Vietnam & Cambodia  :  10^th – 24^th January 2018

Part 2  :  Cambodia  :  17^th – 24^th January

Day 8

Wed. 17th January 2018

Last breakfast on ship. Pack and say goodbyes. We may see Jenny and William Youngs and Rosie and Mike Hayward again in Phnom Penh or Siem Reap. Our guide arrives but we have to wait until passports are returned with visas before getting off the ship about 10am. Drive to iRoha Garden hotel, room not yet ready so leave luggage and drive to Foreign Correspondents Club on waterfront where driver drops us.

Phnom Penh Market

We walk along front and dive into backstreets, explore large Pagoda, then back to FCC to join Rob Finch for lunch.

Lunch at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club with Rob Finch

Afterwards Rob takes us for tour of French Quarter in TukTuk. Visit Post Office built by French in 1860s, climb many steps up Wat Phnom to Buddhist temple at top, and see train station before dropping him at his flat. We keep same TukTuk to return to hotel. Chill out for rest of afternoon.

Take tuktuk to Romdeng restaurant at a cost of $3. This restaurant is run by an NGO training the poor to become waiters, chefs etc. Very good meal of meat curry (AMB) and fish amok (SMB) with a green bean salad. With a couple of drinks cost $40. TukTuk back to hotel/

 

Day 9

Thurs. 18th January 2018

Well rested. The hotel is extremely comfortable. Only 28 rooms on 2 upper floors, large garden with trees and flowers, swimming pool. Excellent, friendly and attentive service. Being some way from the centre of the town, close to the Vietnamese embassy, it is quiet. Good breakfast: omelette for SMB, noodle soup for AMB.

 

Met at 0900 by guide Sam and driven to the killing fields. Audio tour of about one hour. A depressing place of execution, with mass graves and a memorial containing  hundreds of skulls.

Killing Fields Memorial

Then driven back to Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge prison S-21, which had originally been a high-school. Gruesome photos of classrooms turned into torture cells, beds with shackles and mugshots of all the people killed there. Most interesting is listening to Sam talking about his past. He is 47 and was 5 when Pol Pot came to power. He and his family were forced out of Phnom Penh and split up. He walked with his mother to the jungle in the northwest where they lived by foraging. When Pol Pot was overthrown he returned to the city and started his education at the age of 10. His father, aged 91, is still alive but currently unwell. When we remark how his life had developed from the age of 10 to a professional job now, he almost bursts into tears. Charming man and a good guide even if his English is only just adequate.

After the prison tour we drive back to the hotel for a good lunch - fish amok for AMB and meat curry for SMB.

At 1400 guide Vira comes to the hotel, a young man of 27, qualified architect and with excellent English. We explain that we have already seen some of the French Quarter with Rob and so he modifies his itinerary. We go by tuktuk into the centre - a better way to travel to see the town sights than by car. Visit the Russian market, the old bank vaults and (now) restaurant above, the tumbledown but still inhabited old house/ex hotel opposite, and a walk round  Chinatown. We find it particularly interesting talking to Vira not only about the architecture but about the lifestyle, political scene and changes in the country.

Chinatown Temple

After being returned to the iRoha at 1710, we have rapid showers and then take a tuktuk through the rush hour traffic to Raffles hotel where William and Jenny are staying, meeting also Mike and Rosie. A couple of expensive drinks at Raffles Elephant bar then by tuktuk to the Bopha Phnom Penh restaurant on the river. A good starter of mixed grilled squid, prawn, meats etc., then various Khmer curries. Buffalo lok lak for AMB. Cooking OK, but our hotel better, however good views over the river and good company. $50 per couple. Take tuktuk back with Rosie and Mike to our hotels.

 

Day 10

Fri. 19th January 2018

Good breakfast at 0830 - a rather later and lazier start than hitherto. SMB  has a $20 foot massage. Therapist a small smiley woman with no English. Much rubbing, pummelling, slapping, hitting, pressing and pulling! A good experience and the feet feel really good.

iRoha Hotel, view from bedroom

Pack our bags then have early lunch at hotel before checking out to go to airport. Car is stopped at traffic lights by three policemen who obtain a $2.50 bribe from our driver. Domestic flight to Siem Reap, 45 minutes in air.

Met by guide Saroun and driven to hotel Hanuman Alaya Villa. Small hotel near river, we have deluxe suite on ground floor, very spacious. Unpack then out to supper at Mahop restaurant, 200 yards down street, so walk to it. SMB has pork spare ribs, very good, AMB has a beef dish with red ants, not so good. Walk back to hotel and bed.

 

Day 11

Sat. 20th January 2018

Wake at 4am to leave at 0445 with Saroun, driven to Ticket Office to buy 3 day ticket for temples – cost $67, but included for us. Astonishingly huge crowds buying tickets, even at such an early hour. Drive to Pre Rup temple, pitch black still, so use torches to climb to terrace near top, where we sit waiting for sunrise. Only about 10 other people, so Audley have selected well. Sun rises at 6.30, spectacular view over temple and jungle.

Dawn at Pre Rup

Stay a bit longer to explore more of temple, then leave to drive to Ta Prohm temple, into which jungle has encroached over centuries, huge trees and roots growing up through and over the walls and towers, one doorway associated with the film Tomb raiders. Not allowed to climb Simon’s tree for a better view!

Tree Roots at Tra Promh

Back to hotel for well-earned breakfast and to put feet up for an hour, then out again to drive to Angkor Thom, huge ancient walled city that once had a million people living inside its walls.

Gods on Causeway to Angkor Thom

Visit Bayon temple in the centre of the complex, over 200 huge faces carved on the 54 towers, and outside walls with intricate bas-reliefs depicting historical battles and scenes of daily life in the temple.

Bayon Temple Bas Reliefs

Walk north towards Baphuon temple, view the outside along causeway but don’t go in as feeling a bit tired! Then walk past Terrace of the Elephants which formed part of huge stadium for sporting events, elephant jousting and horse races.

Terrace of the Elephants

Opposite is Suor Prat, line of towers between which tightrope walking took place. Back to car and hotel for lunch, then crash out for an hour on bed.

Swim in hotel pool, talk to Julia and Simon on Skype, leave to go out to supper at Marum, having met up with Mike and Rosie who had arrived earlier, and they join us to take TukTuk to restaurant. Pleasant evening with them and good food. Marum is a training restaurant where young aspiring waiters and chefs can learn their trade.

 

Day 12

Sun. 21st January 2018

Cookery lesson morning with chef Saroun! We are the only people- usually she has four or six. First we go in TukTuk to market to buy ingredients. Market has huge variety of fruit and vegetables, all locally grown, lemon grass used with everything, but also morning glory, water lily stems, water spinach, long beans, amok, sweet potatoes, galangal, sweet basil, kafir lime leaves, tamarind, turmeric, etc.etc. - greater variety than anything we’d find from international sources in Tesco! Red ants and locusts in abundance, also river and lake fish, eels, enormous snails etc., palm sugar and peanuts.

Shopping with Chef Saroun

Then in TukTuk with our provisions to place called Bambu Garden where we have cookery lesson. Saroun shows us how to cook banana flower salad, fish amok, and dessert of sweet potato, sago and coconut. We help with peeling, chopping, slicing, pounding, and tasting. Then down to eat. All delicious! Back in TukTuk to hotel, sit still for a while, feeling very full!

Saroun and Fish Amok

At 1830 joined by William and Jenny, Mike and Rosie, and Jim and Mary Collett for drinks in hotel bar by the pool before all going out to eat together at Mahop restaurant. Before we go out, hotel produces surprise birthday cake for SMB! Plateful of chopped fresh fruits with scotch pancakes in the middle and three candles! We decide to eat it as dessert after supper. Have good meal at Mahop, most eat pork spare ribs in palm sugar sauce or duck in mango sauce. Back to hotel to eat our birthday dessert and have last drinks.

SMB Birthday

 

Day 13

Mon. 22nd January 2018

Up at 6am for early start to visit Angkor Wat. Raining at breakfast and during drive with Saroun to the temple, but rain stops when we arrive, although still overcast and muggy. First view is as huge and spectacular as the brochures describe and as on Cambodian flag.

East Entrance to Angkor Wat

Enter by the east entrance and climb to first level (with three lines of intricate bas reliefs of Buddhist themes of heaven, hell and judgement) then up to the second level. Then up again very steep steps to third level. Not too many people yet - we seem to have beaten the Chinese to it! Magnificent views all round. Inside we walk around covered galleries with columns, towers, courtyards, sculptures (mostly headless thanks to Khmer Rouge), repetitive bas reliefs of apsaras (dancing girls), a library, large image of Buddha and Buddhist shrines, a vast temple area.

Angkor Wat Library

Climb down carefully! Then exit temple by west entrance over pontoon causeway.

Outside Angkor Wat

Drive north to Pheach Silk Farm where met and shown round by owner and founder, a charming Cambodian woman who had been brought up in Uruguay and France, so escaped Khmer Rouge era and is determined to put something beautiful and creative back into the country. With her French husband she trains and employs 100 local people, mostly local girls, has 15 hectares of mulberry bushes, and has developed (or rediscovered) a traditional method of making silk entirely by hand, from silkworms that are only found in this part of Cambodia. The worms produce smaller yellower cocoons than commercially bred Chinese ones, and the end result, after an extremely time consuming and laborious process, is brocaded silk of the finest quality, with designs based on beautiful patterns found in individual temples. The scarves take months to make and are very expensive, too much so for our pockets!

Pheach Golden Silk Farm Weaver

Lunch beckons and we drive to a restaurant near our next temple, Banteay Srei. Good dishes, AMB has Khmer Fish soup, SMB has a Khmer chicken, lime and onion soup, both very good. Afterwards walk to Banteay Srei, the citadel of the women, a small temple built in 10th century of pink sandstone - very attractive, much smaller scale than any others we have seen. Very intricate carvings on pillars and doorways.

Banteay Srei Carving on Door Lintel

Then, somewhat footsore and ‘templed out’ drive back to hotel for showers and siesta.

 

Day 14

Tues. 23rd January 2018

Up at 6am again to be picked up at 0730 and driven about 55km to the Tonle Sap lake, largest freshwater lake in SE Asia, 87 miles long. Arrive after about an hour at Kampong Khleang, large village near the lake with wooden houses on stilts, to protect against floods in rainy season. Because the water levels are now low, we are able to drive to point at end of dirt track road, beside river leading to lake, with fishermen’s houses on either side. Once out of the car, stroll through street market towards embarkation point, stopping to buy delicious banana and sesame fritters.

Kampong Khleang Food Stalls

Embark with Saroun onto large 4 cylinder diesel tourist boat, and set off 5km downriver towards floating village, where river joins lake. Very attractive river trip, with stilt houses on either side, even a floating primary school, and fishermen passing us at speed in long tailed (outboard motor) sampans. Finally reach the lake - we head out a bit and the engine is turned off while we sit and admire the view. Then return to Kampong Khleang.

Houses on Stilts at Kampong Khleang

On drive back through village stop at fish smokery, where trays of tiny fish are speared and laid out in rows for smoking. Saroun and our driver each buy some for their families. Halfway back to Siem Reap stop by road to buy snacks, sticky rice and black beans stuffed into hollow bamboo stems (cooked over wood fire, then bamboo shaved with machete so that it can be peeled back with fingers to reveal the sticky rice).

Fish Smokery at Kampong Khleang

Back in Siem Reap stop at Artisan Workshop, government sponsored training place for young people from villages, teaching skills such as wood and stone carving, enamelling, silk weaving, etc. Aim is to give them qualification to return to their villages and set up their own businesses. We buy sundry items from shop!

Spend afternoon at hotel. We have had to move to another room as no late check-out has been arranged and we have a late flight booked. Shower, change and pack, then check out at 1600. We sit by the pool relaxing and having final beers, until Saroun arrives to pick us up at 1830 to drive us to airport for flight at 2100 to Ho Chi Minh. Flight delayed by half an hour but we have ample time at HCM airport to change planes for flight to London at 0145am.

Day 15

Wed. 23^rd January 2018

Land at Heathrow after 13 hour flight just before 0800, 50 minutes late. We fear we will miss our National Express coach, due to leave at 0815, but luckily airport very quick with our luggage and the coach is a few minutes late, so we just make it in time. Weather in UK horrible, torrential rain and blowing a gale! We are home by 10am.