Seim Reap, Cambodia

To get to Siem Reap I had to take an afternoon bus to Phnom Phen. From there I waited about 5 hours for an overnight bus and then arrived in Siem Reap at 5am. 

Our route to Siem Reap looked a little something like this. 

Two of my new friends from Kampot had a similar plan so we caught the same buses all the way to Siem Reap. During our 5 hour break Phnom Penh we walked to the One Stop hostel I had stayed at only nights before. The guys happily welcomed me back and let the 3 of us girls rest there until our bus arrived. 

SoKim (a One Stop employee) and I hanging out before my overnight bus arrived. 

The overnight bus in Cambodia was a completely different experience than anything I had experienced in Vietnam. 

The seats aren't seats at all. They lay you completely flat on padded mats. There's a plug in for your phone and personal control to the  aircon in your space. Shoes are still expected to be off and you are provided with a blanket just like Vietnam. When you get on the bus there are double beds on the right, an upper and bottom level. There are also single beds on the left but it's all assigned seating. We also had a great bus driver but the roads are crap so it was hard to sleep. 

The bus driver offered to take this photo for me. I was a little surprised but happy to except the offer.

My first two nights were spent here, at a hostel that's said to be one of the best in S.R. and even won an award for being the best. It was nice. Owned by an Australian couple but I wouldn't say it's the best. With a dengue fever outbreak going on I didn't care much for the open air common area. Mosquitos... Attack! And since I wasn't wearing any repellant, that's about all I could think of. 

I saw this dragon fly while sleepily waiting hours for my check in time. I had a hard time determining if it was a painting or a 3D something or other coming out at me. Upon further investigation which meant getting up and walking to it I found that it was a painting. A very well done painting. The pool is to the left, invade you were curious what exactly was happening in the corner. Those red and yellow things are fun animal flotation devices. 

So this was probably my biggest perk to staying at The Siem Reap hostel. The $2 all you can eat breakfast buffet. Fruit and a few sand dollar sized real westernized pancakes with yummy jam. That's what I'd have and then I'd go back for about 3 more plates loaded with just fruit! Mostly papaya. Yum! Live that fruit and how great it is for you! 

I was told of this cafe. Sister Strey which is owned and operated by two Australian sisters. I tried it out for lunch in the first day and I'm so glad I did! It was AMAZING! So, so good that I ate there everyday that I was in Siem Reap. Sometimes I ate there 2x a day. I loved the westernized healthy food options they offered and the twist on local foods. I think it was getting so close to end of my trip that I was craving exactly what this cafe offered. A little bit of both! 

The city was very much alive and booming with tourists day and night! At night the crowds seemed to migrate towards pub street. You guessed it! A street (a long one) full of pubs! Might I also mention loud music and jam packed full of people. It wasn't really my scene so I didn't participate in the late night shenanigans but I went out earlier in the night to get some photos and a little taste of what the hype was all about. 

Pub street entrance.

Close to pub street was The Night Market. I bought a tie die dress/swim suit cover up here at the market. The lady wanted $20 for it and I talked her down to $9! It may have taken me an hour to do this but it was actually an entertaining back and forth conversation I had with the vendor. The two girls who were with me were really enjoying listening to us. I think they may have even picked up a few pointers for me on how to bargain with the vendors. 

When the next day came and I found the start of the hole in the dress and next to it an area where the seam was starting to come undone I was happy I only paid $9 vs $20! 

 Two years ago I took notes from fellow travelers regarding Cambodia. They told me that there was a driver with a purple batman tuk tuk and he was the best! I had also been given the name and number of a driver named Mr. Moon. I'm glad I had Mr. Moon's contact info! 

ALL of the tuk-tuks in Siem Reap were personalized and apparently word had gotten out about the batman driver. A large portion of the tuk tuks were batman decorated now. I never saw a purple batman one. 

This isn't the best photo but it was something I saw often and wanted to document! Scooters cruisin down the road with loads of new mattresses being towed behind! Who was buying all these mattresses!? 

A floating village tour was highly recommended to me by friends I had met in Thailand. It was a magical experience for them and I needed to experience it, I was told. So based on the picture you see above it's obvious that I went. It was pretty expensive at $5 each, round trip for the tuk tuk and $20 each for the boat ride! There were three of us in total who went on this adventure and it was our first trip with Mr. Moon. 

We were at sister srey café when we decided to go, I gave one of the servers Mr.Moon's number and he called him for me. In 15min our driver was at the cafe, big bright smile and all! I didn't take into consideration that it was the dry season and the village might not be floating. That was exactly the case! A very low river that was incredibly muddy and homes on extremely tall stilts. I know the tour would have been more magical for me had there been more water. Due to the conditions and looking back on the trip I could have taken it or skipped it. Had the river been full, id say hands down, take the tour! 

One row of several homes on stilts that local villagers live in. Their boats parked in front of the homes. 

The driver of our wooden long tail boat. 

There were a handful of others who were taking the tour as well but instead of putting us all into just a few boats they put each small group in their own boat. Some boats only had one passenger and others had 4 passengers. This bothered me because of all the unnecessary pollution that was being added to the river not to mention more river traffic with very little water. 

These 3 boys were standing in a row and doing cartwheels in unison from the shore line to the water. They repeated this again and again as we boated by. This was just the kind of authentic experience I was looking for. 

Once we passed the floating Village we continued out into a giant lake so big that it was easily mistaken as an ocean. Our driver did not speak any English but we soon figured out that we were going to be sitting in the lake until the sun had set.  

I decided to take on Angkor Wat and the great temples of Cambodia the following morning. I hired Mr. Moon again and 3 others from my hostel joined in making the tuk tuk only $5 each. 

The night before our lil crew decided to go to dinner together and see about getting snacks for the next morning to keep us satisfied they the tour. At dinner I ordered a side of sticky rice and nothing else. I wasn't hungry but cold sticky rice sounded alright for the next day but when it arrived I couldn't help but eat it so I had to order another! Oops! When I went to pay for my 2 orders o sticky rice they charged me more then I owed. I questioned her and she said it was because they gave me extra rice then usual. I was a little irritated by this but at the same time I couldn't help but laugh it off. Just another SE Asia experience. I didn't want extra or did I realize I was getting extra. THEN after we paid and walked out the door one of the ladies ran out to me and held out her hand with a big chunk of slightly browned sticky rice from the bottom of the pot. She placed it in my hand smiled and ran back inside. 

My friends and I were speechless over what had just happened. 

Me and my rice! 

We left the hostel at 4:45am for sunrise at Angkor Wat. I had to get my pass to have access into the temples, 1 day was $20 or 3 days for $40. To be safe I went with the 3 day pass. I visited the park 2 days in a row but really could have been alright with just 1 day. It's hot and humid even at 7am and walking around in the sun looking at temples (as amazing as they are!) might make you a little stir crazy! Just something to keep in mind. 

Most people who have not been to Angkor Wat don't realize that there is a mob of individuals who gather for sunrise. This photo is only the majority of the sunrise crowd. I couldn't fit them all in my shot. 

Sunrise on day 1, well this was it. Fairly bland but still amazing as I hadn't seen Angkor Wat in person so it was the unveiling of the temple. 

The day 1 Angkor Wat crew.

Day 2 sunrise was more colorful! And yes, I was crazy enough to think I should do the sunrise tour 2 days in a row! Here's the thing though, it's so humid and hot out at that I figured it was best to just do it back to back and early to get it over with. I'd say do it in one day or two early mornings like I did. 

A sunrise jumping photo with Oliva (from PDX, Oregon) in front of Angkor Wat.

At Angkor Wat. 

I did the second day with a different group of travelers but still with Mr. Moon as our tuk tuk driver/guide. 

Mr. Moon and I. 

I repeated a few temples but it was still good the second time. New people and another look at things made it worth while but I think this 2nd group tired out faster than day 1. I was definitely okay with this. Knowing Sister Srey cafe was going to be the end of this tour, like it was yesterday, made me excited to get to the end of the temples. 

Yep! Food sometimes drives me. Even thru something as remarkable as the Angkor Wat temples. 

Angkor Wat.

A monk inside Angkor Wat. I have a hard time resisting photographs of these men and the vibrant orange outfits they wear just draw me in more! 

See what I mean! Another photo that I just couldn't resist and I refuse to delete it even though it's blurry. 

Bayon temple. Thom Bayon.

 You see what's happening here, right!? 

Bayon temple. 

Here's an interesting detail shot that really shows the original door frame work and the newly renovated work. Part of me wishes the renovations weren't happening but I do realize that then there would be nothing left. 

Temple of many steps is what I call this one. I don't remember it's actual name but it's possible it's, Prasat Preah Khan.

I do remember it as the only one that cared about my shoulders and knees being covered up. I almost didn't get in because of those restrictions!

The view from the top, looking back down at the entrance. It was pretty toasty up top! I only did this temple on the first day. I chose not to repeat it. 

Ta Prohm the famous tomb raider (the movie), temple. 

This temple was fascinating with all the trees taking over. I loved it! But not the crowds! There were a lot of people funneling thru this little temple. 

Tomb Raider. 

And one more awesome Tomb Raider shot! So there are still some more things to tell you about in Siem Reap but I'll discuss those stories with you in the next posting. I apologize for how long it's taken for me to get this one out. 

Kampot, Cambodia

Kampot allowed me 4 nights of more a relaxed stay. It's a quitter town on a beautiful bay situated close to Mt. Bokor and Kep (the beach/ famous crab market). The Mad Monkey was a great hostel choice as I made a lot of great friends here. They were mostly American friends too which was a change. I used the pool as an excuse to relax and even dedicated one full day to it. 

The Mad Monkey Hostel. 

My dorm room. Would have been $9 a night but I traded work for the room for 4 nights.

I loved the artwork in this hostel! 

Kampot and Kep are 2 areas very close to eachother and also very famous for their pepper. Corn pepper. After trying it I was highly considering buying some for myself and others. That would have meant hauling around added weight in my bag and it was pepper. I really just had a hard time justifying buying pepper and hauling it home. But it was soooo good! It would have been worth it. 

A simple breakfast from the Mad Monkey. The fresh ground Kampot black pepper MADE the dish! 

Bags of Kampot pepper for sale at a local store. Around $4 to $9 a bag.

It seems to be becoming a thing at hostels for me to lead group exercise sessions. Some one finds out I'm doing a workout, asks to join in and before I know it I have several people working out with me. True again for The Mad Monkey but I only had one dedicated individual. Well the service staff too but I'd show them workouts to do while they were working. 

Camilla was from South America and working at Mad Monkey in trade for room and food for a few weeks. She bugged me for some nutrition guidance. We had a few workouts and I jotted down more exercises that she could do on her own. 

We started our workouts here, just down the road from the hostel. Then we'd finish up in the hostel pool swimming a few laps. 

One day a small group of us did a 24hr motorbike rental so we could go to Kep and Mt. Bokor. We ride to Kep on the first day, leaving around 12pm from The Mad Monkey. 

Olivia, a girl inner at my hostel who oddly enough is from Portland, Oregon. 

We stopped for gas on the way to Kep because motor bikes are ALWAYS rented to you with an empty tank! If you return the bike with fuel in it they will siphon it out and put the fuel in their own personal bikes!  

At this particular gas station we went to, they gave us treats for buying gas. It didn't matter how much we purchased. It reminded me of how the gas stations in Oregon have treats for your dog, if the dog is in the car with you! 

We arrived to Kep and pulled right into the crab market area. One of our biker gang members was looking forward to a fresh crab lunch! 

Eric, negotiating over size and price with the crab ladies. 

The crab market, selling more than just crab. 

This little guys was found in the only breezy spot in the market. It was a very warm afternoon.

The welcome to Kep sign. 

We spent the rest of our day in Kep hanging out in hammocks near the beach, talking, napping, eating, and just enjoying the day. 

The sunset in Kanpot, over the bay after we returned from Kep. 

That evening (in the pool back at the hostel) I had a very Portland Oregon experience. Birds were flooding the sky at dusk and they were easily being mistaken for bats! There was a big conversation over rather if they were bats or birds. They reminded me of the swifts that fly thru Portland every fall and nest in tall chimney stacks. 

Swifts in the sky?

Mt. Bokor is worth a trip if you ever find yourself in this area. I hesitated on going, thinking maybe I'd skip it if something better was out there. So glad I didn't skip it, especially with the group of motorbike riders I was out with! We even picked up 2 extras along the ride there. An Australian guy and a French girl who were staying at a different hostel in Kampot. They saw our little gang and assumed we were headed to the mountain as well so they just jumped in with us. 

The Australian guy we picked up.

The French girl we picked up. 

Selfies on a motorbike aren't encouraged but sometimes there's just no other way to capture the moment while in SE Asia. 

Sasha (Boston), myself, Olivia (Portland). The 3 American blondes who met in the same hostel in Cambodia. On the side of Mt. Bokor in this photo.

The ride up the mountain had a nice breeze which was a great way to cut the humidity of the day. 

We passed this new and very awful painted casino at the top of the mountain. It wasn't at all what I had expected to see but neither was the...

abandoned church or the...

abandoned casino. 

The casino was really beautiful inside for being so bare bones. The concrete architecture was stunning and the view out back was like we were floating above the clouds! It was a unique building to explore with many great photo opportunities. When it was mentioned to me that the Khmer Rouge used the building as one of their headquarters I became a little uneasy being inside. The beauty of the building and having great travel friends with me pushed me to move on and continue the exploration. 

Detailed shot of the front.

Inside on the main level.

Main level of the casino. 

Out back, once the clouds rolled past. 

It was definitely lunch time by the time we were done with the mountain adventure and time to return the bikes. So we headed down the mountain as the local Cambodian racing team raced upwards! These guys were insane with their full racing gear on, flashy bikes complete with flashing lights and driving like idiots! One guy was in my lane coming right at me as I turned another corner heading down. I kept my cool knowing he's move out of my way if he didn't want to wreck. 

Thankfully I was right and he moved. 

We all experienced a little bit of their craziness and when we reached the petrol station at the bottom of the mountain we found more of these racer guys.

We cruised back to Kampot, returned the bikes and walked to the Epic Arts Cafe. 

Epic Arts Cafe.

The epic BLT made with fresh Kampot pepper bread. 

The last day in Kampot I ate here for breakfast and then went back and split this "epic" lunch with Sasha. 

Banana coconut pancakes with a cane sugar syrup, a caramelized onion and spinach quiche, and corn fritters. 

My biggest regret is that I didn't visit this place on my first day in Kampot. If I had eaten here sooner I would have graced the cafe with presence everyday. Lesson learned. When I hear of a good cafe I'll try it out right away! 

The 2 backpackers we picked up on our trip to the mountain were interested in a fresh pulled noodle place I had mentioned to them. I pointed it out to them as we passed it. They stopped and I later heard they even went back there for dinner. Yes! It was that good! But so was Epic Arts Cafe.

The noodle place. I'm not sure if it even has a name. 

My last day in Kampot was busy! My bus was picking me up at 1pm and Sasha and Ellen (two of the girls I had made friends with) were catching the same bus.

We had a trip back to Phnon Penh where we'd wait 5 hours before catching the night bus to Siem Reap. 

 

I met up with Camella, from the hostel just before I left to give her a nutrition and fitness plan to follow. One of the owners of the hostel got involved with our talk and it quickly turned to both of them begging me to stay! When Greg (the owner we were talking with) found out I was an artist he wanted me to stay to paint a few walls in the place. I told him I'd come back. 

A beautifully colored street in town. 

They knew I was a travel blogger and while I was there I told them I would do a write up on the good they were doing. That's the cause of the last posting you read. It wasn't just because of my agreement with them though. I do fully respect what they are doing and was happy to give them credit for it. 

Olivia walking along the bay. 

Until next time Kampot!