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The first thing I do when I move into a new hotel room is to check out the view.

Thailand and Cambodia 2000 - Part One - Bangkok & Siem Reap

Dougburnett
2003-11-22 17:55:13

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sold by the Khmer Rouge for guns in recent times.

When we got back to the entrance, our little tour over, we sat on a wall together and I handed him a dollar. He smiled and said, "Two." I sighed and handed him 4000 Riel, the Cambodian equivalent of one dollar. Then he tried to get me to exchange the Riels for Baht, the Thai currency. I guess he didn't think much use for of his own currency. In way of excuse, he said his teacher wanted Baht, but I declined to make the exchange for him.

About this time a young friend of his came over and the two talked a little in Cambodian - no doubt about how generous I had just been because his friend smiled and shyly asked, "Three?" He wanted a dollar too! I smiled back and said, "No way, dude." I guess he felt it was worth a try. Next, the friend pulled out a couple of wooded flutes and tried to sell me them. It was all quite friendly and not pushy. I sat with them for a little while longer and then went to find Sok.

On the way back to Siem Reap I asked Sok about the Bayon restaurant. He suggested I try some of the Cambodian dishes and even suggested a few. Following Sok's suggestions, I ordered chicken curry soup. As readers of my travelogues know, I rarely talk much about food. This time it is going to be different: I had some of the best food I have ever had on this trip.

Anyway, the curry soon arrived - and it was in a coconut. The shell had been trimmed with straight sides and resembled a little pot: it even had a carved lid. Inside were chicken, onions, potato and other delicious, but unknown to me, vegetables. Because I had made a point of saying I wanted it spicy, they brought a little side dish of cut up peppers in oil - they were little green ones. Between the two of them this was one of the tastiest - and hottest - meals I have ever had.

When I was done I took a moto to the market and did a little ...