Cambodia

Silkair flight to Siam Reap.In a plane-loadful of Caucasians,save for a few SouthEastAsians,I can see how enthralled angmos are with the great architecture of the past. The moment we stepped out of the airplane, the heavily humid air of Siam Reap made me broke out in sweats immediately. Took a bike ride to our hotel near the Old Market. Helmets not included and the frequent loud honks from vehicles overtaking us is pretty frightening. Along the journey, I noted that Siam Reap is a barren land with nothing more than paddy fields, former land mines and ample line-up of both international and local hotels. There were no hills to be seen, let alone thick shady trees, that explains the high humidity though we are quite neighbours with Cambodia. We checked-in into our modest hotel (but it's a pittance compared to the hotel I can get in Bangkok for USD35/night) and walked around the Old Market area. Some streets are lined with restaurant/cafes/pubs/clubs that would make us envious of their nightlife.My favourite cafe has a very long bed-like seating, in white linen, with foldable "breakfast on bed" table. The waiter will hand u a ice-cold fragrant wet towel (for you to wipe your face/hands I suppose, although our feet is up on the bed). Beer is dirt cheap in SR,we found 1 supermarket selling Angkor Beer for 35cents! And it definitely tasted more potent that Tiger Beer to me. There's some Viet beers, Panther stout and the usual beers we can get. First day was spent visiting a silk farm, massage session, watched an Aspara performance.