lovely SIEM REAP....

A belated blog I know. Been busy quite. Been lazy much. My apologies to my devoted follower - me.

Anyway, here's how the story goes. I never really expected to go to Cambodia. NOT THIS YEAR anyway (by the way, let's just pretend that it's still 2010 or that this isn't a belated blog just to maintain this blogger's momentum).

I heard that Cambodia is an EXPENSIVE destination and hearing that particular word is like hearing fingernails being scraped on the blackboard. That! is just a bad bad word to a Cheapo's ear. But you know what they says, "if there's a will, there's a way." I say "if there's no moolah, there better be a gadamn way!"

Hello Cambodia

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Getting to Cambodia via the adventurous, exciting and well, budgeting route, can be totally stressful to your bum. I mean it literally! 3-4 hours from Bangkok to the border and 2 or so hours from the border to Siem Reap. It's either that or sit pretty in the monopolized plane of Bangkok Airways, which by the way is 4x the cost. I knooooow right!

When you are on a budget, the numero uno must do in your list is RESEARCH! I love that part! I always look forward to the googling moments and feeling the rush of being half way there. But I must admit that not everything goes exactly as researched. Like the fact that  number #1, we arrived waaaay ahead of schedule at the border at the unholy hour of 5AM, that inevitably led us to sleep in some nearby waiting shed along with the locals and monks whom I didn't know were allowed to smoke (an eye opener!). #2, that it can be very subjective.

Mr. www.talesofasia.com forewarned that the Cambodian border of Poipet is probably the worst place you could be in. Crowded - understandably being the gateway of the two countries. Filthy - not more than how Carbon or Colon looks like. Full of scammers - smart enough to make a pick up arrangement and fortunate enough to physically blend in.  As for his etc. etc. well I live in the Philippines, what more shocking can a number of barefoot individuals pulling on wooden carts of this and that, while occasionally tagging along a cow or a goat be?. But he's coming from a western perspective so his long overdue cultural shock is gladly taken into consideration. Needless to say, we were really expecting some tough action to happen and thank God! there was none!

SIEM REAP... at last!

Bicycle is cool!

 

If you do not know how to ride a bicycle before going to this country then LEARN! 

The coolest thing about this side of the world is their bicycles. Like seriously, they are amazing! I am sooo in love with it. Not only does it make you look chic riding around on your bike like Julia Roberts in Eat Pray Love, but it's also very cheap and eco friendly. Have I mentioned cheap? For a whole day you can rent the bike for $2. Then there's also this white bicycle organization in which half of the rental fee goes to a charity that helps the underprivileged kids, so that's pretty sleek and cheap - again. 

Cheap! Why I've mentioned that word three times in that paragraph is because of 2 words.. TUK TUK! mehn they are expensive! TUK TUKS are our version of tricyles and unlike our version of P28.00 per trip for the whole tricycle, their version charges $2. That is even quadruple our fare here, and mind you the distance isn't even that far. Actually everything there just seems like a walking distance, but you know how strenuous fat burning can be, so laziness can really cost you. That's why I strongly recommend renting a bike coz it can save you money and second it's the nearest thing to fat burning.

 FAT Restoring....

  

Eating! I love this part, even though I can honestly say I'm not a foodie. But when traveling to a foreign destination my motto when it comes to food is to simply EAT NOTHING BUT THE UNKNOWN. That my dear is what I call 1/2 of the cultural immersion.

The Khmer food like any other Asian cuisine banks on the mixture of spices. However, I can't really call it as spicy hot but it's a different taste, definitely a new treat to the palate, but only if you get lucky with what you point out on the menu. Because sometimes you can have the doom of ordering something very bland and near plain hot water noodle like me. It's part of the experience, I learned from it, except that I just forgot to remember the name of that food and Resto. Ooops, my bad.

Siem Reap, being the main center of tourist attraction, has got to have the coolest restos I've seen. So listen up coz they come as recommended.

Butterfly Garden Restaurant - imagine eating in a garden full of butterflies. Food was good and so was the ambiance.

Beaches - love love love extremely love this place. Think white sand beside the street. That's what this restaurant is all about. The ambiance can totally transport you to a lazy night in Bora, with cool laid back music, hammocks, bean bags and low lit lanterns. The best part - FOOD! the best Chicken Satay I've ever had and so was everything. The amazing part - just opened for 2 days. Lucky us!

The Blue Pumpkin - what can I say this was our dig out the whole time. A dessert factory loaded with the hippest people on earth!. Everything was eternally white and chic! Gotta mention those gellatos! drool.

Cambodian BBQ - A frog, a snake, a kangaroo, a crocodile or a mixture of 2 is the choices for the adventurous taste buds and strong stomach. Those crazy meats are expensive but when it's your last night who gives a damn? You can certainly forget damn when you'd already sat down and chatted by a Frenchman behind who promised the good taste of a crocodile. In fairness that kangroo meat definitely delivered. 

TO EAT NOTHING BUT THE UNKNOWN. Sometimes this is what you could get. 

     

Now look at my face. It ain't pretty at all!

Artsy Craftsy...

 

Local paintings, sculptures and scarves are the most common sights you could see on thestreets. I like that artistry is finely crafted in this country coz it surely made their sidewalks colorful in a pleasant kind of way. Then again it used to be a French colony....so go figure!

Horrid interesting factoid: You see that checkered scarf they had? it's called Kroma and it has somehow become a reminder of Pol Pot's violent reign in their peaceful country. Like if you are to wear this particular color of kroma it means you're a walking target. It's crazy I know. Amazing what you could learn from discovery channel.

Corners and Streets...

I am ashamed to say that Cambodia is way cleaner than the Philippines. Or Siem Reap is way cleaner and safer than Cebu. I may not have been to the rest of Cambodia such as it's capital Phnom Penh, but judging from what I saw, I feel sad for the place we live in. Surely we could do better than this!. Then again Siem Reap is also a touristy place so maybe it's well developed and designed that way, but still. The river right in the center of the town doesn't smell, no trash in sight. Streets are clean, roads are smooth, greenery is everywhere, sometimes so are the monkeys. Lights are low lit but tourist and locals roam free without the fear of being mugged.  

This is only day 1 and I'm already infatuated with this particular side of the world. How much more in day 2 when I talk about the amazing grandeur of the world famous Angkor Wat?!... only one way to find out... behold....