We spent almost a week in Siem Reap, five days of it at the retreat. Angkor Wat: This is the famous temple of this city and this country: it’s even the central image on the Cambodian flag! They say it’s the largest religious complex in the world, actually. We didn’t go at sunrise, like many recommend, because we’re…
While we were visiting my parents before starting this trip, I picked up a new habit. I would eat fruit and vegetables without washing them first, claiming that the gunk on the outside would help prepare my immune system for foreign lands. I knew this was laughable, since US pesticides are much scarier than the rest of…
When a resolute young fellow steps up to the great bully, the world, and takes him boldly by the beard, he is often surprised to find it comes off in his hand, and that it was only tied on to scare away the timid adventurers. Ralph Waldo Emerson Occasionally, people who know about my travels…
We’ve spent a month total in this small-ish Cambodian town, staying in four different places along the way. Here’s how they compared: Mea Culpa We stayed at this hotel when we first arrived, based on a recommendation I read on a blog. It turned out to be a good one: we returned here for another…
Topsky Hostel: We didn’t stay here, but we did eat breakfast here, in the partially-open air restaurant. B had yogurt with muesli and fruit, as well as two eggs – gearing up for a long day of sightseeing. I had the Khmer fried noodles with beef, though I gave much of the beef and the egg on top…
We spent Christmas Eve with a big group of expats and some fried chicken, on a patio overlooking the capital city of Cambodia. We played Christmas music off YouTube, and we drank mulled wine. The others hailed from France, Malaysia, Korea, Japan, Latvia, Cambodia, England, Canada, and Australia. At one point after most everyone was gone, the…
Epic Arts Cafe: This place came highly recommended because it’s not just a cafe, but also an NGO. They focus on hiring locals with disabilities, from those who are deaf to those who have limps – and more. So, supporting the cafe helps those with limited career prospects get money and dignity. On the food front, our…
We were in Phnom Penh for six days. Central Market: This is the most touristy of the markets, and the largest. The building is interesting from the perspective of modern Cambodian architecture, but mostly, the market is a mob scene. The jewelry area was the calmest and the most spacious, but the market also has electronics, clothing/shoes,…
Perhaps you imagined the Vatican as I did, like a giant church with many chapels and relics. I thought there might even be cardinals wandering about, conducting the work of the church, and that I could wander part of it, oohing and ahhing over the grandeur of these places of prayer. In reality, the Vatican…
Motorcycle and tuk tuk (motorcycle towing a wooden carriage that acts as a taxi) traffic is busier than in other countries we have visited. This is partially because they use these vehicles to move everything! You would be shocked by what they can haul on a small motorbike: we saw one guy with five family members behind him…