A Lazy Day in Siam Reap May 13, 2006
Posted by Martin in : Overseas Travel , trackbackAfter such an exhausting day we woke up about 10:30. We literally had nothing planned for the day. Tik suggested that perhaps we rent some bikes and cycle around the town but as soon as we stepped into the heat and dust of the street both of us pretended to have forgotten completely about that idea.
We had a large brunch at an expensive but high-quality restaurant called ‘Le Grande’. Tik had a huge pork dish and I treated myself to a beef carpaccio and cheesburger. We’d intended to spend some time here as our table was upstairs overlooking the street. I brought a book to read and we extended our time there with a huge tutti-fruity ice-cream. For the two of us the bill came to $28 - not cheap by Cambodian standards but reasonable value all the same.
The price of the meal did get me thinking though. Of all the popular destinations in South-East Asia Siam Reap is by far the most expensive. The town itself has grown purely because of tourism and prices for some things here are often quite shocking. If you also consider that Cambodia is one of the world’s poorest countries and that most cititzens who work on farms bring home around $15 a month for their efforts then prices are stupidly high.
There are hotels in Siam Reap costing as muh as $1500 per night! Far more than the most expensive boutique resports anywhere in Thailand. Even the Royal Suite in Khon Kaen cost 50% less than that and that suite is designed for the revered king of their country! Fruit shakes here cost typically 3-4 times the price you’d pay in Thailand and $20 per day to visit Angkor Wat and sister sites make a trip with a partner quite a strain on the wallet.
Tik and I aren’t hardened backpackers and we do expect a certain amount of luxury but for what we received here in contract to the equivelant in Bangkok, we paid much much more. Street food couls still be bought for a few thousand riel (20 baht) but the streets were so dustry it really didn’t appeal.
We took a walk to the old market which was jsut next to the cafe. There was little of interest there, it was small and although there were clothes and bags to be bought the majority of the market reaked of putrid foodstuff or comprised of offputting sausages and dried fish innards.
From here we took a walk away from the centre. I wasted much of my brain capacity trying to take photos of what I call ‘Pig Men’. These are men who courier large live pigs on the back of their motorbikes and I found the image of them on the roads rather surreal. Unfortunately seeing them regulary is uncommon and by the time I’d spotted one, readied my camera and focused they’d long passed us. I walked the streets of Siam Reap like a cowboy with my camera ready but every shot I took embarassingly misfired.
Despite my failing to get these photos I managed to snap a Cambodian Tuk-Tuk which are known as Mo-Tuks here. The drivers all speak good English, are all polite and happy to leave you alone if you are not looking for a ride. They all smile and whilst we didn’t give them any business this holiday it was not out of contempt for their pushiness like their Thai brothers but just because we really had no use for them.
We visited a number of credible art galleries in the town which displayed combinations of black and white documentary photos of the Pol Pot regime or innovative and colourful paintings of Cambodian life. Not suprisingly though these galleries were stupidly overpriced and I decided that it was a much better idea to make sure I got links to their respective websites where the artwork is available free than to pay sometimes thousands of dollars for merely prints (many of which were just nice photos that had been popped into photoshop). Happy Cambodia also warned on their adverts to beware of cheap pirate versions which naturally led me go searching for them.
You might like to explore Happy Cambodia’s Gallery Here
Or take a look at Asia Photos Gallery Here
We passed a restaurant called ‘Cambodia BBQ’ which claimed to serve crocodiles, frogs, ostrich etc. but settled for the infamous ‘Happy Pizza’ chain instead to recover. We only ordered drinks and watched amusedly as the poor daughter of the owner had to ride to the market to buy ingredients for Tik’s coconut shake. She must have been a little peeved when we ordered duplicates and she had to return again.
Tik made me proud by capturing out Piggy Men Picture. As I stood gawping as they passed Tik jumped up and took a very long distance photo which came out fine considering thats it’s been magnified to about twenty times.
We’d both intended to relax at Happy Pizza for a few hours to read but the appeal of being able to do so in bed sent us back to the hotel for a few hours to freshen up.
At 7:20 we visited ‘Dead Fish Tower’ again to view their traditional Cambodian dancing. We’d missed the beginning but over the duration of the evening we got to see a few five-minute shows. Usually Dead Fish hosts a live band but their lead singer vanished overseas a few weeks ago and is now missing-out-of-action.
We were there with Ingrid and Nordin for about 90 minutes and after there went to visit ‘Balcony Cafe’ in Pub Street for our last meal out together. We chose this restaurant because 20% of their profits go towards regenerating Cambodia and their prices were quite reasonable. I ordered a set meal of Potato soup, beef burritos and lemon pie which was delicious despite the fact that they brought each dish to me in the reverse order (dessert first, starter at the end!). In total the bill came to $26 for the four of us.
Our previous day had caughten up with us so we said our final goodbyes to Ingrid and Nordin and headed to bed. It will be great if we can catch up with them again in a month’s time when they return to Bangkok after travels round Vienam and Cambodia.
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