On Friday we took the bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. The drive normally takes 5 to 6 hours, but we arrived 9 (!) hours later! The reason were the elections, which will take place next week. Hundreds of tuk-tuks, motos and busses drive around the city with flags and music to support their favorite candidate.
After the long drive, we finally arrived at 4 o'clock. The next 5 hours, I want to forget as soon as possible!! It was a real disaster to find the correct hostel where the other volunteers were staying. After a lot of frustrations and a tear (I was very tired also :p) we decided to stop our search (I eventually slept at the hotel where my friends were staying) and just go for dinner and drink in the city center. Siem Reap is soooo nice to hang out!! :D I'm really glad with the city I'm staying in for the next 6 weeks!
The next day we visited Angkor Temples, WOW!! It's really inspiring how those buildings where constructed and used for! It's difficult to write down what you see, because you just have to experience it by yourself to have the full impression! We took a tour guide (crazy guy), which is an added value in my opinion.
In the evening I finally settled in the right accommodation and took a rest to reflect on the last days. I was told that we were going to the West Baray Lake (a giant reservoir constructed during the Khmer Empire), with the kids from the NGO the next day, nice! :) The administration is not complete yet so I'm not sure I will be teaching these kids, but who does not want to go for a swim with cute Cambodian kids? With 2 kids on our lap we went off with the bus. It was a lovely day with no tourism, only a relaxed atmosphere and 33 happy kids faces! I also tried Nom Chang, which is glutinous rice with beans wrapped in bamboo :)
I'm looking forward to what the next weeks will bring!
No comments:
Post a Comment