By the grace and kindness of the gas station men from Kampong Thom, we arrived safe and sound in Siem Reap barely behind schedule! This is the place where some of the greatest adventures began. Siem Reap is my favorite city in Cambodia, no contest. A short tuk tuk ride from the bus stop to our hotel revealed to us that it is the same as any other city in the country, but it has an adorable and down home charm. Nearly everything was under construction and improvement. Walking around the city demanded an alert eye, even on the sidewalks. While it was still a very dirty place in terms of dust and rubbish being everywhere, the city had a better handle on waste management.
We stayed at a villa in the downtown area very close to the Siem Reap river. It had the basic needs for a long stay, including a pool! There were lots of shops and delicious restaurants of all kinds even though many businesses were still closed due to the pandemic. As charming as Siem Reap was, the devastation of the pandemic lurked in the corners. There were a few more foreigners around the city than I expected but most of them seemed to be European expats, including the French owners of the villa we stayed at. We were often asked if we were living in Siem Reap by the locals. It was a pleasant surprise for them to see tourists so soon after the country reopened.
It was stifling, even in the ‘cool’ season, so we spent a lot of our time dipping ourselves in the pool after exploring the city and eating to our hearts’ content. It became a ritual to dive into the cold pool and wash away the Cambodian dust. Siem Reap offered some of the best food! There was fresh gelato, brunch food and adorable cafes, Greek, handmade in front of your face Italian, and traditional Khmer cuisine! It was an unexpected surprise for this foodie. Every shop owner had a story and gladly shared it.
Cambodia takes the US dollar along with its own currency, Riel, which in my opinion made things a bit harder at times. And it was the reason why it was a little more expensive to dine out and grab a quick coffee or tea compared to Thailand. Their currency never fluctuates because they accept the dollar. On average we would pay $10.00 a meal for both Bradley and I in Thailand but in Cambodia it was closer to $15.00 if we were being smart about where we were dining. We saved a significant amount of money by ordering delivery through Food Panda (which is like DoorDash) and staying at our villa. When we would go to the ATM, hundred dollar bills would come out, and it was uncomfortable asking for places to break it, especially post pandemic. Oftentimes we would get change back in USD and Riel so we were constantly converting in our heads and working to keep it all separate. We got pretty good at it after a while!
Every night there were food stands and little plastic tables and chairs out along the river with a few lights strung up in the trees. The street food culture here is just as vibrant as their Thai neighbors. Pub Street was lit up and ready for any kind of party, but it was quiet and lacking its usual pub crawlers. The vendors and tuk tuk drivers were intense, continuing to sell even after a polite rejection. Sometimes it was very uncomfortable. Sometimes a lot of things we saw in Cambodia were uncomfortable. And then we would see a boy walking his cow down the road or kids covered in dirt playing with their puppy in an alleyway. It could be a very paradoxical place at times for me. Always raw.
Exploring Angkor Wat and some other temples was a complete success and had been an exhausting day of dreams coming true! We stuffed our bellies and I think I slept for 12 hours that night! Our legs were so sore the next day from all the steps, inclines, and trekking so we took the day for rest. We had brunch at one of our favorite spots, Sister Srey. This cafe was adorable and the food was top notch. They donate a lot of their funds to a non profit organization called APOPO that trains giant rats to locate mines and unexploded ordnance throughout the country. It is a huge problem and they have done a lot of amazing work ridding the land of these dangerous devices. Unfortunately, they still have a long way to go.
I decided I wanted to splurge a bit on a special souvenir from Cambodia so we went shopping. I bought a gorgeous bracelet that I now wear every day from a great little shop, Louise Loubatieres. Louise is a Franco-Vietnamese woman born and raised in London who took the chance to move to another country and follow her dreams. Her store is fantastic. She works with local and neighboring artists and vendors who hand make all of her items. I wanted to buy one of everything! We spoke with her for at least an hour talking about her story, our story, Siem Reap, and never looking back. She gave us all the pro tips and great suggestions for places to visit. It was much more than just a shopping experience. It was another moment during our grand adventure that I felt like the universe was reminding me that we were right on track. Right where we are supposed to be!
It was ridiculously hot just walking around the city, but I wanted to check out one more place while we were out. Artisans Angkor is a special business that creates job opportunities for locals in rural areas while maintaining traditional Khmer art and culture and much more. Before the pandemic a customer would have the opportunity to watch these artisans as they worked and learn how these beautiful pieces were made in detail. At the time we were visiting, the artisans had not yet been brought back to the shop to work and display but were still making special pieces throughout the pandemic. It was still a treat to shop around and take in the beauty of the pieces created by these artisans. Bradley and I both walked away with something special and I was thankful to be able to support this amazing organization that provides both occupational and educational opportunities to the locals. We spent the rest of the day cooling off at the pool, had pizza for dinner and got our fair share of sweet snuggles from street dogs.
Our second day exploring the temples was almost as exhausting as the first! It was filled with lots of laughs and sweat. I still had enough energy in me to eat the best burger and macaroni and cheese in all of Southeast Asia at Wat Beast and enjoy a piano night with some of the best cocktails I’ve ever had at Miss Wongs. The entire day was a treat for all the senses. We spent the day after recovering and exploring our taste buds some more with brunch on Hap Guan street and the best chocolate I’ve had in years! We got a tour of how chocolate is made when we stopped by Wat Chocolate, which is the first and only beans to bars chocolatier in Cambodia. It was just enough adventure for my tired legs!
Bradley and I woke up the next morning feeling pretty sick. It was concerning enough that we decided to use our rapid tests we carry with us. Fortunately, we tested negative but spent the next few days on the mend and getting some things done. We had been attentively monitoring the Omicron situation and Thailand’s decisions on reopening to tourism after they closed down again shortly after we arrived in Cambodia. It had been really stressful and we weren’t sure for a good while what we were going to be able to do once our Cambodian visas were up. While we were recovering we kept exploring our sense of taste and the delivery service Food Panda became our new friend. I also had some of the greatest noodle soup of my life from a sweet woman who owned a little shop not far from us. It definitely had healing powers! We ended up visiting her 4 times for the remainder of our stay.
After our 3rd day of adventure exploring the ancient ruins and traveling all over Siem Reap by tuk tuk with Mr. Ros, we spent a lot of time relaxing at our place and keeping to ourselves. We were extra careful to make sure we would test negative 3 more times to get back into Thailand without any hiccups. We had the fortunate opportunity to get our booster shot while in Siem Reap without any charge to foreigners. This was something we couldn’t pass up because we wanted it, couldn’t get it in Thailand, and weren’t sure how long “fully vaccinated” was going to mean two does.
We went up to the hospital around 10:00am and got our call number (which was in Khmer) and were told we could grab some breakfast for a couple hours while we waited. It was as if everyone in Siem Reap was lining up to get the jab. It was incredible! It was a sight I wish I would’ve seen back home when all this first began and doses were made available. And I wondered how things would’ve been different had my fellow Americans reacted as the Khmer people did to the opportunity to protect themselves and others much earlier in this pandemic. It was impressive and efficient but I’ll admit I was quite nervous! Getting a shot is not something I enjoy, though I love my tattoos. And getting a shot in a country with a language I do not speak was interesting. There was lots of commotion and directions being given in Khmer. They were jabbing about 20 folks every 5 minutes and we got through quickly. The staff was kind to us and my nurse was excellent. I barely felt the injection. I was overcome by a huge wave of relief after we walked away. I made sure to express my gratitude.
I was in extreme pain the next day all over my body. At times I couldn’t hold back tears. I had just barely begun recovering from whatever crud we had contracted days before and it took me a while to feel normal after that 3rd shot. I did great with my first 2 doses of Pfizer 6 months before, but this 3rd dose of AstraZeneca kicked my ass. I think that it affected me a lot more because of my autoimmune issues. After some over the counter pain meds and some time I began to feel better. So, we spent more time resting. It was really enjoyable though because we were just living in Siem Reap, experiencing all the city had to offer. I continued to dive into learning about the Khmer culture and history of the country. We got to know the locals, shared stories, laughs, and human moments. Moments I will treasure forever.
Our last couple of days we were feeling a lot more at ease after getting our first set of negative results and the weather was cooling down in our favor. We walked and walked all over the city! I made one final souvenir purchase of a traditional handmade Khmer Krama at Graines De Cambodge, which is a scarf-like garment worn by men, women, and children that has many uses. It is decorative, used as a hammock for children, as a scarf, a head or face covering, a bandana, and can also be used as a weapon in martial arts by Bokators or Cambodian fighters! I loved the shop and had to restrain myself from making more purchases! We hit up our favorite spots and our new friends like a farewell tour. We said our goodbye for now’s and ate all the food we could eat! We sat by the river and reflected and gave thanks. And we braced ourselves for a long journey back to Thailand.
I was so affected by this country in ways that have taken me longer than I ever expected to process. I’m still processing Cambodia. It made me see things differently. It gave me some of the perspective I had been searching for on this entire journey and I wasn’t ready for it. It wrenched my heart with profound sadness and filled me with bliss and wonder all at the same time. Not only did I learn about this wonderful country, I learned more about who I am at the core. And the kind of person I want to be. It was an honor to experience Cambodia. I cannot wait to return.
To read more about the 3 days we explored Angkor Wat, check out Exploring Ancient Angkor: Three Days of Magic and Wonder.