Cambodia

This entry is long overdue because the internet in Cambodia & Vietnam is absolutely terrible. Even though we only had a short visit to the country, it was so spectacular. I had so much to write about it. We spent 3 days in Siem Reap in Cambodia visiting the temples and experiencing the vibrant culture of the city. Cambodia was an unforgettable place. The air is hot and humid, and poverty can be observed all over the city. We were lucky that our days were sunny and hot and it only rained at night. Since some of the streets are still not paved in Siem Reap (including the street our hotel was located), the rain creates quite a mess of the streets.

Siem Reap
This city was a really fun place to spend a couple days. I wish I had more time to explore everything it had to offer. Siem Reap is located in Northern Cambodia, near the border to Thailand. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the food in Cambodia. Their cuisine consists of flavorful meat, fresh vegetables, lots of spices and curries. One of my favorites was beef Luk Lak (sautéed beef with fresh veggies, rice and French fries. Odd combination – but extremely tasty). One night we even had Khmer BBQ (my fav!!!). We got to try exotic meats like snake, crocodile, and frog. My mouth waters just thinking about it.

Angkor Wat
The main attraction of Siem Reap is the famous Angkor Wat and attracts thousands of tourists every year. Built in the 12^th century, it is the world’s largest religious building. With many temples on site, Angkor Wat is the best-preserved and largest temple. The entire temple is surrounded by a large moat. It is not only stunning from the exterior; the interior is filled with gorgeous detailing displaying many images of dancers and soldiers. There are 7 towers that can be seen from all angles and represent the 7 continents.

The site where Angkor Wat lies exist a plethora of other temples. Some people can spend up to 5 whole days visiting all the other temples in the area. Since we were staying in Siem Reap for a short time we visited another 3 temples in the area. Next, we climbed a mountain to a temple over looking Angkor Wat.

We then visited Wat Ta Prom, a temple that has been destroyed over the years, and is under a 30-year reconstruction project. With different kings over the years believing in different religions (Buddhism & Hinduism), the temple was attempted to be brought down by man. Today, amidst the ruins, the standing walls are covered in trees growing from all directions. This was a very cool site. 

The last temple we saw was Angkor Thom, which translates into “Great City”. Fun fact – this is where Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was filmed. This temple was really cool; faces of the Buddha appear everywhere. On the large towers located inside the temple, the face of the Buddha faces all directions to look over all the Khmer people.

Floating Village
On our way to the village we stopped at one of the many Lotus ponds where thousands of lotus flowers are in full bloom. It was absolutely beautiful.

To get to the village we took a boat down the Siem Reap River down to the great Tonle Sap Lake. The river is lined with floating huts creating the floating village. The experience was very authentic and eye opening. It’s crazy how so many people live in such poverty. With over 3000 families living in the area, one family shares such a small space. While we were on the boat many children climbed onto our boat from a smaller boat pulling up right next to us asking for money or selling drinks or other small items. It’s hard to say no to the adorable children. Witnessing this village made me really appreciate how fortunate I am.

It’s unbelievable how much we were able to see/do in the short time we spent in Cambodia. We met some amazing people and had some unforgettable experiences. I would have liked to visit Phnom Penh and some of the southern parts of the country. Hopefully one day I will be able to return to this culture-rich nation. Now it’s off to Vietnam.

Love,
Chantal
xo