Cambodia

We arrived in Cambodia on a 7 hour bus from Vietnam. Crossing an international border by land is always interesting. A man took our passports and $70 from us when we first got on the bus, and then raced off on a motorbike.  A few hours later when we reached the checkpoint he was waiting for us at a picnic table with another guy who was signing our visas. We had no problems crossing the border, so I guess it was legitimate. 

Our first stop was the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. Our first impressions weren't great. Our hostel was in a bit of a run down area that has been taken over by tourists who are clearly taking advantage of Cambodia's drug industry. We did our best to spend as little time around there as possible.  This is a street next to our hostel being used to cleverly hang laundry. One thing that has been a constant in our travels is that people will hang their laundry anywhere there is a bit of sun. 

The main thing we did in the city was visit the Royal Palace, a huge temple complex that also acts as the royal residence for the king of Cambodia. They are very strict about clothing requirements here and many people were being turned back because they were wearing shorts or sleeveless shirts. I had to buy a t-shirt because they wouldn't let me in with my scarf wrapped around my shoulders.

The complex was absolutely beautiful and extremely well maintained. While we were amazed by the sites we couldn't help but think that it was all a waste in a country were the majority of the population is extremely impoverished. 

After spending a day in Phnom Penh we headed to the quiet town of Battambang. I think this is our favourite destination so far. All the locals were friendly and every kid under the age of ten would wave and yell HELLO! as we walked or cycled by. Because our guesthouse was a bit out of town they let us borrow bicycles for free which we fully took advantage of. 

There are dozens of temples around Battambang, each one built in a slightly different style. What was unique about the temples here is that they not only housed monks, but also served as schools and shelters for the poor. The monks work as teachers, and teach the kids to speak English. I saw a chalkboard translating how to tell a tourist where to find the post office. This temple was under construction when we visited. The scaffolding was being held together by torn up bits of monks' robes. 

We were in Cambodia during the dry season, which means that all the rivers were running very low. During this time the fishermen have a hard time catching fish so they have to earn money in other ways. Here the villagers used the fertile land on the dry riverbed to grow chilli peppers. Across the river they were growing peanuts. 

We visited the Banan Temple just 30 minutes outside of Battambang. It was built during the 12th century and hasn't undergone much maintenance. The bricks look like they might fall apart at any moment, but people still use it to give offerings and prayers. 

When we first got off the bus in Battambang we met a tuk-tuk driver who offered to bring us to our guesthouse for free if we booked a tour with him. We took his deal and the next day he brought us to the unbelievable Bat Cave. Just as the sun is setting every night you can hear the bats start to wake up. They just kind of fly around the cave for a while until one of them decides it's time to go. Then they all follow in a long black stream. We watched them coming out for about 20 minutes then our guide brought us to a rice field were you can see them from a distance. 

One of the must-do things in Battambang is ride the bamboo train. The train is basically just a small bamboo platform operated with a lawn mower engine. Before they got the engines they were moved along the track using a long bamboo pole. 

We rode through farms and rice fields and got off at a small village where women were selling scarves and clothing. On the way back we had to stop several times since there were incoming bamboo trains. Each time the drivers have to take their platforms off the tracks, let the other one pass and then place their cart back on the tracks. 

A popular snack in Cambodia is these tiny snails, fried in sea salt and chilli. They also do the same with really small clams. The sidewalks are covered in discarded shells. 

We found this tiny Chinese restaurant on one of the side streets in the main town centre of Battambang. The dedicated owner stands outside and rolls out the dough for noodles and dumplings fresh to order. 

We started with some amazing fried dumplings and tea while we waited for our noodles. We were then both given huge bowls of noodles that we could barely finish. The whole thing cost us about $4. 

A man chopping up coconuts at the market to make coconut milk. He gives the small pieces of flesh to a girl who presses them into a machine and starts turning a wheel, a few minutes later the fresh coconut milk start to pour out. 

We bought a bag of the coconut milk for our cooking class. We made this delicious local dish called fish amok. The fish is placed in a small boat that we folded from a banana leaf. We then put the boat in a steamer to let it cook for 45 minutes. 

The main attraction in Cambodia is the ancient ruins of Angkor Wat. It was built in the 12th century and was initially a Hindu complex but later was converted into a Buddhist area. It's suppose to be the largest religious monument in the world. To access the ruins you have get to the nearby town of Siem Reap. You then have the choice of visiting the ruins by bicycle, tuk-tuk, taxi or tour bus. We decided to take a tuk-tuk for the first day to get a feel for the area and then rent bicycles on our second day. 

We brought a picnic from the market with us because the price of food near the ruins is ridiculously high. Thankfully it's easy to find baguettes and fruit to stuff into your bag.

Hundreds of people eagerly waiting for the sun to rise behind Angkor Wat. We only stayed for a short while because people were getting aggressive. They were all worried that they would miss the best photo opportunity when someone would walk in front of them. We decided to walk around the temple to watch the sun rise in peace. 

The sweat marks don't even begin to cover how oppressively hot it was. On top of the heat we were covered in dirt that stuck to our sunscreen. The only bright side was that everyone else was just as incredibly wet and dirty as us. 

There are so many temples to visit that it would be impossible to see them all on the 3 day pass that they sell at the entrance. Because each site was built by a different king during different centuries, each temple has unique features. 

A detailed carving that lines the outside gallery of Angkor Wat. These carvings each tell a story of battle and go on for at least 100 meters. You can see the parts that have been damaged and were removed for rehabilitation. 

Not all the buildings are in good condition. Some of them have crumbled and are slowly being reconstructed. 

At each of the temples there are vendors selling handmade goods. Here a man was selling gorgeous paintings. Unfortunately we have no room in our luggage to bring them home with us. 

After 3 days of exploring these ancient ruins we were completely spent. We honestly could have used a weekend of sitting around, but we had our flight booked for Myanmar the next day.