Extremely disconcerting to find an ATM in a foreign country dispensing US dollars! Not sure why this is the case, when there is a perfectly legitimate local (Cambodian riel) currency? All of the restaurants, hotels, bars, cafes, taxi…everyone accepts US dollars! Apparently it’s the de facto currency in Cambodia, at least in Siem Reap. Why you ask? Still haven’t been able to get an actual reason, from anyone! One of the unfortunate side effects of this was that things were more expensive because everything was priced in US dollars and while relative to the US, food and drink is still cheap, it’s a lot more expensive than Thailand and even China. To add insult to injury, the visa fee on arrival is $25 and you also have to pay a departure tax of $25 when you leave. If I had to do it again, may have skipped Siem Reap, think it’s a bit of a rip off. Oh, did I mention that the fee to see the temples are $20/day?
On a more pleasant note, first thing I did was check myself into a guesthouse with a pool, it was so frickin HOT! I perspired profusely the entire 4 days that I visited Siem Reap. I wish I could say that I spent most of my time at the temples, but truth be told, at least 50% of my day was spent either frolicking in the pool, or lounging by the pool with a book.
Don’t give up on me yet, haven’t turned into a complete hedon! On my first full day, I rose early and was at the temples by 8:30, where I spent the next 6 hours wandering from ruin to ruin, climbing up, scrambling down, taking pictures, cursing under my breath at people when they ruin a perfect shot and all the while sweating like a beast…it was not an attractive site! The temples however, was spectacular…a real face-off between man and nature…thankfully, nature is winning. Though there has been a decent amount of restoration done, and some supporting of the structures to make sure they don’t crumble beneath the millions of tourist feet that traipse around them every year. I saw around 8 temples that first day, beginning with Angkor Thom and Bayon, with all of the faces. Then saw some smaller ones , such as Terrace of the Elephants and Terrance of the Leper King, Ta Keo, Ta Phrom, Bantay Kedi. I decided to save the piece de résistance for another day.
Headed out around 4 in the afternoon on day 2, in order to catch the sunset at Angkor Wat . That gave me enough time to get there, poke around the whole area and still be able to get some great light. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a watery sun that evening, so wasn’t the brilliant, orange sky that I hoped for, but still pretty happy with the view! Had dinner with a nice Aussie couple (well, she’s Aussie, he’s a Kiwi) that night; was good to have the company because I had spent the past 3 days, since I left Chiang Mai L all by my lonesome. We ended up chatting about the rate race( they live in Sydney) and how they both came to a decision last year that life was just too short to spend most of it working for the man. They feel that they were able to strike the right balance between work and play by arranging with their employers to only work 3 days per week. They knew that meant they wouldn’t have a huge house or a fancy car, but who needs those things to be happy anyway? The question is, can I do the same in Edinburgh?
Two days of temples was enough for me, so just chilled for next 2 days: started and finished a book, mediated and did a bit of yoga every morning and more pool time…had a nice little “holiday.” Happy! Happy!
Susan S. Singh Art 
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