Siem Reap, Cambodia

Siem Reap is the most famous and most touristic city in Cambodia, because it’s located at just few kilometers from Angkor Temples. Tourist sleep overnight in Siem Reap and go on day trips to visit the temples at Angkor. There are several ways to reach the Angkor Temples from Siem Reap: by tuk-tuk, bike, motorbike or hiring a private driver who is at your disposal and takes you around (the price was 130 US Dollars for 3 days on a car with AC).

We spent 5 nights in Siem Reap (3 days Angkor Temples and 1 day exploring Siem Reap).

With the Lonely Planet guide in one hand and heavy cameras around the neck, we slowly dived into the local culture, people and traffic. We saw temples, monks, children, schools, people getting haircuts, people sleeping in tuk-tuk, we ate tasty traditional food and drank local beer and fruity cocktails.

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Siem Reap e cel mai faimos si turistic oras din Cambodgia datorita locatiei la doar cativa kilometri de Templele de la Angkor. Practic, stai peste noapte in Siem Reap, iar ziua faci excursii la templele Angkor. Sunt mai multe modalitati de a ajunge la temple: cu tuk-tuk, bicicleta (pentru aventurosi), scuter sau, metoda aleasa de noi, un sofer privat care e practic la dispozitia ta cate zile il angajezi: ne-a facut itinerariul si ne-a dus cat e ziua de lunga de la un templu la altul. A costat in jur de 130 dolari americani pentru 3 zile (preturile sunt in dolari americani in Cambodgia, iar pentru ce e sub un dolar, iti da restul in Riel, bani cambodgieni. 1 dolar= 4000 rieli.

Dupa aceste 3 zile in care am avut la dispozitie sofer si masina pentru a vizita numeroasele temple de la Angkor, ne-am dorit sa fim pe cont propriu pentru a explora orasul Siem Reap pe jos, sa ne avantam in cultura si traditiile locale.

Am vazut temple, scoli, copii, oameni la frizer, somnorosi in tuk-tuk, am mancat mancare traditionala si am gustat bere locala si cocktailuri de fructe.

Buddhist monks in Siem Reap

Tourists in Tuk-Tuk

Street in Siem Reap / Strada in Siem Reap

Wat Bo temple in Siem Reap / Templul (manastirea) Wat Bo in Siem Reap

Buddhist monk hanging out laundry / Calugar budist pune rufele la uscat

The “kitchen” at Wat Bo temple / “Bucataria” manastirii Wat Bo

Wat Bo temple

Many Stupas are found at all Buddhist monasteries / Stupa (pietre funerare budiste) se gasesc in curtile tuturor manastirilor budiste

A party in the street / O petrecere in strada

…and another party on the street / O alta petrecere pe strada

Cooking on the street and spending time with the family / Gatitul se face pe strada in fata casei, unde familia petrece timp impreuna

A golden Buddha in a big, golden lotus flower / O statuie aurie a lui Buddha in mijlocul unei uriase flori de lotus

Golden Buddha statues / Statui aurii reprezentandu-l pe Buddha

Wat Preah Prohm Roth

Cows at temple / Templul Wat Preah Prohm Roth

Classroom in the Foreign Language School in Siem Reap/ Asa arata o sala de clasa in scoala de limbi straine din Siem Reap

The Language School in Siem Reap/ Aceasta este scoala de limbi straine

Street in Siem Reap

Children in uniform, riding bikes / Elevi in uniforma, pe bicicleta

Children at school playing during school break / Copii la scoala in recreatie

Wat Dam Nak / Templul Dam Nak si un calugar portocaliu

Stupa / Monumente funerare

Monks at lunch / Calugari la pranz

Courtyard at Wat Dam Nak / Curtea manastirii Wat Dam Nak

Wat Preah An Kau Saa

On a back alley / Pe o alee in Siem Reap

Because it’s very hot, people have a more relaxed attitude and sleep anywhere / E f cald in Cambodia si oamenii au o atitudine mai …relaxata. Dorm pe unde apuca, de obicei in aer liber 😀

Sleeping with the door opened / Dormind cu usa deschisa, oricine poate vedea in interiorul casei

Driver sleeping in his Tuk-Tuk / Soferul acestui tuk-tuk si-a instalat un mic hamac (asa cum face majoritate de altfel)

Hair dresser in Siem Reap / Frizer in Siem Reap

Siem Reap River / Raul din Siem Reap

Water lilies at a local market / Flori de nuferi de vanzare la piata

Wat Bo

Angkor National Museum

The day finished at the Angkor National Museum – a very well organized and interesting museum. The religion and culture of the Khmer Empire is clearly explained in detail, we learned about all the gods and Buddhist religion and we understood the meaning of certain sculptures and bas-reliefs at Angkor Temples.

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Am terminat ziua la Muzeul National Angkor – un muzeu bine pus la punct si extrem de interesant. Este explicat clar si in detaliu despre religia si cultura imperiului Khmer, despre toti zeii si religia Budista, am inteles semnificatiile anumitor sculpturi si basoreliefuri de la Templele Angkor. Ne intrebam daca nu era mai bine sa vizitam muzeul inainte de a vedea templele, dar cred ca a fost mai bine dupa, pentru ca asa am putut asocia ce am vazut la temple cu ce era prezentat in muzeu.

Pub Street

We spent a previous evening on Pub Street in Siem Reap – the most famous street in the city center. Yellow umbrellas are hanging upside down along the Pub Street, and they provide a cool shadow during the hot, sunny days in Cambodia.

There are many restaurant and pubs on this Pub Street (DUH!) and you can find cheap draft beer (50 cents).

We had a delicious dinner at “Khmer and proud of it” restaurant, while watching an Apsara dance performance (Apsaras are young, beautiful and elegant women who dance graciously).

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Intr-una din serile precedente ne-am dus pe Pub Street din Siem Reap (strada pub-urilor din centrul orasului) cu multe restaurante si baruri, cu bere la halba foarte ieftina (50 centi) si mancare excelenta. Am mancat la un restaurant ce se numeste “Sunt Khmer si sunt mandru de asta” care, pe langa mancarea traditionala foarte gustoasa, a avut si un program traditional Apsara (Apsara sunt fete tinere, elegante si foarte frumoase ce danseaza gratios).

Pub Street e acoperita de umbrele galbene si e umbra in timpul zilelor insorite.

Tragand linie, Siem Reap mi-a parut un oras prietenos in care m-am simtit in siguranta si il recomand pentru vizitare!

The pub street with yellow umbrellas / Pub Street in centru, cu umbrele galbene

Apsara dance performance/ Dans traditional Apsara

Apsara dance

Ankgor What? pub – “Promoting irresponsible drinking since 1998”

Tourists on Pub Street

Angkor W(h)at?

I found Siem Reap a friendly city and I recommend it for visiting, along with the Angkor Temples, of course.

Don’t miss:

• Angkor Temples in Cambodia
• ANGELS of Cambodia
• Life on a floating village – Kompong Phluk in Cambodia