Siem Reap, Cambodia

We are half way through our stay in Siem Reap and despite the oppressive heat, we are having a good time.  Lance and I arrived here during the Chinese New Year so there have been bigger crowds than usual visiting here.  That's because many of the Chinese are given a two week vacation that coincides with their holiday.  

Siem Reap is the home to the world famous Angkor temples.  During the past few years it has experienced a large building boom that has resulted in more than 1,000 hotels, guesthouses, and other types of accommodations in the city compared to the more than 500 just a couple of years ago.  There are also many upscale shops and restaurants for the  large number of tourists that visit here.

Above...one of the many nice hotels/resorts you can find in Siem Reap.
Below...one of the high end stores you can find in the new mall built next to the museum.

But, you don't need to go far to see the humble surroundings where most local people live.  Make no mistake, Cambodia is a poor country where the average household in 2016 made only 1,228 US dollars for the entire year.

Lance and I are staying in a neighborhood not far from downtown.  It is an AirBnB owned by a local family.  The wife, Sokhom, is Cambodian and her husband, Nabil, appears to be from India.  Sokhom is a jewelry designer and Nabil is a professional photographer.  They have three beautiful daughters of various ages...all English speaking.  Sokhom and Nabil are very kind and helpful with all kinds of tips and suggestions to make our stay here enjoyable.  

There are 12 townhouses in their compound that have a living room, kitchen/dining room, and half bath downstairs...and 2 bedrooms and a full bath upstairs.  It is simple, but clean and nicely furnished.  They offer free cleaning services every few days...all you have to do is request it.  The entire compound is filled with trees and plants and is kept very clean and green looking.  We like to think of it as a little oasis in this hot dusty neighborhood.  Nabil is always available to address any questions or concerns.  

A photo of our apartment.

Our AirBnB hosts suggested that we wait until the majority of Chinese visitors are gone before visiting the Angkor temples.  So, we have spent our first two weeks here doing other activities.  During that time we attended a traditional dinner and dance show that was offered at a local theatre.

Above...a view of the dining area where we sat.
Below...a second floor balcony that offered regular tables and chairs.

We visited the Buddhist temple in town, where you see people go to worship every day.

  

Lotus flowers sold near the temple.

We attended the Monk Talks at one of our favorite hangouts...The Peace Cafe.  The Peace Cafe is a vegetarian restaurant where yoga is practiced throughout the week.  

Photo taken from the second floor of the cafe.

The room where the monk talks took place.  Sorry...no picture of the monk.

You can also take cooking classes at the Peace Cafe.  I took one on Saturday and I was taught how to make one of my favorite dishes here...fresh Spring Rolls...among other things.

My sweet cooking teacher who kept me involved the whole time.

The yoga teacher, Prasad, who works at the Peace Cafe also teaches beginner classes out of his home.  We attend those classes every Tuesday and Friday.  We've also gone to his meditation class on Sunday afternoons.  

The Peace Cafe is located a short walk from our home.  To get there we cut through the  cemetery.  

This is one of the entrances to the cemetery.  There is also a monastery nearby where the monks live, and, a school.  The small vehicle in the foreground is a Tuk Tuk that can be called through the use of the Pass App.
Their rates are very cheap and it is our preferred way to get around town.

The graves are all covered with mounds of dirt.
This is done to help prevent the smell from the decaying bodies.

Monuments found in the cemetery.
Unfortunately, I have no information about them.

The local school that seems to be in session 6 days a week.

Most recently, we went to the Cambodian Circus.  This group of performers use theater, music, dance and acrobatic circus acts to tell Cambodian stories.  They are students and graduates from the Phare Ponleu Selpak's vocational training center.  This center offers students a place to lean their skills and eventually earn a decent wage.  The show was very entertaining and I highly recommend it if you travel to Siem Reap. 

A drawing made with rice.

A balancing act performed on top while the band plays below.

Although we're not much for the bar scene here in town...we decided to check it out after the Circus show.  The big place to go here is Pub Street.  It is filled with tourists and drinking establishments.  There are also restaurants...street food....night markets selling cheap clothing...lines of chairs offering a foot or chair massage...live music...and many other things too numerous to recall.  

We also took some time to visit the Angkor National Museum.  We did this in preparation for a trip to the temples next week.  It is a brand new museum and very nicely done with audio guides and an amazing number of historical artefacts, many in excellent condition.

 

Although we cook most of our meals at home, once in awhile we will eat out.  Recently we enjoyed a lovely lunch at one of the oldest restaurants in town that has undergone a recent renovation.  

Sometimes we will go out in the evening to avoid the heat of the day.  One night we wandered over to the Made in Cambodian fair trade market to look at all the different items for sale.  

During the day we might walk to a coffee shop to hang out in air conditioned comfort.  While there, Lance will use his iPad to work on travel related tasks and I will work on my blog or other unrelated items.  It's a good place to go if we want a change of scenery.

Our favorite coffee shop, Red Buff...where they also offer good inexpensive food.
We often walk here after yoga class.

We've also been known to go here.

When walking to Starbucks, we have to cross the Siem Reap River...which always looks muddy and doesn't appear to be too deep.

This one of several bridges we use to cross the river.

Finally...I thought I would share some pictures from the street where we live.  Here you can get about anything you need.  There are tailors with their sewing machines out in front of their shops.  There are also restaurants, a hardware store, motorcycle mechanics, coffee shops, and numerous other businesses. 

A juice bar

Motorcycle and Bicycle wash

Motorcycles, scooters, and Tuk Tuk's are the primary source of transportation here in Siem Reap.

Gas Station..and yes, that is gas you can buy in the glass bottles.
Sometimes you will see them being carried on the back of their bikes.  Yikes!

Motorcycle Mechanics

Laundromat...where they will wash your clothes for you and hang them up to dry.

Buddhist temples can be found in front of many of the businesses on our street.

At a fancier Chinese Grocery Store in town you can even find the world famous Johnsonville Brats!
Who knew?!?

Although it has the appearance of looking neat and tidy...the truth is that you will often see garbage alongside the road.  Parts of this town has the appearance of a poor city...but it all depends on your perspective.  Many locals here will be quick to tell you that the real poverty can be found in the countryside.

Speaking of which...we have lovely neighbours next door, two gentleman, who come every year for two and a half months from Canada and the States to build homes in the small villages outside Siem Reap.  They have a nonprofit to pay for their buildings materials, although much of the money needed comes out of their own pockets.  Instead of bringing volunteers, they use local people from the villages to assist with the construction of the homes.  Apparently they have done this service for a number of years...starting in Thailand, and more recently here in Cambodia.  Having the opportunity to meet people like them are some of the best parts about traveling. 

My next post will be all about the Angkor Temples.  We go next week...twice with a guide and once on our own.  We will leave early in the morning and be back by noon to avoid the heat.  I hope all my friends and family in Wisconsin are staying warm during this cold and snowy winter.