I fucking love Siem Reap.
The weather/air here is currently much nicer/better than Bangkok which may sound like a boring thing to mention but I can breathe and walk for more than 10 minutes without dripping with sweat and feeling polluted. From the moment I arrived at the airport I felt calmer and more comfortable than I ever have in Thailand. This may have something to do with scale, since Siem Reap is tiny compared to Bangkok but, even when I went to the beach - Koh Samed - I didn't feel as "right".
So far, people have been much more welcoming and friendly which is aided by the fact that so many of them speak at least some English. It makes everything more navigable.
This is a very walkable city - at least the section I'm in - and the tuk-tuk's are quieter and less prone to trying to overcharge you than in Bangkok. It's not a fight... it's a simple agreement at a very low cost.
I'm at The Laundry Bar. I read about it on some "best bars in..." website and suspected it would be my place.
If I lived here, it would definitely be a favorite hangout. It's very chill, has a nice mix of local and foreign, younger and older people and I can smoke inside. How insane is that? Even if I didn't smoke it would still be nice since everything is open and there are fans so it's not super smoky.
Just heard a fun Khmer Rock band (check them out here https://soundcloud.com/kampotplayboys or on YouTube) and am drinking 3 dollar vodka sodas. There are lots of French ex pats here and I had a brief conversation with a German guy who's first question, when he realized I was from the states, was "Is it really possible that Donald Trump might be elected?".
Actually? Yes.
It's so embarrassing to be from the states these days. Sometimes I just lie and say I'm Canadian.
Chatted briefly with a guy cleaning pot at the bar and his friend who had fabulous glasses. Luckily I could manage well enough in French to handle more than five minutes. They were shocked that, as an American, I could handle any French at all. Score!
It seems easy for foreigners to live here. The German says visas for work, as well as just visiting long term, are simple to arrange and there is no doubt that this is because they welcome any influx of money. All of this is great if you can somehow manage not to think about the politics and poverty which, frankly, is not an easy task.
My friend Peter and I have a tour tomorrow at 10 am to begin the great Angkor Park temple trek. Woo hoo! Better get some rest. It's going to be a long long day.
The weather/air here is currently much nicer/better than Bangkok which may sound like a boring thing to mention but I can breathe and walk for more than 10 minutes without dripping with sweat and feeling polluted. From the moment I arrived at the airport I felt calmer and more comfortable than I ever have in Thailand. This may have something to do with scale, since Siem Reap is tiny compared to Bangkok but, even when I went to the beach - Koh Samed - I didn't feel as "right".
So far, people have been much more welcoming and friendly which is aided by the fact that so many of them speak at least some English. It makes everything more navigable.
This is a very walkable city - at least the section I'm in - and the tuk-tuk's are quieter and less prone to trying to overcharge you than in Bangkok. It's not a fight... it's a simple agreement at a very low cost.
I'm at The Laundry Bar. I read about it on some "best bars in..." website and suspected it would be my place.
If I lived here, it would definitely be a favorite hangout. It's very chill, has a nice mix of local and foreign, younger and older people and I can smoke inside. How insane is that? Even if I didn't smoke it would still be nice since everything is open and there are fans so it's not super smoky.
Just heard a fun Khmer Rock band (check them out here https://soundcloud.com/kampotplayboys or on YouTube) and am drinking 3 dollar vodka sodas. There are lots of French ex pats here and I had a brief conversation with a German guy who's first question, when he realized I was from the states, was "Is it really possible that Donald Trump might be elected?".
Actually? Yes.
It's so embarrassing to be from the states these days. Sometimes I just lie and say I'm Canadian.
Chatted briefly with a guy cleaning pot at the bar and his friend who had fabulous glasses. Luckily I could manage well enough in French to handle more than five minutes. They were shocked that, as an American, I could handle any French at all. Score!
It seems easy for foreigners to live here. The German says visas for work, as well as just visiting long term, are simple to arrange and there is no doubt that this is because they welcome any influx of money. All of this is great if you can somehow manage not to think about the politics and poverty which, frankly, is not an easy task.
My friend Peter and I have a tour tomorrow at 10 am to begin the great Angkor Park temple trek. Woo hoo! Better get some rest. It's going to be a long long day.