Cambodia 2-6 December 2007

Thank you "soap-ah-kun"

Day 1 - Siem Reap province

- Silkair MI616 landed at Siem Reap Airport. (pronounce: Sim Reap)
- Angkor Star Hotel was 3-star, but room was big!
- Took a wooden boat ride along Tonle Sap River. (pronounce: Ton Lay Sup)
- Artisans Angkor Arts & Crafts Village.
- Market for shopping.
- KOULEN II Restaurant for buffet dinner & performance. (Sundays only?) Highly recommended! Directly opposite our hotel.

Day 2 - Siem Reap province (Temple day)

- Entered South Gate of Angkor Thom to Bayon Temple.
- Ta Prohm Temple - Tomb Raider was filmed there. It is famous for trees growing on slabs with big, exposed roots.
- Visited Banteay Srey Temple but it was a loooooooooong drive away from town. Hindu temple famous for its intricate carvings.
- Angkor Wat. Hot!!!


Day 3 - Phnom Penh capital

- Took a 6-hour bus ride (Mekong Express) to Phnom Penh.
- Visited the Royal Palace where King Norodom lives.
- Silver Pagoda.
- National Museum.
- Short trip to the ... ... *gasp* 5 or 6-storey-high shopping centre! Has a pizza restaurant - very, very expensive for locals - Large pizza at US18+. Swenson single scoop cup US1.20.
- Supermarket sold Anthon Berg 80 pieces US30.90!!! Very cheap compared to Candy Empire.

:( Room had no hair dryer :(


Day 4 - Phnom Penh capital

- Choeung Ek Killing Field. There are many killing fields, but Choeung Ek's for tourists. There are pieces of clothing and bones still on the very ground that tourists walk on.
- Tuol Sleng Museum - former S-21 prison. Sad place.
- Tonle Basac Restaurant for buffet lunch - highly recommended! High class and wide variety of food.
- Russian Market - just like Chatuchak.
- Temple.
- Central Market - the famous yellow structure with a high dome.
- Back to the shopping centre.


Day 5 - Home

- Phnom Penh Airport was more modern.


Interesting points:
- Siem Reap is less advanced than Phnom Penh. Very different. In Siem Reap, there are more children going about naked, barefooted, asking for money.
- In villages away from Siem Reap, most houses are built on stilts. Wooden planks / dried leaves for walls. Tiles / dried leaves / metal-plates for roofs.
- Phnom Penh looked more like Hanoi, just imagine Chinatown. Shophouses.
- Guide advised us to stay in our hotels after 10pm, when the men get drunk and drive / do bad things. These men are called "Night Men".
- Govt. University cost US500 per year.
- Private University could cost US700 per year.
- University lecturers get about US20 per class, about 6 classes a day for popular subjects. Do your sums.
- Govt. primary school teachers earn US50 a month. School hours are 7 - 11am or 1 - 5pm.