Obviously the main reason anyone comes to Siem Reap is to visit the temples. We started our first day of sightseeing with our guide Smei picking us up at 6.30am ensuring that he'd get us to the first temple before the crowds - so worth it. Breakfast in our hotel starts at 5am daily so you can see the seriousness of going 'templing'.
Our first temple was the one that starred in Raiders of the Lost Ark where if you remember huge rather ominous looking tree roots had enveloped the temple ruins. Quite unreal they look. We spent the day clambering up, over, in and out of temples, mostly pretty large and actually quite different from each other. All are in various states of decay and have received internationally funded renovation by France, the US, Czech Republic, Japan etc. Haven't seen England mentioned.
We shan't describe each temple in detail or by name as a) we can't remember one from the other really and b)as you were'nt there you'll be glazing over anyway by about temple 2 (probably as you will be when we attempt to show you photos). If you haven't been to Siem Reap put it on your list though it is truly amazing.
We're staying at an extremely beautiful hotel called Residence d'Angkor a very short walk to where all the restaurants and bars are but far enough away to be tranquil. We learned it's an Orient Express hotel so that would no doubt be why we think it's so splendid. It's entirely build of wood which has that lovely evading ceder smell everywhere. The staff are so gentle and polite and never seem to stop smiling and opening doors. We do think though the girl who cleans our room has OCD. Everyday absolutely everything is in its place and in a straight line when we come in, including the two complimentary post cards from the information wallet which David wrote on day one and which each day end up back in the wallet!
Tomorrow we have no guide and have booked a couple of bicycles to go exploring on our own. We did get our guide to drive us an anticipated route before he abandoned us this evening so hopefully we'll not get lost. If it's as hot as it's been today though I doubt we'll be out for very long. Don't want to go wearing ourselves out and miss New Year. The intention for our cycle ride is to go in search of paddy fields, see some of the local people living in the countryside and if perchance we come across a local eatery en route we shall stop, if not make our way back to the plethora of choice in town. There's also a plethora of massage shops in SR where you can have an hours massage for $6. On a daily basis we have chosen this option over our hotel spa option which is $60 an hour. Would be nice to try as voted by Conde Nast as one of the best in Asia, but evenso.
You'll notice I've mentioned dollars. These are US dollars. Strangely USD seems to be the common currency in Siem Reap and we've not even seen any Cambodian Riel. if you go to the ATM it even churns out dollars and nothing is quoted in Riel either. Consequently everything does seem to be more expensive than you'd expect,or maybe Cambodia is just more expensive than Vietnam and Laos which as we've been there before is our natural comparison.
New Year should be wild as revellers are arriving in their thousands. Main street is called Bar Street and advertising a street party. Our hotel has an obligatory evening of entertainment and gourmet eating planned which we will partake in but as champagne at midnight is $165 a bottle (cheapest) we may find ourselves heading for Bar Street just before the magic hour.
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Before I get bitten to death by mozzies (as I haven't put the oil on yet) may David and I wish you all a fun New Year and a very happy and prosperous 2011. Be back soon.
