Siem Reap Perspectives

For our third time in Siem Reap we decided we would do three things:

1 – Take it easy.

2 - Return to our favorites

3 – Try new things.

1 - Taking it Easy

Number 1 was simple. Upon arrival in Siem Reap we decided to stay put. We had one more stop planned – Lao – but at this point it sounded exhausting. We had been traveling forever and needed to stay put for a while. This last minute change resulted in a much simpler honeymoon – 5 days in Tokyo, 5 days in Koh Lipe, and 5 days in Siem Reap. Also, on our first day in Siem Reap we went to Barcode, a new local gay bar, we just felt…well, at home. It was so comfortable and fun, and it had a drag show! We decided to discover more about Siem Reap.

Temple Stomping

It is almost impossible not to visit the temples on the ground as well. So we did. The temples don’t easily get old. The temples can be completely overrun with people, but this time for some reason we felt like we had it to ourselves. We didn’t, obviously, but being two out of 1000 people is far more comfortable than being 2 out of 5000. We were able to get some great photos with minimal people.

I think my chest sweat is the best part of this picture. 

Peekaboo! 

I have a temple growing out of my head!

The temples are impressive from the outside but some of the best gems are inside. Wall carvings, buddahs, and monks worshipping and frolicking make for a unique and beautiful experience, if you pay attention.

The buddah statues are some of my favorite. The locals like to dress them up in robes of striking orange colors. 

Buddahs are everywhere in statue form. 

I love that Angkor Wat is an active temple. Monks (big and small!) come to worship and wander the grounds among the tourists. These were particularly endearing. 

 Monks aren't the only things to occupy the temple. These bats sleep upside down in the towers during the day. 

The wall carvings are intricate and extensive. Some tell grand stories, while some are just there to be pretty. I believe this is the latter.  

This one is part of a wall of storyline, primarily relating to war among the gods. 

It goes on forever. 

I like the horses. 

The views from the outside are simply unparalleled. We had a beautiful day for temple hopping. 

We were joined by little furry friends on this trip. I friggin love monkeys for some reason. 

Just chillin'

We always love coming here. 

Chinese tourists stick out like... pink umbrellas!

Sunsets

While we were on a mission to do new things, we would have been silly to ignore some of the best that Siem Reap has to offer – like sunsets. We ascended the sunset temple – I forget what it’s called – and got stuck behind a long queue of Chinese tourists. An all too common occurrence in Asia these days. Their sheer quantity is bad enough, but add the mob mentality and it’s all over. Anyway, the views were fantastic, as usual.

You never know what you’re going to see in Cambodia. This time on the sunset temple we were treated to something special – a film crew shooting some khmer boxing for a movie.  It was quite a spectacle, especially with the impressive temple backdrop.

Some live action footage:

3 - Trying New Things

Trying new things was surprisingly easy. We decided to stay in Siem Reap once we realized how much there was to do that we hadn't yet done. Siem Reap has tons to do, both revolving around the temples and not. 

Helicopter Perspectives

We had seen the temples a number of times and wanted a new take, so we took to the skies! Helicopter rides are offered from REP airport and we decided to indulge. The views were spectacular, albeit one-note. The temples are more impressive from the ground because you can appreciate their scale. From above, they just look small. But still, it was very neat to see them in the context of the greater landscape. It was a really fun experience and we are super glad we did it.

Our ride:

Locked in and ready to ride!

Angkor Wat was pretty obvious immediately. The moat frames it well!

The bridge is where you access the temples from the ground. 

From the side

One last of the main temples

This is another temple close by. 

Closer up

Views like this are one of a kind - I love the temples poking out of the green landscape. 

The views seemed to go on forever from above. 

The obligatory airport photo because I couldn't resist. 

And so you can experience it a bit more authentically than through my silly photography skills...

Mountain Biking

OK, so this isn't new. BUT, we did go to a new place! We couldn’t help but repeat one of our favorite Cambodia activities. Mountain biking is one of those unique ways to interact with a place. When we bike we feel like we earn what we see. It’s also easier to interact with our surroundings, the people included. People especially, actually. This time in the spirit of trying new things we decided to bike to a nearby mountain for some extra sunset time. It did not disappoint. The temples on the mountain were impressive, but much smaller than the others. We also made some other local stops. VERY local stops.

This wasn't our first rodeo. Jordan suited up and was off!

One of our first stops was a temple, because it’s Cambodia and that’s what you do. This temple was special. Huge ponds surrounded it with teems of swimming fish. I was scared for the ducks floating on the top – I thought they would be eaten!

Shtuppas abound. Even a miniature Angkor Wat!

The next stop was slightly more unusual. We visited a crocodile farm. Weird, right? Apparently it’s a big ticket item for both its skin and meat. This particular farm had numerous cages to house the crocodiles at each stage of their development. The small ones, medium ones, and…

The monsters that have no business in captivity. These things were huge and NASTY. They had quite an appetite.

The smaller ones.

The medium sized beasts.

Aaaaand the monsters.

These are the biggest crocodiles I have ever seen!

Hungry.

When I say they were hungry, I meant it. 

Apparently someone sleeps with the crocodiles every night to make sure they are ok. And to make sure they don’t escape and eat the local villagers. This is not a job I would want.

Apart from random croc farms, the most rewarding part of the biking adventure is the scenery. 

 This fun bike trip culminated in a steep climb up a random mountain, followed by a spectacular sunset that very few people have the energy to find. It was all very rewarding. The views speak for themselves. From here you can see temples, towns, landscapes, the biggest lake in Cambodia, and the sun in its full glory. 

Temples:

Towns:

Landscapes:

More of a vista than a landscape.

Rice paddies everywhere!

Pensive Jordan

And us!

All of this culminated in a fantastical sunset. 

 

Can't resist the selfie!

Pano

Biking never disappoints. This trip was not strenuous but we still went far. Ok I take that back, the mountain climb at the end had us walking along side the bike toward the top, but the rest of it was fine! It was nice to finally see the lake Tonle Sap. It apparently moves in and out with the seasons. During rainy seasons it swells to engulf the towns around it. That's why all the houses are on stilts and tout themselves as "floating villages." A scene for next time I suppose!

Cambodian Circus 

The tourism in Cambodia has given rise to all sorts of new ventures. The circus is an unexpected surprise and we were happy to see it and support these artistic kiddos. The circus is more of an acrobatic show - think of Cirque du Soleil. The organization is a charity that trains young Cambodians in the arts to give them a craft. They succeed mightily. 

The show is artsy. It is an acrobatic show laced together with a loose story. The storyline changes on the regular - this story was about a bad dream that all the kids are having simultaneously. 

They stack on top of each other...

Headstand...

Flip over each other...

And hang from the roof. 

This is all before my camera died. Oops. There was much more, and it was equally as impressive. This is a must-do for anyone going to Cambodia. 

Cabaret Show

Wherever we go we always make a point to try and support the local gay establishments. Siem Ream actually has about 4 gay bars. Who knew? One of them has a drag show every night. Sounds excessive? It is, but it's fun. Another has a drag show three times a week. This was perhaps the best drag show/cabaret I have ever seen thanks to the incredible dancers. The lady boys were quite good as well with their lip synching act, but it was the dancers that stole the show. 

Barcode has the daily shows. These shows aren't that intricate, but it is a good platform for local drag artists and dancers that want to make some side money. 

Some scenes.

The other place, Station Wine Bar, had a much more prominent stage, better dancers, better drag, and an all around show-quality feel. These two were the best dancers. The one on the left was perhaps the most engaging dancer I have ever seen. He loved what he did and felt the music in a way I have not seen before. 

I could have also been enthralled because a solid core of their set was K-Pop, which I am obsessed with. I knew every song. Here is the lead dancer on his own. 

This is one of my fave K-Pop songs. 

The best part about all this was that they were just having fun. They loved what they were doing and it showed. 

Then there were the drag queens. This one was flawless. 

This one was dramatical. 

This one was emotional. 

And this one was just fierce. Albeit drunk. 

Yes, those are some regular girls on stage as well. At the end of every show, they pull everyone in the front row onto the stage and make them dance. I was never a fan of this move, but I played along when it was my turn. 

When the cabaret was done everyone took to the street. Pub street, that is. Pub street has evolved into a crazy nighttime destination. Temple Bar, which there are now 3 or 4 of, is the hot spot. It's where locals and tourists alike congregate for shenanigans, beer, and debauchery. All in all, it was a fantastic way to finish off the night. 

For us, though, we made one more stop before Temple. We have a habit of befriending locals and Siem Reap was no exception. Here we made friends with the local industrious tuktuk driver that had converted his tuktuk into a street bar. This guy was awesome, serving up $1-$4 drinks until the wee hours. 

That bucket on the counter is a drink. A stiff one. We had too many. 

Flaming shots. Ugh.

Temple is always a raging good time. We only went a few times but we take comfort in knowing it's there in case we want to get messy dancing. Like I said, locals and foreigners go there for fun, as evidenced in this photo. 

Temple is not a gay bar, it's just a bar. Everyone goes. Everyone has fun. No one remembers the next day.

It was the right choice to come back to Cambodia on our honeymoon. Why fix what ain't broken? I am sure we're not done here. We didn't even get to do all the new stuff we wanted to. Oh well, that gives us an excuse to return!

This was the end of the honeymoon and back to reality. That was a tough transition.