Cambodia, Part 3
Day 35, February 1
We didn’t have any activities for today so I was able to sleep in. I got up around 10:30ish and went downstairs to book 3 more nights at this hostel. We thought we might change to another, less party hostel but when it came time to pack up and move, my laziness won out and I just wanted to stay. My sister was able to switch to a different bed so she wasn’t right by the entrance of the room. She is now in the bed next to me.
I went over to the restaurant across the street for breakfast and got the green omelette with an iced coffee. It was already very hot so I need something cold to drink. The green omelette was just eggs and green beans. It sounds weird but it was really good.
After breakfast I went back to my hostel to get dressed and let my phone charge a little. My sister wasn’t feeling well so she didn’t want to do anything. I decided it was a good day to spend out by myself exploring.
My first stop was to see about getting my phone fixed. My first day in Singapore I dropped my phone and cracked it. Then it just progressively kept getting worse because I kept dropping it. Eventually the LCD got messed up and it was hard to see the screen. Taryn had the same problem with her phone so she went and got it fixed before me which is how I knew it was possible to get it fixed here.
I found a place that would fix it all for $40. They told me it would take an hour so I handed my phone and waited. I just sat there watching the traffic go by and talking to random people that would stop by with phone problems. At one point the workers all came out and had lunch together. There were a few tupperware containers that had chicken, rice and something else that I couldn’t make out from where I was. But while they were eating no one was working on my phone. So it ended up being a little over an hour but I finally got it and it looked brand new. I could finally see my screen.
I then needed to find the post office so I could buy a stamp. I tried putting it in my GPS but where it took me was not the post office. I asked a lady in a travel shop where it was and she was able to direct me where to go. I walked about 5 minutes and finally found it. It was called the Cambodia Post which is why it wasn’t coming up on my phone when I tried to search it.
By this point I was really hot but still not that hungry enough for a whole meal. I mainly wanted to find a place that I could sit in the shade and order some fresh cold fruit. I walked back towards the main street near our hostel and stopped at this little restaurant. When I walked in there was a little girl that waved and said hi. She then pointed to the back of the restaurant where her mom was busy cleaning.
I sat down in a chair and the little girl walking over and pointed to the menu. I nodded yes and she handed it to me. Then she pointed to a fan behind me and I nodded yes again so she turn it on. Then she started talking to me and pointed to the string on my wrist from the monk yesterday and said red. She then started pointing to different colors on her and saying them in English. She told me her name was Maya.
About that time her mom came over and asked what I wanted. I was explaining to her that I just wanted some papaya. She said you want shake? And then Maya reached over and turned my menu to the fruit shake page. I was able to communicate that I just wanted papaya and not a shake.
As Maya’s mom was preparing my papaya, Maya pulled out the chair next to me and climbed up. She wanted to show me all the English she knew. She counted to 10, pointed out different colors and kept pointing to things and asking “what’s this?”. She didn’t understand me when I asked her age so I had to get that from her mom. Maya is 3 years old and has learned English from hanging out at the restaurant with her mom.
I was very, very impressed with her English and absolutely in love with her precious little face. At one point Maya and I were counting to 10 and a lady on a bicycle rode by with music playing. Maya got all excited and kept telling me to look. She stood on her chair and was clapping and smiling and waving her arms. I still am not sure who the lady on the bike was. I don’t know if she was selling ice cream or something like that but Maya sure was excited for her to ride past us.
She was very excited for the lady riding past us
When my papaya came out Maya climbed down from the chair and ran over to where she was sitting when I came in. She then came back over with a plate of bread that she was eating and told me she wanted to eat with me. My heart about exploded.
So Maya and I sat there and had our little snack together. I completely fell in love with Cambodia at that point.
I didn’t want to leave but I wanted to keep exploring. I told Maya thank you very much for keeping me company and she just kept trying to repeat thank you very much in her baby voice over and all while waving to me.
I was feeling excited to see what else Siem Reap had to offer after that encounter with the cutest Cambodian girl ever. I walked down the opposite direction of the street to an area that I hadn’t been to yet.
Came across the kids putting water on smoldering coals
I kept seeing people eat these banana looking things on a stick so when I past a lady selling them on the street I had to get some. I asked her what they were and all she said was banana. I did see that a sauce of some sort is smeared on them and then they are grilled. I got 3 for .25. I took them and walked up and down to find somewhere to sit in the shade before giving up and returning back to our hostel and eating them on the rooftop.
The outside had to consistency of bread but the inside tasted and had the consistency of a banana. I am not sure what sauce was on the outside but whatever it was was really good. I told my sister that I will be getting these every day until we leave Cambodia.
I needed more water so I met up with my sister and we went to grab some water and walk around a little while longer. She told me she found a Mexican restaurant in the night market area. I started to get hungry for some real food so we headed to the night market area and explored a little bit longer.
Night Market in the day time
Taryn met us at Viva, the Mexican restaurant my sister found earlier that day.
We ordered the chips and salsa and were pleasantly surprised by the salsa. It was pretty good. The chips were really thick but what I liked about them was that they weren’t all oily and greasy like some Mexican restaurants. I also got a draft beer for .50. I don’t know what kind it was, it just said draft beer.
I wanted to stick with trying another new Cambodia dish so I got the tom yam soup with chicken. I think it is normally served with shrimp because every other menu I saw it on had it paired with shrimp. It was nothing special. It was basically veggie soup with chicken in it. I also got some tortillas to go with the soup because I didn’t know it came with rice. How naive of me. I should have known that by now.
We walked around after dinner to see the night market when it was all lit up.
Pub Street has a lot of bars and where all the partiers at our hostel go to at night when we’re in bed
This picture sums it up
I felt like I was getting eaten alive by mosquitoes so I decided to call it a night. Today turned out to be my favorite day so far in Cambodia. I enjoyed having no activities planned and just have time to relax and enjoy the city and the people.
Day 36, February 2
Another morning where I got to sleep in! I passed out last night and slept pretty soundly. The 2 Norwegian girls that were near me are gone so I think that helped a lot. They would always be loud when they came in drunk at 3 in the morning.
When I woke up we went downstairs to book a sunset tour and then to get breakfast. We went to the same place as yesterday morning but this time I tried the Japanese omelette. It’s basically an omelette rolled up and cut into bite size.
We still had a few hours to kill until we had to go down for the sunset tour so I got dressed and went roaming around town. I tried to get those grilled banana things that I had yesterday but they lady told me one price and then when I got them told me another so I gave them back and took my back. I then went back to the apothecary shop I went into yesterday and got some vitamin c packs to help stave off any sickness that may be coming on.
I decided to go back to the hostel to relax for an hour or so. I mixed up my vitamin c concoction and sipped on that while my sister braided my hair.
Camp counselor Sissy braiding camper Jillian’s hair
Then it was about time to go downstairs to get on the van for the sunset tour. The sunset tour became just a tour of the floating village and no sunset because it was very overcast.
Once we got to the river, we unloaded the van, only to load up on a boat that would take us to the village. The ramp onto the boat was very sketchy. It wobbled and was very narrow. I was scared I wouldn’t be able to keep my balance and just tip over.
The cruise over to the village was really nice. We got a glimpse into the villagers daily life. I noticed that everyone was working, women and children included. It seemed that each villager had their own job that they’d do all the while working together towards an end goal. I saw the older boys and men throwing out the nets for fishing purposes, the younger boys pulling the nets in and another set of workers unraveling the nets to get the fish out. It seemed like a nice system they had going on.
Then we arrived at Kompong Phluk, another docking area, where we could get a snack or take a little boat ride through the flooded forest. All the rowers of the small boats were female. I guess this is another job that the women do.
My sister and I did the boat ride and it was the coolest thing ever. You get on a small boat that only seats 2 people plus the lady rowing and go through the flooded forest. It was very surreal to see the trees partially underwater and not be able to see the roots of the trees.
After the flooded forest you get back on the boat and head out into the open water where, if the sun were out, you’d be able to see the sunset. We sat there for a few minutes while they told us the story behind the floating village.
The body of water we were on is called the Tonle Sap Lake but it felt more like an ocean due to its size. The Kompong Phluk floating village is a whole community of people living on the flooded Tonle Sap Lake. The houses, church, schools, etc are all set on stilts for the rising water in the rainy season. I think they are in the dry season right now but still had a lot of water. I saw some pictures of what it looks like during the rainy season and it is pretty incredible. Water is so high that they have boats go around door to door for food and other such necessities and people fish from their doorsteps.
After we got the story behind all of it we headed to the village area. Because they are in the dry season right now, we were able to walk through the village instead of having to row through it in a boat. I would love to come back during rainy season so I can experience it the other way.
They village portion was probably my favorite part. We got to see the kids running around playing soccer and tag. They would stand there and wave at us and some would come over and talk to me. I met one girl named Savanah who asked where do I color. I said America and she said she’s Cambodian.
We saw the church, schools, hospital and even a temple. It was so neat to see how they live and adapt to their changing circumstances. What stood out to me was how they had a strong sense of community. All the kids ran around playing and just being kids. There were no electronics for them to be entertained by, just each other. Some of the houses were decorated with flowers on the outside and I noticed some had curtains. I left that village having an even greater appreciation for the Cambodian people.
Savanah is the the one hugging the other girl
Their school
After we explored the village it was time to head back. We loaded the boat and cruised to our van. It was dark on the ride back so I listened to music and the ride flew by. The van dropped us off at the night market area and immediately went in search for a restaurant.
I was really wanting Indian food so we stopped at the first Indian restaurant, Namaste India, that we came to. I got the chicken tikka masala with garlic naan. My sister and I also split the masala dosa. I ate it all and then felt so full it hurt.
We then went into the actual market to go to the massage place we saw yesterday that has these fish tanks full of garra rufa fish that nibble off the dry skin on your feet. They were actually everywhere in that area I just liked the ambiance at this one massage place I saw.
We paid $2 per person for unlimited time. I had a difficult time mustering up the courage to put my feet in the tank. I finally was able to dip them in for a few seconds and it felt so weird. It tickles because you can feel their little mouths on your feet. I didn’t last that long.
After about 5 minutes of taking my feet out and then putting them in for a few seconds, I decided I’d rather go back to the hostel and shower.
I headed back to the hostel while Taryn and my sister stayed behind. On the way back I came across a guy selling the chocolate or banana pancakes made of crepe. I was still so full from dinner but it was only $1 and looked really good.
It was hot and flaky and probably the best pancake I’ve had so far. I’m definitely glad I got it. I got back to the room, showered and was asleep pretty quickly after getting into bed.
Momma Payne
February 3, 2017
Those children are so cute, especially your little buddy. Cambodia looks like a happy place.
Jillian
February 3, 2017
I find the people here to be amazing. Very nice and welcoming. And my little buddy was the absolute cutest thing ever.
Holly
February 3, 2017
If I we’re having a girl, I would name her Maya. I’m in love! I love that she just came up and made herself at home while eating your snacks together! I’m researching the rainy season now. It’s fascinating that for a period of time, they don’t live on land and they have adapted their ways for this change. Seriously amazing!
Jillian
February 3, 2017
It was truly amazing to see the way they live. And yeah Maya was adorable. I was the only one in the restaurant and got VIP treatment thanks to Maya.