Good morning, well it could be afternoon. I write this early in the morning several days after the fact, but it continues my tails from just after arriving at my Hotel. Things are getting all mixed up for me as I have had some problems uploading these blogs and finding the time to sit down and put my thoughts to paper (iPad).
Let's see now, where was I?
After settling into my room, I decided to find a supermarket or the like to get some provisions. With directions in hand, I walked down the road on my first solo venture. The area I am accommodated in one of the main tourist areas I'm told. The shop fronts, signage and general look of the place is somewhat similar to Thailand. Not Bangkok mind you, no tall buildings to speak of, but the structures and abundance of people wanting to sell you their fare. Massage shops everywhere. And I mean everywhere! About 10 minutes walk and I find what I'm looking for. The shelves are full of all the familiar stuff. I grab what I want, and USD 8.00 later, I have 4 local beers, 2 cokes and 2 bottles of water. Enough for a quiet few hours until I'm leaving on my first tour. Back to the hotel, and on my way I discover another market almost next door to my place on the opposite side of the road. Go figure.
As previously mentioned, my driver from the airport has arranged for most, if not all of my outings already. At 4:30 I'll be going to a Temple for a sunset viewing. I'm really looking forward to it. I sit in my room, consume some of my provisions and chat with friends on Facebook until departure time arrives.
4:30 arrives and we are off in something they call a Tuk Tuk. No dissimilar to the one in Thailand, but they are pulled along by a motor scooter instead of being one vehicle. My drive speaks reasonable English, better than my Cambodian anyway, and after a short chat to decide exactly where I want to go, we're off.
Road rules. There don't seem to be any. They drive on the right and have a mix of left and right hand drive vehicles. All the scooters seem to be right hand drive. (what the...) Traffic lights are there just to decorate the streets. Lines painted on the road, well they are there, but not used. Looking behind you before turning or changing lanes, well, that's plane stupid.
Along our way the hassle and bustle of downtown Siem Reap, well just hustles and bustles. It's interesting seeing all the stuff happening around us as we pass by. Even though there are no rules, there is no feeling of any danger. It all just happens in a smooth, though disorganized way. We stop at what looks like the entrance to an Asian Disneyland. Ticket booths. I'm told I will have to purchase a ticket to get into then Temple Area. Youahve a choice of a single or 3 day visit. I choose the 3 day. I hand over the required USD 40.00, get my photo taken, and am handled a nice little pass with my picture on it. With that in hand, we zoom off, and are stopped within 10 meters to have it checked. Finally, with a smile, we are on our way.
Not far form the ticketing area, we arrive at Angkor Wat. Now I've seen photos of this place, but nothing prepared me for the majesty and how large it actually is. The sun is setting, but not in the direction I needed for my photos. A quick walk across the causeway, throught the gateway, turn around, and yes, perfect.
I knew I was coming back to this famous temple, so I spent most of my time, after the photos of coarse, watching the people. The place was crowded, more than expected. I love stating just off to the side and watching the strange things people get up to. I love it!
The sun has now almost disappeared, so it's back to the hotel. A quick shower, and out and about. In search of a hat, food and a couple of well earned beers.
Siem Reap, Iike many cities, has a Night Market. It is located just up the road from my hotel. 7 minutes walk, I'm told by the friendly hotel staff. So, I'm away and dangerous. Less than the quoted 7 minutes, I find my first market. Small, and all the usual stuff. T shirts, local garments, and the like. Seen it all before. Prices are very reasonable. No hats. Moving along. Another market. The sign says that this is the original market. I thought that's what the sign at the last place said. Anyway, just inside, yes, the hat I was looking for. USD 5.00 and I'm done. Not really a shopper by the way.
Moving along, I was looking for a place to eat. I had previously done some searching on Google Maps, and found a street called Pub Street. That should be interesting, and interesting it was. More that just one street, but several. Full of pubs and Restaurants. It took several trip up and down to find something I thought might be nice. Seated I ordered the local fare. Don't ask me the name, but some type of local curry with a bit of kick in it. Also on the menu was BBQ. Kangaroo, crocodile, emu and many other exotic meats. I later overhead that the chief was from Australia. A few beers to knock it down with and USD 8.00 out of pocket. Not too bad I say.
Although thelace was awash with people, it wasn't really rock'n. I decided to take myself on a little walk to see what else was the go. I walked and walked and wasn't able to find anything rock'n. A few places looked intergesting, but perhaps it was too early. Anyway, I had an early start for the next morning, so back to the hotel and to bed.
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