piece. I politely declined. It is gastrocolic, and i refuse to risk any unscheduled bowel movement, thank you. Later, She took a paper-album, literally threw the stuff on my lap, and motioned for me to scan through.

Hmmm… so she’s been to the temples before. And she had lots of friends with her too. Does she live there? Or is she on holiday? Then I saw a picture of her standing across the moat of Angkor Wat, all pregnant. She kept smiling, annotating some of her photos… and slid her arm into mine. We were best friends. Some hospitality, I thought. At times, she would push her arm against mine and I was pasted against my window wall, I couldn’t move my feet, nor my arms, but I am not gonna make advances to someone who was once pregnant. Maybe this is usual Khmer camaraderie, who knows?
I vacillated between my window’s view and the Chinese video. As the sun begins to set, some 3 long hours into Siem Reap, she removed the sandals off her feet and comfortably settled her bare feet over my left shoe. She would slide her feet against my leather. Was it a Khmer ritual too? I wasn’t sure if it was polite to shake her feet off my shoe. This went on for a while. Every time she pulls it off my shoe, I'd try to pull my left foot under my seat – in vain. The hours stretched long and uncomfortable. Six hours became 7, and the last 30 minutes stretched like 30 days.

I comforted myself with the fact that she was, in fact, being friendly and was doing me a favour. A human skin shining my shoe would save me several Rials worth of shoe shine.

It started to rain as we drew close to Siem Reap (which garrishly meants “Siam Defeated”, by the way). As the bus drew to a stop at the garage, I scampered off with my baggage. Rain fell heavily. She glanced at my direction with a blank look, and I nodded my goodbye. Rushed to the nearby shed. It was late and dark, and i was cold and near-drenched. What was she gonna say, I couldn’t tell.

I was unhappy though that the shoe she painstakingly rubbed clean was gonna be muddied up by this torrential rain. Darn!

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Cambodian Countryside

A roadside market in Prasot. Notice the hundreds of antenna jutting out from the roof.

Comparing the countryside of Vietnam and Cambodia, it is obvious that Vietnam has succeeded in outpacing its neighbor by leaps and bounds, but taking into consideration the catastrophic history of Cambodia, I am amazed with the steady pace of slow-but-sure development in the country. The resilience of the people is nothing to scoff at, and economic gains are catching up. This is more obvious in Siem Reap.

In the early 70's, after a 5-year struggle, the Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh (PP), and by 1975, ordered the mass evacuation of all towns and cities. PP became a virtual ghost town and thousands were massacred (thus "the killing fields"). The Khmer Rouge was a devastating power, leaving no infrastructure. By 1978, institutions like education, money, social facilities, any form of commerce and industry were non existent! BUT the subsequent Vietnamese invasion drove the khmer rouge to the countryside, and the country had to start from nothing!

Another market in Kraul Kor

Ambulant vendors in NEAK LOEUNG, near the Mekong

A ferry ride at the Mekong River

My bus' ferry ride at the Mekong

This is the Eye in the Sky!

UP NEXT:

Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh & Siem Reap

.