Visiting Angkor Wat

The main reason to stop in Cambodia : Angkor Wat temples, of course. I spent two days there, but you definitely can stay longer.

Traditionally, visitors go to Angkor Wat around 5 AM to see the sunrise. But at this time of the year, lots of clouds in the morning. So I didn't get to see it.

Still, I spent five hours in the main temple, including the sunrise (!) and breakfast. Because yes, there are people selling food at the temple.

That said, the other temples are also worth it. There is Bayon, with its 54 tours and 216 faces scarved in the stones, or that other one, with a complicated cambodian name, with a huge Shiva head in the stones of the whole wall. We can also access the one where they filmed the Tomb Raider movie.

It is hard to decide the lenght of our stay in Siem Reap and at the temples. There is a passport for one day, three days or a week. The lenght will depend on everyone's taste. And they are not joking about the entry ticket... They take your picture to make sure you won't transfer it to anybody else.

Like I said, there is water, drinks and food here and there, but the prices are higher than anywhere else. There is also an impressive amount of kids and sellers  trying to sell us postcards and books. All the same. And they agree on a price so you can't bargain really.

One of them tried his luck and made me angry. For a book everyone was trying to sell for 10 $, than 5 $, but for which I was offering 3 $ because I don't have room in my bag, a man asked for 1 $. Really? Repeat! 1 $ for that book?

So I get my wallet out. For the third time : " One dollar, right?"

Answer : "Yes!"

I asked for change, since I didn't have any, giving him a 10 $ note. He answers : "Not enough! It's 11 $."

Oh, you little... It's not like "one" and "eleven" sound the same.

Anyway!


Located at a distance from Siem Reap, temples can be visited by bike, for a small cost, or by hiring a tuk-tuk driver for the day. It is better to book one the night before if you want to  see the sunrise. And shopping around is important, because the drivers waiting outside hostels and restaurants often have a deal with the owner of those places. They pay a commission. So they charge more.

Mine fell from the sky. Kind of. I hired him for cheaper than I would have paid at the hostel. And he brought me everywhere for two days. He informed me that this Sunday is election day. But I will miss that event because I'm leaving in the morning for Bangkok.

Make sure you have a big bottle of water before you visit the temples. Even a sauna wouldn't make you sweat that much. I promise.

In the end, let's say that downtown Siem Reap is only the home of tourists going to the markets and restaurants that are half way between asian and western cuisine. Not that authentic.

Rainy season interlude

The rainy season has started in south-east Asia. It reminds me of this song, while thunderstorm is taking over Siem Reap.

It usually rains for 30 minutes here and the sky turns blue again after. The temperature doesn't always get cooler in spite of the rain...

Detour in Battambang

Battambang

Everybody knows at least a little bit of Phnom Penh or Siem Reap. The names are familiar. But other than those two places, we know little about Cambodia. City with a strange name, Battambang is unknown but is worth a detour.

It took six hours on a bus to get from Phnom Penh to Battambang. The roads are not that bad to get there. But the leather seats, in the heat and humidity, are not a winner combination. And when your seat is close to the one in front of you like in planes... not winner at all.

But anyway, first nice surprise : someone from my hotel was waiting for me to get out of the bus, on the corner of the street, holding a sign with my  name on it. He drove me to the hotel, with my big bag on his motorcycle, for free. No idea how he knew I was coming on that bus. Probabilities, probably.

He then helped me to get my luggage up in my room and offered to guide me for the rest of the day. Since I decided to leave tomorrow for Siem Reap, I thought it would save me trouble to go with him instead of searching for another guide.

Without a helmet on, he drove me to the bamboo train, literally a plank of wood on wheels, which replaces the traditionnal train, on broken down rails which can't support a real train anymore. For 10 $US, it is expensive. Especially since, for that price, you can eat three meals or sleep for a night or two in a hotel. But it's a "traditionnal" attraction.

On the other end of the rail, there is a village where they try to sell you stuff to drink. You can see how they produce rice in a old wooden barrack or how they make bricks. Children accept to guide you in exchange for some money.

On the way back, they inform us the "driver" of our train doesn't get any money and we should tip him... They try really hard to get as much money as they can...

The stroll on the backcountry road was worth the detour. Landscape is amazing. On the way to Banan, a temple older than the one in Angkor, if I believe my guide, we stopped to see big bats we scared with firecrackers to make them fly. My guide made me taste soursop, a big green fruit.

After a stop at the temple, we crossed the backcountry while the sun was going down slowly. We could see smaller bats flying out of a cave (see the video). There are millions flying out every night for several ours. In the fields, villagers throw objects in the air to catch a couple of these animals for dinner. Yummy!

From there, I went up Phnom Sampeou hill, where there is a grotto where the khmers rouges killed their victims. The view on the city is amazing.

In the end, I chose to take the bus to Siem Reap even if the Lonely Planet recommended to take the boat. True, the landscape must be amazing, but 9 to 12 hours to link two cities, when you can do it in 3,5 hours  by bus... At this point on the trip, I went for the bus. I will spend more time in Thailand, that's all.

Dollar

Note that most of the prices are stated in american dollars even if the local currency is the riel. They won't take the coins though. The change is always given in riels.

Welcome in Cambodia Kingdom

I made it safely in the capital of Cambodia Kingdom, Phnom Penh, after six hours on the bus. Long life the south-east asian roads.

Crossing the border was simple. The bus stopped for a control in Vietnam. Everybody got down, stepped in a building, but nobody would take their luggage with them. I had to think for a minute before I agreed to do as instructed.

Inside, there was a metal detector and a X ray machine for luggages. But it looked like they were not using them today. Maybe they didn't feel like it.

They stamped our passport and we got back on the bus... for a 28 metres ride.

TADAM! Cambodia's border. The employee of the bus company came down with us after gathering the passports and the money. I learned afterwards that the 25 $US I paid were more than the 20 $US it usually costs. So be it.

In Angkor Wat country, still no luggage scan. But they took my fingerprints. They looked at my visa and I was good to go.

The bus made a last stop five minutes later, so we could buy some food or souvenirs. And we headed to the capital.

There, no choice. The tuk-tuk was the best option to get to the hostel. In the pure tradition, the driver said « I know where it is, I know » to convince me to choose him. BUT... he didn't know at all. Anyway, we agreed on a price beforehand. Go ahead man. Take as long as you need, I have all the time in the world.

Saying no to a kid

In the afternoon, I went to explore the city. Because I broke my first pair of sunglasses, lost the second one and bought a third one that was too cheap, I bought fake Ray Bans for 3 $.

But taking my wallet out in the street was like eating a lot of fries next to a McDonald's. Bad idea. The sellers rushed to me trying to convince me to buy stuff.

I bought a bracelet from a 10 or 12 years old girl. For one dollar. That is a lot of money in Cambodia and a bracelet is easier for me to carry than anything else.

At the same time came Little Buddy (That's the name I gave him), the one boy on the picture. How old? Seven, eight? He spends his days in the street, selling scarves and bracelets. To afford school, he says.

I didn't really want another bracelet. But the kid followed me for 15 minutes. Under a really warm sun. I gave up, accepted to buy something if he let me take a picture of him.

How do you say no to a kid that young? I'll need to get stronger because I might come across more of these.

I was wondering if it was better to buy from him or not... Cannot find an answer.

That said, Cambodia is wonderful for now. I expect to spend one more day in Phnom Penh before heading to Battambang on the bus. From there, after one day or two, I'll go to Siem Reap.