Holiday in Cambodia

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To all travellers thinking about going to Cambodia...DO IT!  Cambodia is beautiful, the people are freindly and don't try to rip you off at every turn (except for the border; get across and in as quickly as possible.)  The first major centre after the norder crossing is Siam Reap, a town that is growing very fast to accomadate the new influx of travellers looking for a more genuine experince after Thailand.  Like I said in my last entry there are plenty of banks and ATMs from which to withdraw your hard earned and easily spent money.  Note: the ATM will dispense american dollars unless you try to get through the whole process without changing the language to english.  Even so, it doesn't really matter what you use.  The shopkeepers prefer Reil for the smaller purchases (under 5-10 dollars).  But for anything over that its better to use dollars just because of the fact that 20 bucks is 80000 Riel, and the largest denomination in Riel is 5000, which becomes unweildly in amounts that large.

Cool restaraunt, with good food and great atmosphere.
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The main, if not only reason people come to visit Siam Reap is Angkor Wat.  And I don't blame them.  Without the allure of the most incredible temples I have ever seen, Siam Riep would be no bigger than the border town.  Angkor Wat is beyond description, as are the multitudes of femples surrounding the area.  To see them one has to buy a visitors pass for $20 (one day) or $40 for three days.  Anytime after 5pm you can get in free but its worth is to buy the pass as its good for the next day as well and will expedite the process inthe morning.  Its so hard to try and communicate the grandueur of this monument, even walking aroung inside ( thats right, they let you walk almost anywhere through the temples except where recontsruction is taking place or its hazardous).  My personal suggestion is to try and catch the sunrise from the BACK of the main temples, as this will put the sunlight directly on the buildings.  Avoid the mass gathering at the front gate where the towers becomes visible, this is a futile place for a great picture.  Instead run (or get there before 5am) to the backside and enjoy the morning light.

Angkor Wat is beyond description

Rob and myself, taking a break from the heat at the Dead Fish.
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To get to all the temples is quite the walk, instead hire a tuk tuk driver in town and try to negotiate for a reasonable rate for two or three days,  Around 5-10 dollars is fine.  Our "guide" from the guesthouse tried to tack on a surcharge for driving me and a friend for a day and it was not a fair or reasonable amount.  His own friends, once involved in the "negotiations" even told him to lower it.  He had wanted $25 EACH, for a seven hour day which he had slept in two hours for.  Needless to say we bargained and explained that it was too much and he eventually came down to $13 each, still too much but whatever.  Its too bad, that  was the only bad experience we had in Siam Reap.  The town is great, just small enough to walk around without a taxi, but large enugh to have the amenities any traveller could need.  With a bus ticket in my hand I make my way to Battambang, a larger city where I'll take a cooking course in Khmer food.