The town of Siem Reap is (fittingly!) known for its proximity to Angkor, but I had a hard time leaving the town itself! While Lisa was in town, we stayed for five nights, and then I spent almost that long in town after she left. There are so many good things about Siem Reap, but what kept me in town for longer than I probably needed to stay were two things that were perfectly in proportion to each other: a lot to do in a small area.
When you stop to think about it, that's basically the precise formula for a good place to hang out in for a while. Plus, all those little things that make a town worthwhile were in Siem Reap in spades: yummy, cheap food; a good mix of people; and a little bit of charm. I spent nine nights in Siem Reap and truthfully, it wouldn't take much to cajole me into going back for another nine.
So how did I spend my time in Siem Reap? Well, there were basically an unlimited number of luxury hotels more than willing to let you hang out their pool (some with swim up bars, some that included food and drink, and some that would let you use their gym, too!) all day for a couple bucks, which was perfect after a long day of templing!
And in the evening, the aptly named Pub Street was a bastion of open air restaurants and bars catering to about any budget or taste. Wit trivia night*, live dancing shows, jazz, and 50 cent drafts all within a five minute walk, Pub Street provided some of the best night time activities in Cambodia**!
*Don't ask me about the first trivia night we went to unless you want to hear a ten minute rant about the most annoying person I've met since I've been on the road!
**Obviously not including Nerd Nite, of course.
But there's more! Looking for a cheap, fantastic massage? Get one a day because they're only five bucks! Want to learn to make that delicious Khmer curry you've been eating for the past week and a half? Grab a mortar and pestle and get pounding. Want to take some yoga classes because you've been eating said Khmer curry for the past week? Burn those calories with classes on a balcony overlooking the river. Or, just looking to update your blog with some of the fastest wifi you've seen in Southeast Asia? Order the mint chocolate ice cream and fall into Blur Pumpkin's luxurious couches.
And not only was there lots to do right in town, but we took a couple non-temple related jaunts just outside town, and they both ended up being completely worthwhile. First up, The Landmine Museum. Ever since I visited Warsaw last fall, I've been very interested in what makes a good museum. Obviously, being from northern Jersey and having access to some of the best museums in the world just across the Hudson, it never used to be something I thought about very often. But after being in in Poland and seeing the excellent Warsaw Uprising Museum--which tells the story-within-a-story of how Warsovians tried (and ultimately failed) to free themselves from the Nazi invasion--my opunion of what makes a good museum changes completely. It doesn't have to be massive, filled with the most historic works, or made of marble. A good museum tells a story--and tells it in a moving and enriching way.
And that's exactly what The Landmine Musuem did. It's not large, but it consumes you with the story of one man, conscripted by the Khmer Rouge under the age of ten, who eventually defected and dedicated his life to removing the approximately six million landmines still live in Cambodia. It's a heart-swelling story, and if anyone has any additional time, just google Aki Ra. CNN will be more than happy to give you much more detailed info then I could ever presume to.
And on a much less sobering note, I don't think I've mentioned, but Cambodia is basically the land of the butterflies! Everywhere you go, butterflies are fluttering around, daring you to get the perfect picture before fly to another flower. So of course I wanted to go to the butterfly conservation in Siem Reap! You enter a mesh enclosed room, and the hospitable staff are more than happy let you frolic through the butterflies for as long as you want! Squee!! I am the worst butterfly photographer ever, but maybe (hint hint!) Lisa will send me one of the great picture she got with her fancy-Dan camera, in which case I'll update this post later with that picture!