Keeping it riel...

Hello Cambodia!
I remember a few years ago I didn't even really know where that was. I had just met my friend Lauren who told me about all her travels and she kept mentioning a trip she had taken to Cambodia; I felt like an idiot and just nodded and smiled. (Geography is really not a strong suit of mine but I'm working on it). Now I can happily say I both know where it is and that I've been! (in case you don't really know the geography, Cambodia is a smallish country between Thailand and Vietnam.)
This morning we woke up bright and early ready to head out to the Bangkok airport. The traffic on a Tuesday morning at rush hour is atrocious. Imagine the worst of Los Angeles and multiply it by three - you might almost be able to picture it. Our cab driver was having none of it. Luckily we only had to sit in the worst of the traffic for about 15 minutes as we waited to move the 1/2 block to the break in the median where we could make a U-turn to head towards the airport. Nonetheless we had a few minutes of panic, thinking we might have budgeted our time incorrectly. The Bangkok airport is a zoo. It took us forever just to find our airline to check in and the ages to get to the front of the line. I was getting worried and resentful of the "airport of smiles" signs everywhere. I'd have taken a picture except that I was not amused due to said worry and resentment. Amazingly enough, once we had our tickets and checked our bags, the remainder of the trip through was a piece of cake, and we actually wound up with a few minutes to breath before boarding our plane.
Next stop Siem Reap!
But first, little story while en route. Alex was filling out Visa and Customs forms for both she and Cooper but then accidentally signed one of his with her name. As we had already begun our descent, they couldn't get another blank form. Cooper was shit out of luck. Not to be dramatic or anything, but for a second I wondered if looks really could kill... Good thing they probably can't, because Alex probably would be dead as Cooper stared her down from across customs as we were moved through different lines. Thankfully, it was a remediable situation.
The second we got off the plane at Siem Reap airport, I felt so much better. The airport alone is the yin to the Bangkok airport's yang. It is small and manageable and much less chaotic. Also, crazily, the currency of chive here is the US dollar. They have their own currency (the Riel - 4,000riel = $1) but I have yet to see it. USD is the currency that comes out of ATM machines, it is the currency that taxis and tuk tuks ask for, and it is the currency on any menu. Also, English seems to be the preferred language here. Everyone speaks it impeccably, and when I asked for a tuk tuk to the Psar Chaa (which is a market, and that is what it was called in our guidebook) the bellboy looked at me, completely confused and asked, "do you mean the Old Market?" yup! Language certainly does not seem to be a barrier here.
The Old Market is much smaller and more manageable than Chatuchak weekend market in Bangkok, yet still very intense. The vendors here are much more in your face. They want your business and they want it badly. It's a bit difficult to say "no" and "just looking," especially since so many are just children. We did a bit of shopping. A few souvenirs later, we were tired and exhausted. Somehow we ended up at a Mexican restaurant (which I'd say is weird except that there is every kind of cuisine in the main section of Siem Reap). We sat nursing our margaritas, watching the city go by. Here, tuk tuks are a much less sketchy form of transportation and the best way in and out of town. There are also still so many motorcyclists who just jet by regardless of their surroundings. Ahhhh... It was finally starting to feel like vacation. Despite it feeling less developed, the relaxing feel of Siem Reap was just so welcome after the wildly hectic Bangkok.



A typical view at the market.



Lots and lots of bracelets.

We then spent a few hours walking around. We really like it here. The most foreign thing we saw over and over (and Riley, if you are reading this, please skip the next few sentences and pictures) were huge fish tanks full of lots of little fish. They kind of look like carnival goldfish tanks in the states, where you win one that should live for a week but somehow often live for years. These tanks are for fish massage of your feet. Apparently the fish are drawn to you and exfoliate your skin. I'm not sure if they rub against you or suck, and I'm trying really hard not to judge, but thats just too much for me...



Ya... I just can't...

Otherwise we are pretty charmed.



Typical view of the main part of Siem Reap.


Pub Street - see - very English


Is it just me or are Alex and Cooper starting to look more alike...

we ended off the night at a delicious traditional Khmer restaurant. I don't think I'd ever had Khmer food before and I like it! We ordered the tasting menu so that we could try a bit of everything. There was a fish dish that was ridiculously good. I'd have to say that from my one meal thus far, Khmer food is a lighter version of Thai food that is flavorful but much less spicy.



The tasting menu.



Me in the tuk tuk at the end of the night.

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