Where to stay (or not) in Phnom Penh - Modern City Hotel

I'm not sure why this hotel is under the heading of a B & B/Inn on Tripadvisor...it's a hotel!

We had been booked in at Sary's Guesthouse for months prior, having made arrangments directly, with Sary by emails. All was going well until they failed to collect us from the bus station, a trade off in lieu of our free airport pick-up. So in a tuk tuk we jumped and found our own way. On arriving...big apologies for renting out our room!!! for the first of our three night stay. 

So what's (new for us) to eat? Cambodia

28th Feb - 7th Mar 2012

Anyone who knows us, or this blog, will know that we love our food. Especially finding new dishes or ingredients, we’ve never seen or tried before and eating them. During the 9 days we spent in Cambodia we were able to discover a few, as well as take part in a cooking class in Phnom Penh.

As in nearly every class we’ve attended in Asia, alas, spring rolls were on the menu, although this was the first time I’d seen shredded taro as the main ingredient. Our teacher informed us sweet white potato is a suitable substitute. Shredded, soaked in water and squeezed dry.

Phnom Penh's S21

5th - 7th March 2012

Driving into Phnom Penh, the term ‘in your face’ comes to (my) mind. It’s part in ruins, part being built/rebuilt and part new. She’s a bit smelly, colourful, struggling to survive, hoping for a better future, and writhing with life. Her scars are very evident,  and some of her wounds are still healing, and it’s no wonder why.

The history of Cambodia is fraught with internal uprisings and invasions from way, way back. More recently, enduring the terror of the Khmer Rouge. If you want to skip my condensed over simplified version of a little prior history...scroll past the purple bit.

Busing it from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh

4th March 2012

If you're planning on travelling from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh, by bus, you have several options of companies to choose from. We chose 168, only because the staff at Zana House said that they were new...or perhaps they meant that the buses were new...or looked new. Ours was just fine.

We were punctually collected right outside the guesthouse entrance and appeared to be the last on a 'hotel pick up route', before stopping up the road, at their office, to allow the final passengers to board.

The ride is a comfy 3.5 to 4 hours long, making two stops along the way. One, possibly because someone wanted to buy fruit and veggies.

Flying to Sihanoukville for a couple of days

2nd - 3th March

Unable to book a ticket via the Cambodia Angkor Air website (for the last 6 months, after numerous attempts and reassuring emails from their office) we found their headquarters in Siem Reap and paid for our seats. Angkor Air is currently the only airline offering this route, unless perhaps if you have the dosh to hire your own plane.

The flight from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville is very short, it's only around 170 km as the crow flies. At US$117, it's expensive in comparison to the other local flights, but worth it when the alternative is a  9 - 10 hours in a bus. It was a nice flight, but the (burning off of crops) smoke in the air, as we left Siem Reap, was very evident.

Sihanoukville Airport

Mekong Boutique Hotel, Siem Reap - Review

Whenever we travel, I always submit a review of hotels we stay at on Tripadvisor.com (because I rely on it myself)...that is of course if they can locate the darn hotel. Some remain undiscovered by the website, regardless of providing them with detailed details. Ho hum!

While in Siem Reap we stayed at the Mekong Boutique Hotel, booking directly via their website for US$20 per night, per room, which included breakfast and arrival transfer from the airport, by tuk tuk.

I'm so relieved I left my hand grenades outside!

Here's the review.

Before we leave Siem Reap

28th Feb - 2nd Mar 2012

Some holiday photos and experiences don't warrant a full post to themselves, but it'd be a shame to not include them, somewhere. So, before we leave Siem Reap...

Flying in.

Where the river meets Tonle Sap lake

Looking a bit dry or perhaps the havest's over, as we near Siem Reap

The language. A native Bangkokian recently said to me that Khmer reminded him of 'rock n roll'. Until then I thought I was the only one that visualised languages. Khmer to me was like someone plucking a banjo, Deliverance style...and from time to time, I could have sworn I'd recognised some (Thai) notes. Possibly, but more than likely, not. Malaysian conjures up a pot of something really thick bubbling away on the stove, but that's another post.

Onward to the Bayon and Thom - Cambodia

1st March 2012

A good hour and a half later after wandering around Angkor Wat, we cooled down in a nearby café. It was SO hot, other tourists where asking the gardener to hose them off, instead of the plants. We located our tuk tuk driver, Sojetta, in the parking area opposite Angkor Wat and after Stray had abruptly interrupted his nap, he convinced him to swap places.

Poor guy still looks half asleep.

Changing back, shortly before we arrived at The Bayon, notorious for it’s huge faces…just in case the cops were about.

Angkor Wat's off the bucket list

 1st March 2012

Angkor Wat has now been struck off our bucket list. This, the largest pre-industrial urban development,  once connected by a hydraulic network of canals and dams, is for some people, their only reason for visiting Siem Reap. Opting to fly in and fly out in one day...so we were told. It's a pity, because Siem Reap itself is a well worth a few days stay.

Our one day pass to Angkor Wat...OK, we look a trifle dishevelled, but hey, it was stifling hot, already!

 

Standing at the front entrance of Angkor Wat, I'm starting to appreciate why the women behind me are dressed the way they are. 

Arriving in Siem Reap

27th - 29th Feb 2012

After our usual overnight transit through Kuala Lumpur at the Tune prison Hotel, we took off to Siem Reap (the Flat Defeat of Siam) early the next morning. The airport is small, quiet and quaint and there was no need for me to download visa forms from the internet, pre-complete them in duplicate and whack two photos on the front.

The only necessary form is on hand at immigration, fill it out and hand over a passport size photo plus US$20 and a painless few minutes later you're on your way to a passport check and fingerprint scan...something I was surprised to see in such a small city, country.

Precious Cargo - Siem Reap, Cambodia

Stray and I have spent the last 3 weeks visiting Cambodia and parts of Malaysia. Before I get blogging (blah blahing) I love this photo and wanted to share it, even though it does make me shudder!

Snap's other blog Chiang Mai Thai

So we came all the way back, just to go back - Cambodia

We've been back in Oz for just over one month now. Happy to say Mr Bundy's ears are still intact, minus the points (Solar Dermatis, fancy name for my cat can't tolerate the sun. So he's doomed to a life of zinc cream coated ears). And, I've given into the fact that I WILL have to move more than two chairs and a bed back into the house and have started to do so. Can see a big garage sale coming up soon...more culling.

Stray's undone the termite damage, bar the aesthetic touches. But, I'm still pretending that the upstairs doesn't exist, even though I can safely walk up the steps. Less cleaning that way.

OK, getting to the point! Cambodia, especially Angkor Wat just outside of Siem Reap, was one of the places we intended on visiting while being so close, in Thailand. But, one thing lead to another and we never got there. So, we're heading off early next year to see that, Phnom Phen and Sihanoukville. All via Malaysia where we'll stop off in Georgetown (Penang), Langkawi and Melaka
.

Batu Caves outside of Kuala Lumpur

Sabah (Kota Kinabalu, Borneo) fishing boats

Kuching (Sarawak, Borneo) riverfront

We've visited Kuala Lumpur a couple of times, and Borneo, and our plans are fairly well set in jelly ...but if you've been to any of these places and can recommend 'what to see's' and 'what to do's' (or not) apart from what's on the usual tourist spiels, please do!

Snap's other blog Chiang Mai Thai

Pilotage Cambodia

It's 2008 and Missy sets off from the US to Cambodia...her first time in Asia! She stays for eight months and revisited just recently. She spent her time there teaching English and Art at Aziza's Place (AP). AP is an orphanage of sorts, although in this case, the kids have parents. Pilotage Cambodia, Missy's blog, takes you on a journey of sadness and joy, as she briefly touches and enriches the lives of the kids doomed to an existence of scavenging at Steung Meanchey city dump, she in turn creates memories and learns lessons I am sure she never knew were possible.

"Words cannot describe the journey.. but they try." - Missy.

Steung Meanchey

I can't tell you how I tripped over Pilotage Cambodia, because it was completely off my normal blog circuits, but I am so glad I did. As a blogaholic, it's hard to pick a favourite...if there is such a thing, but there was something about the way Missy wrote that kept me glued from start to finish. 

AP also has its own Newsletter called Aziza's Courtyard and it too, is well worth a visit, subscription...or better still, a donation.

Cambodia, and of course Ankor Wat, is on my 'see before I cark it list'. Stray and I heard nothing but good things about the country from fellow travellers and I hope when we're in Thailand, that we can make the journey. I know I'll be making a special stop, whilst there!

If you have time or love a good, honest read, please take time to check out Pilotage Cambodia...from the beginning.