Friday, May 6, 2016

Cambodia Travel Diary: Day 3 at Siem Reap

Day 3 was chill day! We only had a short visit to 2 temples before lunch, but it was worthwhile. We woke up extra early to witness the sunrise at Angkor Wat


We thought weather wasn't cooperating that day, because the sky was so cloudy, and it was already past the forecasted sunrise schedule. A lot of people (including us) gave up on ever seeing the sun rise in its full glory, we headed back to the van to go to our next destination. Lo and behold, we saw the red sunrise while on the road. Fail. Haha! >.<


The last temple in our ininerary was Bayon Temple. It's the "Temple of Many Faces" built in dedication to Buddha during the 12th century. This one's just near the Angkor Wat and is way less crowded. We rushed here right after sunrise, which is the perfect timing since it's not yet hot and we had the place almost all to ourselves.
 

This temple has withstood the test of time really well. It's famous for the giant stone-carved Buddha faces, and they're all smiling! :)

We returned to the hotel early, so we had the luxury of time to visit commercial centers and supermarkets. Panda and I had lunch at Lucky Burger, but it was so-so, hence no picture. There's no McDonald's here, which was sad.


After lunch, we went to The Great Escape. I've never been to one here in Manila, so it's my first time to do an "escape hunt" kind of game. They have a 5-star rating at TripAdvisor, and I didn't bother stalking their Facebook page because I didn't want any potential spoilers.


We chose the room "John Monroe's Detective Office" for our mystery challenge.
 

It's so fun because they took our photos via the CCTV cameras inside the room. We weren't able to solve the mystery, though! We weren't satisfied with our performance, so we asked if we could have an additional discount for the next room, and they obliged! :D


The other room we tried was "The Lost Room of Jack Travis". It's way more challenging. We had our game face on and strategy, hence the lack of photos. LOL! No spoilers, but this was super FUN! The staff were nice, but the only thing I didn't like were the mosquitoes present in every room. Just arm yourself with a mosquito repellent, and go to The Great Escape!
 
WE WON!
 
Happy group shot :D


We wandered across King's Road Angkor, near the Old Market. There were a lot of restaurants, and we stumbled upon The Brothers Bar & Restaurant. At first, we were hesitant because there were only a few clients dining there; the place was mainly for drinking, or so we thought. The menu had a wide selection of food and drinks at very affordable prices so we tried it.

European Set III ($6.00)
Pumpkin Soup served with bread
Fried fish fillet with lemon butter and creamy sauce served with vegetables
Home fried dessert of seasonal fruits platter

I ordered the European Set III. Pumpkin Soup wasn't available that day, so they replaced it with a soup of my choice (Minestrone Soup, not in the photo). This was the last night we're spending in Cambodia, how come it's just now that we discovered The Brothers! T_T I thought this deal of a meal might be too good to be true, but it isn't! The servings were big and the taste was excellent. I know I can't get a meal this complete and fancy at this price (approximately P288) here in Manila. The Brothers deserve more buzz and recognition. Go visit them! The waiter was very kind as well, so it's great food and great service in one.


Our last activity for the day was the Phare, The Cambodian Circus. The actors here are scholars of Phare Ponleu Selpak Association's performing arts school, and their shows are comprised of acrobatics, dance, music, and theater.

 

Each show is unique and the performers give touching representations of Cambodian history and culture. By going to one of the shows, you're also helping the Cambodian youth develop their skills even more. Poverty is no hindrance to them. The social businesses I've encountered here in Cambodia are geared towards their youth and education; they are all meaningful, and they provide a real positive impact on the world.

Stay tuned for Day 4 of my Cambodia Travel Diary - the last chapter!

Love,
Helen
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