Have had a lethargic day – flight an hour longer than I thought due to time difference. Jasmine Guesthouse here in Siem Reap is pleasant enough – not too many guests as far as I can tell: seen 3 so far! Good! Bit noisy here in upstairs open lounge area but room is very quiet and cool. Have decided to stay an extra 2 nights here and forfeit flight from Saigon back to Singapore Saigon , there’s not much difference. Already booked new flight from here for morning of 8th July.
Mad dogs, Englishmen and lone skwozzies (Swiss-Kiwi-Aussies!) go out in the midday sun so I headed off at 11-ish after sorting the new flight. Wandered along the main road to the town gardens (trees full of bats), past a number of Buddhist shrines, then down to the Old Market. Siem Reap is not at all picturesque – rather gritty and grubby and sprawling. River through the town is stagnant and brown. Walked around for 2 hours before having lunch at a nice-looking restaurant (only patron). Main of Amoc fish in banana cup – Amoc being something of a national dish. Very good coconut, lemongrass, chilli, peanuts. All came wrapped in a banana leaf shaped into a largish bowl/mug. And in honour of the French influence hanging on so doggedly here in indochine française, I had frogs’ legs for entrée (sorry Kermie). Still many official signs etc. in French but no one’s approached me with a bonjour just yet!
It’s supposed to be the monsoon but it didn’t rain a drop today.
When I arrived at the airport here this morning after an endless night spent wandering around the frozen confines of Changi Airport
My tuktuk driver is called something tonal like Wonäääh but I’ll have to ask him again to get it right! He’s taking me out to the Angkor temples tomorrow at 9, so that’s when the really interesting stuff will begin.
The restaurateur at lunchtime asked me why I was so sad and could he help me?! I told him I hadn’t slept for 36 hours and would be fine once I had! A very kind man.
Rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner today which is likely to continue!
