Cambodia & Thailand Day 3
Cambodia & Thailand
DAY 3 - November 28, 2003 - Bangkok to Angkor Watt/Siem Reap
We were up long before the wake-up call came. At 6:30 we were up and showering. We went down for breakfast and the Thai menu is really different. They had the regular western breakfast but also the Oriental noodles and other such foods.
The fresh fruit was fabulous, with the very sweet little bananas. I had an omelet with red and green peppers, onions, and cheese and then went to the Oriental table and got some shrimp, tiny asparagus and other good things. The coffee was strong and tasty.
We then went to the business center and sent out the first two day’s Journal and checked our email. We returned to our room, put out our suitcases and then went to meet the rest of the group in the main lobby.
As we got there, I looked for my camera and suddenly realized that I had left it at home in Colorado. I was not a happy camper. Mickey Shumaker suggested I call Tim Templeton to ask him to overnight ship it to me with FedEx.
I called our home, left a message on the machine and I hope Tim will get it so that he can send it out on Saturday from Monument. The long distance call was only $7. I returned to the lobby and the rest of our group had arrived.
There are Carolyn from NY and Laynne from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Then there are Bob and James from Boston and who both work for OAT, out tour company. Jim and Mickey Shumaker, with Gennie and I making the 8 in this pre-trip.
We were met by Anya, our tour guide in Thailand and she got us on the bus to go to the airport and our flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia, a town within the boundaries of the ancient city of Angkor.
Anya helped us check in to Bangkok Airways and then we exchanged some money to pay for the airport taxes and we proceeded through our outward emigration to get to Gate 74 to take our flight.
As we got there we found that the flight was going to be delayed one hour. So we spent the time getting to know our fellow passengers a little better.
Finally, we were called and we had to get on a bus to go out to the tarmac and get on the plane. It was an ART 72 turboprop. We were airborne, and they served us a light lunch.
An hour later we arrived in the People's Republic of Cambodia, a communist royal government. We had to get a visa, $20 each, then go through passport control and then get our luggage. Just as we started a large jet came in from Vietnam so we were ahead of all these in entering Cambodia.
We arrived in Siem Reap before lunch. As we drove in, we saw that the people are financially deprived. Most ride a motorbike or a bicycle.
Our tour guide Samnang (Lucky) told us that the hotel was not ready for us yet so we went for lunch. It was excellent. Sweet and sour fish soup, fried mixed vegetables, rice, fried fish with spicy mango sauce, chicken cashew vegetables, fried pork in garlic and fruit for dessert.
Three of the guys had the Angkor Beer - LARGE bottles for $2 whereas Gennie and I had Cokes for $1.5. We had tea after the meal. We got back in the small bus and were taken to the Angkor Hotel. We were greeted with a welcoming scarf and checked in.
They took our luggage to the room and we got organized. Gennie and I decided we wanted to walk around the town so we went out. We met Jim and Mickey at the front door and walked with them around the town a bit.
It is WARM, about 90 degrees - at least it felt like that. My shirt was wet when we returned to the room at 4:30 PM. Our walk was very enjoyable - we saw the people in their homes, socializing, doing their thing on a Saturday afternoon. They get from one area to another by foot, bicycle or scooter. Very few have cars.
Everyone was very friendly, smiling, say hello and please take our picture. Cambodia was an area of SE Asia that the US bombed during the Vietnam War so I was a little concerned but the people have been extremely friendly.
As we walked around we saw that they are very poor but seem to be happy with their lives. When they ride their scooters/small motorcycles there may be the whole family on the vehicle.
Dad driving, Mom holding the baby and the other child hanging on. Wow, this was a new one for me. Others carry their pigs, chickens and other farm animals on these.
The richest part of the town are the Buddhist temples and the home for Prince Sihanuck, when he is in the area. The streets are crowded with traffic and pedestrians.
Very interesting to watch the people. As I said earlier - everyone smiles and bow their heads when we say hello and likewise nod or bow our heads.
At 7 PM our guide Samnang greeted us and we were taken to an evening dinner and a cultural show in town at the Banyon II Restaurant. The food was buffet style and very good.
The cultural show was interesting as they did the very delicate and intricate Indochina dances. To add to the flavor of our evening we returned to our hotel using local transport, the motor-rickshaw (a rickshaw with motor power). Rickshaws are a popular means of transportation throughout Southeast Asia where the streets are often narrow.
Accommodations: Angkor Hotel
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