Siem Reap - Temples

The Temple Region

Angkor Wat is but one temple in a vast temple graveyard north of the city.  Every patch of blue on this map is a moat surrounding an old temple save the large rectangled "Barays", ancient reservoirs that feed the rice paddies.  Angkor Wat is the small blue square closest to the city.  Angkor Thom and Prasat Bayon are inside the larger blue square between the Barays.  Ta Prohm is at the SW corner of the East Baray.  Song took me to all of these via tuk tuk.

Siem Reap - Khmer Cooking

Heading into the Countryside for Class
My afternoon cooking class started with a long tuk tuk ride south of Siem Reap.

Siem Reap - Money

Uncle Sam Rules
You can either pay in US Dollars or Cambodian Riel.  It takes a quick mind as you will be quoted a price in one or the other and often get change in both.  One dollar is worth 4,000 riel.  This is the first country I have been to that has no coins.  Or, rather, they are not used and I didn't see any.  If you are quoted a price of fifty cents you can either pay 2,000 riel or hand over a dollar and get 2,000 riel in change.

Siem Reap - First Visit to Cambodia

Gas on High, Light Match
I flew on Malaysia Airlines via Kuala Lumpur, three hours in total.  As you might imagine, with the recent Malaysia Airlines news, I got a great price.  Thailand to the left, Laos above and Vietnam to the right.  Siem Reap is just north of the large lake in the middle of the country, Ton Le Sap lake.  It feeds Ton Le Sap river which meanders southeast where it joins the Mekong outside of Phnom Penh.