Siem Reap

Reunited in Siem Reap...

You try to prepare for the big disappointment that will someday happen at baggage claim but the inconvenience of your suitcases remaining behind can put a bit of a damper on your trip. Luckily we found some stylish shoes and socks at the Night Market for Pat that were comfortable enough to endure walking all day amongst the temples surrounding Siem Reap. Our bags, thankfully, arrived on the next day's flight from Laos.

Prices here in Cambodia are stated in US dollars and that's what you get at the ATM. We found that it's not wise to request an even $100 at the ATM because you receive a nice new $100 bill which isn't too practical.

Our hotel, The Golden Banana Boutique Resort is conveniently located a short stroll from the Night Market and the entire staff couldn't be more friendly or accommodating.

Siem Reap is home to the UNESCO Heritage site of Angkor which has become the name for the Khmer empire that existed in this area of Cambodia between the 9th and 12th centuries AD. The rather numerous temple ruins are remnants of the era and are, in a word, amazing. Long neglected to the point of being swallowed by the surrounding vegetation, the sites that first drew a trickle of visitors in the early 20th century, now draw millions each year as more undergo restoration.

We finished up our trip to Siem Reap with a trip to the Landmine Museum founded by Aki Ra, a Top Ten CNN Hero who formerly fought with and against the Khmer Rouge as a child and personally had planted many of the landmines that still plague the Cambodian landscape. He now devotes his energies to helping the victims of landmines and is still on the hunt for the many remaining live, hidden landmines.

The Khmer Rouge's campaign of human genocide is detailed in the film, The Killing Fields. It seems that every tour guide and driver we met had a story to tell about this period which lasted from 1975 to 1979 but what is striking walking around the streets here is the lack of elderly people, apparent victims of the Pol Pot regime of terror.

See the photos here.