Faces of Cambodia

Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Such an amazing, exotic place about which we had only read and seen photos! The town of Siem Reap seems more rustic than Saigon or Manila, despite the brand new modern airport where we were the only plane coming or going as we came and left the county. Siem Reap is the gateway to an array of ancient temples. Angkor Wat is an expansive collection of temples surrounded by a vast moat. To explore all of it would take days and a lot of walking in steamy humidity and sweltering conditions. We were fortunate to arrive at a fortuitous time before the rainy season.

When you’re in Siem Reap, be sure to stay at the Jaya House River Park hotel — complimentary laundry helped to keep us dry and ready to venture out. It is a tranquil, beautiful boutique hotel.

Azamara arranged great guided tours to immerse ourselves in this experience, including delicious, artful meals, both Western menus and Cambodian cuisine. The shopping was very inexpensive and every where you go are souvenir stands, but we also found a nice gallery of traditional handicrafts and examples of the Buddhist and Hindu deities in wood, bronze, ceramic, lacquer and pretty silk and cotton fabrics.

We tried to capture the astounding ruins as well as the serenity of a sunset river cruise on gondola boats. The sunset was so fitting, hazy and quiet before we went back to the hotel by tuk tuk — a motorized, open-air taxi — drivers are grateful for a small tip. Cambodia is a very poor county and the household income is shockingly small, so tips are appreciated and supplement the incomes. The people are pleasant and always deferential- all will bow slightly and use the namaste gesture. Lovely manners!

Another fantastic treat was a Cambodian dinner and terrific Cambodian dance performance. The dancers grace and technique is inspiring!