Saturday, 19/08/2006, Siem Reap
So, after having a nice time in Thailand, I wanted to have some more temples, and set of to Siem Reap, the city next to the famous Angkor Wat. I went to the border with the public bus, running from Bangkok’s northern bus terminal. For 207 Bath (~4 EUR), I got to the cambodian border.
The bus stopped in the middle of a town next to the border, and I got a tuk-tuk for the last six kilometers to the border. On the way, my driver tried to get me to buy a visa, which I fortunately knew I wuld get directly at the border. So I left Thailand, and entered the Kingdom of Cambodia. Since I did not have a visa for Cambodia yet, I got one for 1000 (Thai) Bath, or 20 US$. I was assured that paying in Bath would ensure quicker handling, and only a few minutes later I had my visa.
I took the free shutle to the immigration, where I saw that most people did not go as individualistic as me, but went with an organized tour, They had all green or yellow stickers :). I took another free shuttle to the bus station, where I bought a 10 US$ ticket to Siem Reap.
And by now I know a country which has roads even worse than India: Cambodia. The road to Siem Reap is not even paved, just a dirt road in desolate condition. After 6 bumpy hours, I finally arrives in Siem Reap. The shuttle dropped us at a guest house of the tour operator (what a coincidence!), but I figured that 5 US$ a night wasn’t too bad a price. After all, it was already 9pm, and I did not want to search for a hotel now.
Sunday, 20/08/2006, Siem Reap
So, this day was going to be dedicated to the Angkor Wat. The Angkor Wat itself is only one temple, but there are many more in a huge complex, which was once the capital of Cambodia.
Dodging my hotel owner/tour operator and the waiting tuk-tuks, and set off to find a cheap yet comfortable way of getting around. And I found one! By sheer luck, I came by a shop which rents out electric bicycles. Well, maybe it was less luck and more the fact that it is located right off the main road to the Angkor Wat :). So I paid my 4 US$, including free battery refills, and set off.
The whole complex is shure a must-see/. Enormous temples, or what time and the elements left of them, with filigrane stone ornaments and stone carvings. Beautiful. But after 7 hours, 15 temples and palaces, and several dozen kilometers spent on my bicycle, I sure had enough. I had almost (very almost) caught a sunburn, and I now decalre myself officially templed and ruined for the next few years ;).
That evening, I ate at the Cafe Moi Moi, which is good but expensive. Talking about expensive – Siem Reap is definately a tourist spot. Some merchants tried to sell me a 1.5 liter bottle of water for a whapping 2 US$! I got it for 2000 Riel, about 0.50 US$ :D. And everything else (food, …) is also quite expensive there.
Monday, 21/08/2006, Phnom Penh
After the tempeled experience in Siem Reap, I went to Cambodias current capital, Phnom Penh (I always have to double-check how you write that…). I took the boat over the Tonle Sap, one of the biggest fresh water lakes in the world, and a bit down the river. The hotel owner tried to get me to take the bus instead (remember, he is a bus our owner!). Unfortunately, the boat costs 20 US$ (!), but it is quite fast.
3.5 hours after I left Siem Reap, I arrived at Phnom Penh. The lake itself is pretty boring, just water on all sides and a few treetops at the horizon, with some distrant mountains rising over them. But the river is nice, with jungle on both sides and villages right at the water. The houses are either built on pillars, or right on a wooden raft.
Taking advise from the great site wikitravel.org, I booked into the King’s Guesthouse, also for 5 US$ per night. No warm water, but a clean room with a comfortable bed. Phnom Penh seems to lie in a more comfortable climate (maybe thanks to the close river), so I also did not miss the A/C.
After booking my tour to Saigon the next day, I set off to discover the city. I visited the Tuol Sleng museum, a former high school turned interrogation and prison camp by the Khmer Rouge regime. A very disturbing sight. I tried to compensate it with the Royal Palace, which was already closed, and the National Museum, which was also closed. So I visited some pagoda (buddhist temple) instead.
I took lunch at the Foreigh Correspondentes Club (FCC), a colonial style restaurant with a great look on the river. Although very dirty, the river looks all right when seen at night with an upcoming thunderstorm, and the last remnants of the sunset in the sky. The FCC makes some good burgers, and they also offer fresh oven-made pizza, which I unfortunately had no chance to try. It is quite expensive, but they have a happy hour from 5pm tp 7pm (yes! I cought it) with 50% off on all drinks except beer.