We arrived in the town of Siem Reap on a bright and sunny day! We went to our hotel and dropped off our bags so we could go out and explore. We only had two and a half days to see everything. We walked along the side of the road to go to the Markets. The traffic was crazy! Cars, Tuk Tuks, bikes, and scooters were coming from all different directions!
On our way to the Market we found a cute Alley-way street that had pastel painted buildings. We walked down it and found some cute restaurants and some nice shops. One store sold items made from plastic bags, all hand-made by local women. It was really interesting. When we hit the market they had all the typical souviners as well as a popular game called "Sai" that is similar to hakey-sack but with a shuttle cock.
There is no shortage of delicious restaurants and interesting places to eat & drink in the town. The first one we decided to try was Marum. Some of the proceeds of Marum go to a charity to help children. The restaurant was really cute and had nice outdoor seating with lights in the trees.
We ate outside and fended off the mosquitoes and wild cats. We got spring rolls, Beef with Red Ants, and a Fried Banana for dessert. The Beef with Red Ants dish I was super hesitant about. I had to get over the mental image of eating ants! Mi Amor had no problem and went straight for the dish and took a big bite! I admire his bravery with trying different foods. It took me a couple minutes but after watching him take a bite, I went ahead and ate some! The ants are cooked and sprinkled on top of the beef (so you can still see their full bodies!!). The dish did end up tasting good, with a little bit of a crunch!
The next two days we spent exploring the temple complex that draws so many tourists to Siem Reap. I can't even begin to describe how awe-struck we felt walking in to the ancient land. You have to cross a bridge which represents angel and demons with faces of fantastical creatures lining the edges of the bridge. They watch you as you walk through the giant gate that was once used for protection. There were tourists walking, bikes, cars, buses, and elephants all crossing the bridge. We felt like we were about to walk into a time warp. Right in front of Bayon Temple were monkeys running around with old huge trees sprouting up. Felt like the wild had started to take over the ancient ruins.
Bayon temple felt magical. Every time you looked up you could see the four-faced turrets smiling down at you. Each face represents a different attribute - Compassion, Charity, Sympathy, and Equality. Besides all the tourists walking around and trying to snap pictures it felt like walking in history. The temple also represents the harmony and merging of Hinduism and Buddhism.
Siem Reap is such a huge complex! We also went to explore where the old palace was and passed by Baphuoun Temple that has a giant ancient Reclining Buddha on the outside of the building, and then saw the Elephant Terrace where the king used to stand and deliver speeches to his army.
We also went to Angkor Wat on our first day exploring the Temple Complex. Angkor Wat feels like a temple out of Indiana Jones, we felt like we were going to find the lost ark or some golden chalice! It is truly incredible how intact this temple is after so many years. It has seen so much in it's lifetime. During the Khmer Rouge there was a time where rebels were hiding out in this area and the outside suffered a few bullet holes. Thankfully only a few.
We started our second day watching the sun rise over Angkor Wat. The sky exploded with color from golden hues to red and oranges and then to the blues and yellows of early morning. The temple's towers were silhouetted by the sun's rays and created an other-worldly look. There were a lot of other tourists watching and experiencing the sun tickle the temple. Since we are on the shorter end, we wanted to try to get some good pictures to capture the moment, so Mi Amor went and found the only woman who was selling selfie-sticks! We never had a selfie-stick before and I was never an advocate for them, but once we got one, I totally get it! For the rest of our trip it was a must-pack for our day bag!
After watching the sunrise we headed to Ta Prohm Temple. I was so excited walking up to it and stepping into it! The temple has been slowly reclaimed by the trees and nature that surrounds it. There is something about nature growing over the walls and making it a part of it's roots that feels so mystical.
Our last temple we saw was Banteay Srey. It's a smaller temple, but it is the most intricate one! Was absolutely stunning! Couldn't believe all the detail in each piece on each stone! It was simply incredibnle.
Before heading back to our hotel we decided to stop and see The War Remnants Museum. It was very informative and interesting. They have old tanks and helicopters on the land that you can see. Along the edges of where the tanks are parked there are some exhibits on the war. The exhibit that stuck with me was the one showing all the different kinds of Land Mines. They also explained that there are still Land Mines out in the jungle where some people go to get food and shelter , there are people that still get hurt on them to this day! So many adults and children have died or been maimed by these hidden mines. It's horrible that there is a part of their land that they can not use until all the mines are cleared, but it becomes increasingly difficult with the lack of resources and help to clear the land.
The three nights we stayed in Siem Reap we explored the nightlife. We walked around the Night Markets and got to see different souvenirs, art pieces, and massage parlors. The Massage that really intrigued us was the fish massage! There were quite a few places that had big fish tanks that you would dip your feet in to and the fish would swarm up and start nibbling at the dead skin on your feet! Mi Amor decided to try it here and got a beer for two bucks!
We loved the different bars we came across and how lively the night was under the string lights that dangled over the streets. On one of the streets in the area called "Pub Street" it seemed like the bars were competing with who's music could be the loudest and attract the most people! There were also just so many sights to take in, from the people selling skewered scorpions to the lit-up kiosks selling drinks and ice cream! Was a fun feast for all the senses.
