Siem Reap

Reached Siem Reap late afternoon, after the bus broke down on the outskirts of Siem Reap. Dropped off at some bus depot, but amazingly the touts that LP claim swarm you (that i was dreading) failed somehow to materialise - I was amazed as i stepped off a bus and not a single tout/moto driver was to be seen. Wandered some ways out of the bus depot before i managed to get a moto to town. For the first time in Cambodia, i managed to get a room in the guesthouse i had originally planned to stay in, at the Popular GH, just off Bar Street.

Paid i think was 5 dollars for a single room which was very clean, spartan, but clean, with a single bed, coat hanger and a paint bucket that doubled as trash can. Shared toilets were just down the corridor. Clean, also. The had a nice restaurant/cafe on the second floor, a nice touch as well for those seeking a quick breakfast or a snack before moving out.

Siem Reap itself was a small town, divided neatly by a river into 2 halves connected by a few bridges that serve as a rough guidepost as to where you are in Siem Reap. Bar Street, admittedly, was a bit of an incongruity in Siem Reap, an entire street that was cordoned off by the tourist police at night so that tourists and travelllers can waltz/stumble down the street with no risk of being hit by motos. As the name suggest, the street was really a collection of bars, pubs and some clubs, with the occassional souvenir shop and bookstore. Still, a nice place to get lost in at night after a tiring day exploring the Angkor temples, although not nearly as atmospheric as Boeng Kak. Say what you want, but backpacker ghettos have a certain charm to them, the itinerant charm of thousands of young backpackers passing through throughout the years in search of adventure and their own true selves, and that you are one of them, just one of the many in this greater journey of life.


Left: Photo of a Psaa (market) opposite Bar Street at evening.
Bar Street, on the other hand, was more tourist oriented, and the prices were generally much higher. What was more fun, i found, was the places just outside bar street, the roadside stalls and street markets that obviously are there to cater to the poor young backpacker who cant really afford to wine and dine in Bar Street. I remember this stall selling fantastic tukalok (Cambodian fruit shakes - amazing) for around 2,000 riels, and great, hot meals like fried rice or noodles for 4,000 riels (1USD), way cheaper and more authentic than what the restaurants in Bar Street offers, enjoyed al fresco perched on the little stools. That said, there was this Mexican restaurant around Bar Street that had amazing tortillas and margaritas thats worth a try. And Khmer Bohrane Restaurant wasn't too bad either.