We left Bangkok early in the morning to make it to Cambodia before the border closed. The guidebook calls it an "epic journey" and advised us to take lots of snacks and drinks for the bus ride. To get into Cambodia, you take a bus to Aranya Prhatet, the border town, and then a tuk-tuk to cross the border. Crossing the border was not too difficult and involved waiting in a few lines before we boarded yet another bus to head to Siem Reap, the city of Angkor Wat, the main tourist attraction in Cambodia. Our total trip time was about 12 hours and we were very ready and happy to crash in the uncomfortable beds of the $2/hostel after grabbing a bit to eat in town.
In Siem Reap we exchanged Baht for Riel but in this crazy tourist city you can pay with American dollars, Thai Baht or Cambodian Riel or in any combination of the three. On the way to Siem Reap the countryside was filled with green fields, rice paddies, palm trees and a little bit of jungle. The living conditions looked very poor and most houses looked like shacks. It was strange after seeing so much poverty to enter the city of Siem Reap and see huge, Las Vegas style hotels with pools, gardens and lavish restaurants. There is every kind of living quarters one could want here, from five star fancy to low-budget bunkhouses.
The main part of the city was the most touristy place I have ever seen in my life. Everyone was a foreigner except for the people working at the shops and restaurants. There were countless street vendors walking around trying to sell you anything from squeaking frogs to beaded bracelets. They were annoyingly persistent and a little too aggressive for me to handle. The food and beer was some of the cheapest yet (50 cent beers and meals for as low as $2) and there were lots of goodies to peruse in the night market. Some of the most interesting tourist draws were large tanks of fish advertised to eat away at the dead skin on your feet. Many offered you a free beer while you were being nibbled. The main strip was busy and it was a relief to find our tuk-tuk driver (the one with the shirt on that said "No money no honey") so we could go back to our hostel and get some much-needed shut eye. On to the temples and ruins tomorrow!
It's about time! I thought you skipped them!