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sh|ru visits Siem Reap, Day 2
Monday, July 30, 2007
The computer have been causing me problems lately...also I've been busy hanging out with Crew during the weekend, doing what guys do best; waste time haha..
Anyway here's my second day at Siem Reap.
According to plan we are bound for the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh which is about four hours away from Siem Reap. So we had to get up at 5.30 so we could be there early and spend the whole day there.
This is 6am taken from my hotel. Bright!
On the way we passed through villages and the road was small and bumpy. There are no highways in this country. The driver had to hon at those bikers and smaller cars as a sign to get out of the way so he can overtake them. Seems something of a norm for them. It was quite annoying but I was happily deep in slumber.
The first stop was the royal palace.
The road leading to the palace
Group pic at!behind us is the throne room
The famous silver pagoda
Admin building and some chateau the French gave to the king. Entry restricted
I'm guessing this is the temple. Entry restricted
Admin building and some chateau the French gave to the king. Entry restricted
I'm guessing this is the temple. Entry restricted
There were lot's of individual building in a big walled compound but most of them were restricted areas. So basically you're paying 20USD to look at a few buildings that no one lives in anymore(the king lives in another palace). Yay.
Spent almost two hours there and then it was my favourite time, lunch time. We were taken to a local restaurant.
I have a bad feeling about this...so cheat restaurant?
But I wasn't feeling cheated when the food came..!
Spent almost two hours there and then it was my favourite time, lunch time. We were taken to a local restaurant.
I have a bad feeling about this...so cheat restaurant?
But I wasn't feeling cheated when the food came..!
The food was actually nice. Very typical chinese. But what really stood out were their drinks
Cambodian kopi susu ais. Superb la~ I would go back there for a glass of this, seriously. It's that good. Although a little sweet, but it puts all the mamak kopi we have here to shame. Very kau! I reckon it even tastes better than all those StarBucks frappucino crappucino haha...
They have teh ais too, but not as good as the kopi :D
Pops looking mighty satisfied
They have teh ais too, but not as good as the kopi :D
Pops looking mighty satisfied
The bill came to about 2USD a person. Cheap considering all the stuff we ordered.
Cambodian police
Cambodian police
Rich dude's house. The economic divide here is BIG where the rich are really rich and the poor are really poor. If I remember correctly David told us you buy houses here with gold. And houses such as this can go up to about 700 thousand USD in value.
Next was Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum.
The museum was a school before the war.
Pictures of the dead.
Skulls dug out from mass graves.
If you didn't already know, Cambodia was ravaged by civil war when communist influence was at it's highest. Many were forced to labour and died as a result of overwork and also torture. They were liberated when Vietnam forces marched in and drove out the communists but in return Vietnam also claimed much of their lands resulting in a smaller Cambodia that we know today.
Now for shopping.
Russain Market. Look at all those shoes
Mom looking through stuff
The dude's selling barbecued squids
Now I know why...no traffic lights!!
...crickets!Fried and all crispy and juicy
It's their local snack and it's big business for them when they export these stuff to Thailand. They catch them by the tonnes in kampungs with special nets fixed below blue neon lights when the season arrives.
Next was Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum.
The museum was a school before the war.
Pictures of the dead.
Skulls dug out from mass graves.
If you didn't already know, Cambodia was ravaged by civil war when communist influence was at it's highest. Many were forced to labour and died as a result of overwork and also torture. They were liberated when Vietnam forces marched in and drove out the communists but in return Vietnam also claimed much of their lands resulting in a smaller Cambodia that we know today.
Now for shopping.
Russain Market. Look at all those shoes
Mom looking through stuff
The dude's selling barbecued squids
The place was crowded and it was a steam room in there. I bough two pairs of shoes and a sports t-shirt for a grand total of 30USD. Mm hmm.
It's six in the evening and David was rushing us back because of the notorious traffic jam would take us two hours to get out of the city.
It's six in the evening and David was rushing us back because of the notorious traffic jam would take us two hours to get out of the city.
Now I know why...no traffic lights!!
It was dark by the time we got on the road back to Siem Reap. David was driving like crazy honing every bike he sees on the road as a warning to them. Then we stopped by for dinner at an inn. No pics cause it's just another chinese eatery. What was interesting is they sold...
...crickets!Fried and all crispy and juicy
It's their local snack and it's big business for them when they export these stuff to Thailand. They catch them by the tonnes in kampungs with special nets fixed below blue neon lights when the season arrives.
You can see these lights stretching for miles as the villagers cash in on some extra income and also some snack for themselves.
We got back to the hotel at about 10 pm and went straight to bed after another tiring day.
Look out for the third and last day soon :D
Off-topic:
I had to edit and filter some stuff on my previous posts because someone is being over sensitive and I feel sad for the person who has to put up with that burden. So to you-know-who-you-are, I again dedicate this song to you.
Sigh.
We got back to the hotel at about 10 pm and went straight to bed after another tiring day.
Look out for the third and last day soon :D
Off-topic:
I had to edit and filter some stuff on my previous posts because someone is being over sensitive and I feel sad for the person who has to put up with that burden. So to you-know-who-you-are, I again dedicate this song to you.
Sigh.
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