Same Same but Different!

Is a term I first heard as I walked across the Thai border into Cambodia! It was initially used to describe the difference between the two countries but during the rest of my stay in Siem Reap it became a phase I heard quite often; so much so that after a point I’d started using it while making mental comparisons of my Cambodia experiences to all else familiar.

So what is it about Cambodia, or Siem Reap and Angkor that made it so similar, sorry “Same Same” to any other historic city now modernized and yet so "Different". I think for starters all the ancient ruins are left for you to explore on your own. The experience feels less touristy than many of the other historic sites I've been to; almost like you discovered them by yourself. 

And yes, there's lots more to Angkor than just ancient ruins; walk into Siem Reap and while the town may only be a few blocks end to end, it has bars, restaurants and cafe's comparable to any modern city I've been to.

After getting into the city and witnessing my first temple sunset, I decided to head to “Pub Street” and find out what options I had for dinner. Pub Street and the few alleys next to it are all that make up 

the town center and gosh was I pleasantly surprised when I got there. Yes, I found traditional Khmer food just as I hoped but I also found cuisines from all over the world, Indian French and Mexican included. And lets talk about Pubs like the ‘Angkor What’ for instance it could be picked up and dropped in any party city and would have totally fit in; except for the fact that shots cost just $2.50. Every little restaurant I walked into and ate at was well done up with décor to complement the food being served; it was perfect. 


But the one thing that stood out the most was the fact that everyone in the town was a tourist… never once did I see a local person walk in to have a meal or a drink; they were all the ones doing the hard work. There's a lot of foreign influence to train the locals to cook and manage a restaurant and they've adapted perfectly.

Tip: everyone speaks English and everything is charged in US$!

My Eating Recommendations:

- Khmer Amok (Fish or Shrimp or many other options) - It's one step better than Thai green curry and every restaurant serves it so you can't miss this dish.

- The Blue Pumpkin - Totally addictive ice cream, smoothies and brownies; they have several outlets of their own plus most restaurants serve blue pumpkin ice cream.

- Khmer Family Restaurant - I'm inclined to believe they have the best Cambodian food one can come across... Of all the places, this was my favorite

- Wood Oven Pizza - May not be traditional but they sure do know how to make them here and they smell excellent when you walk into the restaurant, try it at Le Tigre de Papier

“The old market” and the few other night markets in this area were exactly like street markets found in China town, NY or Central Market, KL. I remember the lady outside the blue mosque in Istanbul selling me scarves she declared were hand made in Istanbul, well in Bangkok they were marked Thai silk and in Siem Reap they were stacked neatly claiming to be Cambodian perhaps, I didn’t really want to ask! I have to admit among all the street markets I've seen these were a little less commercial but its getting there. 

There are some things authentic and rare that are definite must buys like the hand made wallets, napkins and cushion covers all from raw silk, locally made scarves and art work on Rice Paper capturing images from various temples in the region.

And finally, the Tonlé Sap... the largest fresh water river in south east Asia where the lake expands to
three times its size during the monsoon season. Like any other river and lake system except for the fact that 2.5 million people live on it. The 'locals' build their houses on bamboo rafts and have schools, temples, a basketball court, a fresh water plant, groceries and of course a floating mobile tower cause who lives without wireless these days. The floating villages were fascinating yet sad, yes same as the conditions in any other underprivileged neighborhoods but just so differently set up. 

Life on a river and I doubt the people of river actually sit out on their boats just watching the sunset as we and rest of the visiting people did, they kept working hard and didn't look up even once as the sun set that evening.