Cambodia day 1
Exploring Siem Reap

Exploring Siem Reap

After a lie in this morning we found a coffee shop, Asagohan Cafe to have a leisurely brunch this place was great. We then went for a walk to explore the city.

Firstly we walked through Pub Street, which was much less brash and noisy during the day time and headed to the canal. The walk along the canal was shady which was good because the temperature was already 33ºc. It was not long before we encountered our first temple of Cambodia, Wat Preah Prom Rath, it was lovely and we came across a sculpture of a man having his insides eaten by vultures.

Flying foxes

We walked a little further up the canal, because Susan wanted to check out the outdoor gym. While she was doing a mini-workout on the equipment I was looking at google maps and noticed that in the park next to us there was a location called Fruit bat colony (aka flying foxes). We could see the bats up in the canopy of the trees but at this time it was way too hot and no insects for them so they were just hanging/resting.

We walked back to the hotel, Susan wanted to swim and while she did that I walked back to the pack, a different way. This way was not through the tourist streets but through the area where the locals did their shopping, this was brilliant because it meant that I wasn't asked every 5 steps if I wanted a Tuk Tuk or a massage, this is so much of a thing that you can buy t-shirts that read No Tuk Tuk, No Massage in the tourist stalls.

I got back to the park about 15 minutes before sunset, the bats start flying around dusk. In the park there were people playing a game, Sey Paen or shuttlecock kicking, this was similar to what I'd seen in the park in Bangkok.

As it started to get dark, more and more bats started flying around the tree canopy catching insects, it was a magical thing to see but almost impossible to photograph, what with their speed and the low light.

Amara

Once it got too dark to see the bats I headed back to the hotel. We had found a new restaurant in pub street that looked pretty good, called Amara. It was pretty difficult to find and this it turns out is because it was on the second floor and the entrance wasn't terribly clear.

We eventually found it and we sat down, we noticed that this place the staff were also wearing football tops with their names on. When we were brought the menu it was exactly the same as the one from Mesa, last night. It turns out that they are sister restaurants.

Embargo

Once we had finished the meal we walked across the canal to the Art Night Market to find Embargo a craft beer bar. We didn't have long here but I found a local to Siem Reap beer Homebrew Hazy Ipa, it was delicious.

Billy bonds

After our quick beer we headed to Roses Sports bar, across the road from our hotel to watch the West Ham game, today West Ham Legend Billy Bonds passed away.

In the bar there were 3 screens next to each other the first West Ham v Liverpool, the second Nottingham Forest v Brighton and Hove Albion and the third Wolves v Aston Villa. I sent a message to Ian that read:

If West Ham kick the ball hard enough will it go into the Forest goal.

It wasn't until half-time that we realised that the Wolves/Villa game was not actually real and it was a video game of the match.