Guest Blogger: Mom Visits Cambodia

As promised, Mom's third (and final) blog post about her recent visit to Thailand; this story covers our last week together, traveling to ancient temples in Siem Reap, Cambodia. 
-Stefanie

The flight into Siem Reap is gorgeous, green fields, laid out in perfect geometry, thatched buildings raised on poles dotting the landscape, forests on hillsides beyond the fields. For this plane ride we had perfect, clear weather for a perfect ride and landing. The airport is modern and spotless, tourists from every nationality imaginable stood in line with us to get the tourist visa. We took a taxi to our hotel which was about a 20 minute ride on a wide highway with practically no traffic. Next time, Estefania, we’ll take a Cambodian tuk tuk from the airport, just like we did on the way back to our flight back to Bangkok.

The Angkoriana Hotel was perfect! Its architecture is Khmer inspired, I think, with the use of rich woods throughout. I especially liked the carved 10 foot high room doors and the rich wooden staircase and carved banister that took us up to our room on the second floor. Estefania, you make the best traveling arrangements!

From that moment on, all our transportation needs were on tuk tuk, Cambodian style, nothing fancy, just a motorcycle pulling a little wagon with 2 tiny bench seats and a canvas roof – but absolutely perfect.

We tuk tuked down the Charles de Gaulle Boulevard at sunset towards the center of town and to its night markets and restaurants. The ride on the wide boulevard bordered by giant overhanging trees, the river on the left, motor bikes, tuk tuks, a few cars and trucks sharing the road was…..again……perfect. I followed Stef’s lead as we strolled through the streets and bazaars and ended up going up a couple of flights of stairs to an outdoor restaurant where I left all the ordering to Stef. Comida super deliciosa! I’m not very good as describing flavors and tastes, but I can say that Cambodian Kmer food is even spicier than Thai! Ouch!

 We planned on investigating the temples for two days, so from the hotel we hired a Cambodian tour guide. His name was Dom and we spent 2 days in his company. We 3 climbed into a tuk tuk at the hotel and he began laying out the itinerary for the first day. He was very nice and knowledgeable and after guiding us to the park entrance (which had incredibly long lines of tourists) he began to explain as much as he could about the carvings, the entrances, the sculptures, the temple levels, the Hindu and Buddhist stories, and the forest that surrounds Angkor.

We avoided the huge crowds as much as possible as we walked over causeways and climbed multi-chambered hallways all the while (for my part) gazing with awe at wall carvings and paintings, mythical Naga beasts and Apsara dancer sculptures, columns, lintels, vaulted rock ceilings, limestone, sandstone, imagining a kingdom of one million working on these gigantic monuments over eight hundred years ago. I’d go back in a heartbeat.  What a privilege, Stefanie, to be able to touch these same carvings with my own hands and climb a hundred narrow steps to view the expanse of this project with my own eyes! De veras, Stefanie, un muy profundo – graciassss!

 Enough, I think, the Angkoriana Hotel lobby with its rich wood columns and super throne like comfy sofas is making me forget that I will say good-bye to Estefania…….but hello to the rest of the family. Adios, but I really must follow through and plan my trip to the ancient monuments of Egypt with my fantastic travelling companion, Stef.

-Guest blogger: Cecilia Langley (Mom)