Sunday, December 14 - Arriving in Siem Reap

Some Sanskrit writing preserved on a column inside one of the Angkor temples
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We arrived in Siem Reap early this morning from Kuala Lumpur, so breakfast fell high on the list of priorities! Jasmine Lodge, our hostel, proved to be a tasty place for this first meal, and though this breakfast wasn't free, at least it wasn't expensive.

After exploring the northeastern part of the city on foot for a while, Justin (my husband) decided it would be a good idea to look for rental bicycles. This turned out to be an excellent idea, and our plans quickly changed to include a visit to Angkor Wat during our first day here.

This stack of chairs - and pair of girls - were being pulled by a motorbike!
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The ride to the temple complex is not an easy one, especially for an unseasoned cyclist, and the road conditions within the city are challenging as well, as many are currently under construction (i.e. some sections are not paved but just piles of underlying sand and rocks). Difficult, to say the least.

But once out of the city, the road was more than manageable, and as we neared the temple, it became quite pleasant, cycling through the forest which surrounds the complex.

About a mile or two before reaching the temple, we rode through the ticketing booths and paid for a three-day pass to visit the temples (the pricing system allows you to buy two days and get one free). And yes, there are guards to check that you have a ticket. These tickets have your photo on them, so there's no sneaking around it!

Justin and I take advantage of an old window ledge and rest our weary feet!
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When we finally arrived at the main temple site, we were swarmed with girls offering their parking areas for free. I don't think that any are not free, but better safe than sorry.

Of course, since we were parking in their areas, that gave them the opportunity to offer all their goods - water, hats, books, hats, water, hats... You get the idea.

We didn't buy anything, although the pressure was nearly overwhelming. I did regret not buying a hat - the sun is plenty hot, and there isn't much shade.

Although the setting sun caught us by surprise, it was worth seeing while still inside the complex.
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(I actually recommend buying a hat, and get one with a cord that goes below your neck. It'll prove quite handy later on, especially if you don't want to lose your hat later while riding on the back of someone's motorbike or pickup truck...)

The temples are beautiful, that's for certain. The remaining detail on many of the walls is impressive, even to the point of being able to see original Sanskrit inscriptions on columns. I wonder how many men spent their entire lives building the place. Incredible.

The Silk Lounge, where we ate dinner on our first night in Siem Reap
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We had a late lunch/early dinner around 3:30 at one of the restaurants within the temple complex. Even food within the complex doesn't empty the wallet, which was a pleasant surprise. And it was pretty darn good, as well.

Around 5:30, we were caught off-guard a bit by an early setting sun. It is winter in Cambodia, so by 6pm, it's pretty dark. This made cycling back to the hostel a challenge, to say the least.

The road we had taken there was no longer open to vehicles, so all the outgoing traffic - cyclists, motorbikes, cars, tuk tuks, vans, and street vendors alike - took one narrow road back toward the city. In the dark. With no street lights. I became quite thankful for headlights from behind, which helped me to spot the many potholes that plague this road. Remarkably, I didn't fall off my bicycle...

We decided to eat at a nearby restaurant called the Silk Lounge - or something like that - about two minutes walk from the hostel. The food was tasty, and the restaurant had a pleasant atmosphere and fun decor.

Afterward, we booked ourselves a "blind massage" at a place between the restaurant and the hostel, but it didn't turn out to be all that great. Not painful, just not great.

Finally, we climbed the many stairs up to our room on the third floor and enjoyed some well-deserved zzzzzzz....