Angkor Wat??? Bar is a great place!

  Siem Reap, Cambodia
Saturday, March 8, 2008

I wake up leisurely and look over at Janne snoring on the other side of the room.  I contemplate motivating myself to see some other temples at this early hour and that is quickly thrown out as I look at the window at the first rain I've seen in a long time.  I fall back asleep for a bit·

I finally come to and check out the town of Siem Reap.  It's very nice but the main section (the old market) is so commercial that it appears as though you're in Europe and not in Cambodia with no proper roads in any direction.  I walk around the market and snag a pair of shorts for $10 after the lady asked for $20.  I think I'll be wearing these ones a lot as they aren't white like my others· white and travel in dusty countries doesn't go together all that well. 

Don't mess at the War Museum

I catch up with two American girls I had met the night before and we hit up a war museum which is utterly unimpressive save the guide who feels that it is his job to tell his personal life's story· quite a sob story, but you have to feel badly for a guy who's riddled with shrapnel and has dodged death just enough times to tell visitors about it.

Jorge plays with land mines

I book a flight back to Bangkok (thanks for the help from up above Papa Bear), which has started to feel like a home base as this is the third time I'm heading into the city.  I get a new room at a different hotel so that I can have a night alone and wind up paying $15 for the suite with the most awesome garden balcony that provides for a great evening of chilling and watching the sunset with Tara, a girl from Arizona that lives and works in Siem Reap, of all places. 

Sunset from my balcony

We have a great time chilling and talking about the difference in the cultures and enjoy the nicest iced tea/lemonade that I've ever had courtesy of the hotel.  We go our own ways and I meet up with the two Americans (from the museum) and a Spanish guy for dinner.  Another night out on the town and I find myself needing a tuk-tuk to the airport before actually getting back to my hotel room· that was twice in three nights in Siem Reap· interesting!