Siem Reap | Cambodia :: Angkor Wat

Ahhhh, we missed you, Asia!  Long gone were the days where we could progressively dine street style,
bargain until our ears bled, enjoy hours of cheap massages and not feel guilty about taking naps! We were SO happy to be back! And of course, we wanted to see the grandiose Angkor Wat complex and enjoy some Khmer traditions and delicacies.

Words can’t describe the awe we felt of the immensity of these ancient structures, we couldn’t help but marvel at the way they were constructed and the way the jungle overtook some when they were abandoned for over 400 years.   Wow!

Siem Reap itself was a cute little town, densely populated with tourists from all over the world.  Although it was lacking the true local character in it’s tourist bars, restaurants, hotels and tacky shops, the people still exemplified the Khmer charm.  The most adorable kids had ‘jobs’ after school selling bracelets or handmade items. I left Terry for ten minutes and he was quickly conned into buying a group of fast talking, smart little seven year old schoolgirls some lunch! It was hilarious – they told us that their names were “Sasha” and “Maliya” and were spewing out facts about America: “The youngest state is Hawaii”, “Washington DC is the capital”, “Bobo is the president’s dog”!

We even sampled some delicious and spicy Happy Pizza, found the best iced coffee at Blue Pumpkin Bakery (50% off pastries after 8pm) and enjoyed strong foot massages for the remainder of the week. What a life!

Accomodation: Prohm Guesthouse

$15 for a large, air conditioned ensuite room, great location on a quiet side street in town, with free wifi – what a deal!

Angkor Wat Tickets: 1-day ($20), 3-day ($40), or 7-day ($60). The 3-day pass is valid for any 3 days within a week, while the 7-day pass is valid for any 7 days within a month. Your photograph is printed on your pass to ensure non-transferable and regular checks for the pass are performed at almost all sites within the park.

We recommend going for at least one sunrise and sunset and taking a nap in the middle of the day during the immense heat!