Only one word to describe Cambodia...

AMAZING.

I don't exactly know what I expected in coming here... I think I was most worried about this leg of our trip, just because I didn't really know anyone who had ever been here. Rachel and I had heard all kinds of good things about Siem Reap and Angkor Wat in particular from random people, but we were still both a bit concerned. Regardless, Cambodia has surpassed all of my expectations.

We had a really nice flight from Bangkok on this boutique airline called Bangkok Airways... hard to explain, but the airline was definitely really different. There was a frustrating delay with the e-Visa line, but once we made it through, a guy from our hostel met us at the Siem Reap airport. We were a little surprised to be picked up in a tuk-tuk (basically a motorcycle pulling a small , covered carriage behind), but we thought it was a cool introduction to life here. We sped through town, taking in all the sites of the city around us... a bit dusty, with motorcycles, bicycles, cars, and other tuk-tuks weaving in and out of each other down the street. We eventually made it our very cute hostel, where the manager told us about the place and suggested we get dinner and a show at a restaurant down the street.

We went to Koulen, which can really only be described as a Cambodian luau. The place had a massive buffet (with some really yummy food, though we felt pretty damn guilty for eating so much food in a less-developed country... Thanks Giorgio) and was packed with tourists from all over (including a ton from Japan... as a matter of fact, our driver correctly guessed Rach's ethnicity, haha). The show was basically Khmer dance, which is apparently a huge part of Cambodian culture. It was really pretty and something unplanned, but definitely worth the $12 (a lot by Cambodian standards).

Today we got up early, ate breakfast at our hostel, and Kosal, our tuk-tuk driver from the previous day, took us out to Angkor Wat. For $40 over two days, he's touring all around the place. I had heard that Angkor Wat was worth the trip to Cambodia but I don't think you can really understand what the place is like without going. It's absolutely breathtaking. Ruins of the Angkor people, nearly a thousand years old, almost perfectly maintained. The etchings in the stones are insanely carved and perfectly symmetrical. I just imagine this place being better than the pyramids in Egypt. It's just that ridiculous. Rachel and I spent 2 hours climbing all over (literally - up some crazy stairs... wait til you see pictures. The Angkor people must have been really agile) the first main palace. Afterwards Kosal took us to Angkor Thom. We wandered around the library, caught some lunch at a one of the little restaurants outside the temple and then went around the rest of Angkor Thom. 3 hours later we went on to two more temples, including one where many scenes from Angelina Jolie's "Tombraider" were shot. We also say a bunch of monkeys which was kind of funny. Finally, Kosal took us back to another temple to watch the sunset. After that, we got some pizza in the very cute town of Siem Reap. This place has so much character!!

We have one more day at Angkor Wat before we fly to Bangkok tomorrow night. We're planning on catching a few more of the city's temples as well as riding an elephant for part of the journey.

My time at this internet cafe is almost up, so I better get going. I'll update in Bangkok! :)