Day 1 in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Thursday, 15 August, 2013

Local Time: 1943 hours

What a day! I’m very excited to be here. My flight and arrival here went extremely smoothly. When my flight originally landed, it was pouring rain. This was shortly after 4 pm, and I knew if I didn’t get to see Angkor Wat today, I wouldn’t be able to do much else, as the other attractions I researched close very early.

I’ve heard and read many things about this place, but of course, nothing compares to seeing it firsthand. My taxi driver is extremely kind. He waited a couple hours for me while I walked inside Angkor Wat (he would have to pay $$$ for a ticket if he joined me). I was bracing having to not have many pictures of myself, since I came alone and my driver couldn’t join me. Miraculously, as soon as I entered a temple a man (named Moon, but sounds like “Mahn”), started giving me advice on what angles I should get for my pictures. At first, I thought he was trying to act as my tour guide, then force me to pay him when I left (I had heard stories from friends of this happening). I made sure to clarify I wouldn’t pay him, and he told me he was only doing it as a generosity. I was very skeptical, especially after having numerous children trying to sell me things, and from what I read online. I ended up staying there until 6:45 pm – well after sunset. 

When I initially arrived, I noticed how many hundreds of tourists there were, and this was a Thursday! My new friend talked to a guard, and for $10 extra dollars, was allowed to climb to the very top of the center tower to get a bird’s eye view of the place. I was the only tourist there, in what was labeled as being closed off to visitors. The view was literally breathtaking! It looked like it was straight out of an Indiana Jones movie or the Uncharted video game series. The fact that my friend was able (and willing) to take portraits of me was incredible. I'm still amazed that I didn’t get a single tourist in my shots. How was I allowed to visit a restricted area, when the others were being asked to leave the main park? God, this I am thankful for. I just hope and pray the pictures turned out as good as they looked on my preview screen. Oh, and the fact that the rain stopped as soon as I got there…wow.

Everyone I have come in contact with speaks English. However, judging from some of the body language, facial expressions, and generic “yeah” responses, not everything I say or ask is totally understood. Something neat about the bed in my hotel: there are mosquito nets around it. Finally! I get to experience that myself. I’ve read about them and seen those in movies, but tonight I will understand. I just hope I don’t get too personal with the bugs while I try to sleep. I was just going to say I haven’t seen too many bugs, until I looked up and saw three lizards crawling in the light fixture overhead. As long as they aren’t touching me, I’m fine. This restaurant I am currently eating at is right outside, but is still part of the hotel. I am drinking bottled water. I really don’t want to be like my buddy who spent 10 days in Vietnam, and came back sick as a dog. For now, I’m enjoying the heck out of my French fries and bacon/lettuce/egg/ham sandwich, which I drenched in ketchup. Also, the breeze from the fan is super enjoyable. The group of people behind me are speaking in a language I don’t recognize.

I think of all the hotels around the world. Some, the nicer ones, all kind of blend together. They are all the same to me. But, I think about the cultures and idiosyncrasies of the places that stand out: 1849 in Mammoth, CA, and the Shining Boutique in Siem Reap, Cambodia. These places have culture. All hotels can be simplified into one, with all being inheritantly the same, as they all serve the same general purpose. But, I think of this hotel, along with other three-stars in places like Pakistan, Morroco, and Venezuela. I think of the cities they are in, and what’s unique to those ones. Anyway, time to walk around and get a feel for my surroundings.