Siem Reap, which means “Siam (today’s Thailand) Defeated”, is a province north of Phnom Penh. It was the capital of Cambodia before it was moved to Phnom Penh. This province has a unique charm that is unmistakable the moment you set foot on its orange soil.
We met with the tuktuk driver from the hotel, which I arranged in Phnom Penh. Much like the weather, Cambodians are warm, too warm in fact. Koi, our tuktuk driver invited us to his friend’s wedding later that night. We were on our way to Tonle Sap (Fortune Village) when he made the invite, so we weren’t really thinking he’s serious.
- Lotus Farm on the way to Tonle Sap
Khmers
Floating store
Floating school
Contemplating on the dollars…
Tonle Sap, is a lake where the Fortune Village is located. It is a floating community where local children learn to swim before they can even walk. If you have bucks to waste, you can spare half a day here and watch the sunset. But if you’re on a tight budget, you won’t really miss anything if you don’t go. There’s a $5 port entrance fee. The boat ride costs $25! Per person! If they ask if you want to drop by the floating school, you will have to buy something first at the floating store. Something to give to the kids. I just bought $10 worth of junk food. Nutrition was the last of my concerns. I wanna get out of here fast! At least the children were happy for about 2 minutes.
Look! She seems to like me.
After a 2-hour holdup at Tonle Sap (Read: Dollars down the drain), we headed back to the hotel. Koi reminded us of the wedding and said he would come to pick us up at 7:00pm.We weren’t really sure what to expect, let alone what to wear.
That’s Koi Seng, the tuktuk driver, seated next to me.
Tip: always bring at least a pair of long sleeves when traveling. Who knows, you might stand as best man somewhere around the globe.
Salt beef, nuts, meatballs, pickled peppers, etc.
Zesty salad. This has chicken feet in it.
Another salad. With goat entrails. (I think. :p)
Tinapa, Sinigang na Hipon, etc. :p
The dinner, which started with a cold glass of beer, was colourful and festive. There were over 500 guests in attendance. Much to our delight, we had overflowing food and Cambodian beer. We dived into every dish served with much curiosity and gusto. Dried beef, seafood, weird leaves, even chicken feet, I wolfed them all, with beer to wash it down.
The next thing I know, I was on the dance floor, dancing to weird music, with people I barely know, but surprisingly and quite pleasantly having the time of my life. We were shouting, jumping, laughing, going round and round in a feast that seemed no end.
Weird Music.
I totally nailed it.
But sadly, it did end. Back in the hotel, we dozed off pretty quickly. The previous night’s encounter was just a taster to a great Cambodian adventure. As if Cambodia was trying so hard to impress us. Lure us in fact, to consider living there! We had the entire day dedicated to visiting the temples of Angkor. Like a wide-eyed kid in a candy store, I can’t seem to decide where to go first. I made sure to look at all accessible corners. With its history engraved in old stones, one can picture their rich and colorful culture.
One day was not enough to go to all the temples. A three-day pass would be a luxury. Go rent a bike for $1 a day. With map in hand, I would gladly be lost in this majestic jungle.
rightupmyallie 