Khmer smile-Cambodia travels (1)

Cambodia, the mysterious name.

Once symbolized the brilliance of Southeast Asia, and now more people left the impression that war, slaughter and mines. Prior to and Angkor VAT has immense reverie, read some Raiders book is unable to suppress the urge to go.

Before you go is not easy, because we all know that I love to play, so the tickets, visas, accommodation, trip consists of my design pieces.

But the most difficult or eliminate friends heart doubts. Just like the beginning of reform and opening up of foreigners come to China, full heart think Chinese people are saying this, has a sick man of Asia opium; but we now know as in Cambodia, Cambodia has superficial to me around the impression remains the poverty and instability. Others talk gives us pedestrian invisible pressure with zhui zhui heart, we hit the road.

Aircraft in the night of Phnom Penh circling over lost ground lights, but not so exciting, after all, is a poor place, I smiled and said to himself.

As a result of watching too many friends on the officers of the description, the imagination of Phnom Penh airport should be simple.

But Phnom Penh airport and surprisingly modern. This suddenly put our doubts. You can see, the Government of Cambodia to the importance of tourism, and the so-called 20 dollars of blackmail and shadow are not seen. And customs officers smile and greeting a few words, we smooth customs clearance.

Go out to find a taxi, 8 dollars to the hotel.

As I am tall, you can sit in the front row, poor peer partners (including my wife) 4 people packed in a small seat, and sardines. Night of Phnom Penh somewhat sat slumped, road side is dilapidated houses that occasionally seen in supermarkets, and banners in the roadside billboards have also become a landscape. However this does not affect our mood, after all, the team has two people go abroad for the first time, any national of a different make them fresh. Blowing breeze way, very comfortable.

About feeling half an hour, the car go up Tonle lakeside Avenue, vivid window immediately.

Fringe bar, bright lights so exciting. We come to the hotel! is called Hotel Cozyna, Raiders, it seems. 4-storey building, of French-style balcony flowers blooming. Lobby (should be called small church) is a compact and elegant. Waiter's warm and thoughtful, as well as English fluent got our praise. The next morning to go to Siem Reap for tickets $ 6/person, ready to go up the stairs. Upstairs there from waiter before you wholesale and a few words of Khmer words, proved to be very practical: Hello (solsta de), Goodbye (LI, damage) (Austrian Club), how much money (it depend on help Mann), cheaper (according to the Chief!). English there too popular to tourists in local learning Khmer language are few, we use the Khmer language and human exchanges, always astonished laughter ... Room facing the street, in front of the window is the balcony, we are facing the Tonle, this room is 20 dollars is not expensive.