Cambodian Circus, hotel pampering, and other Siem Reap activities

Phillip and I spent a great week in Siem Reap. The highlights were our two days visiting the Angkor complex, for which I have many pictures to use in the next post. This post describes other activities in town. Although I mentioned our hotel, the Khmer Mansion Residence, previously, the stay there was such a delightful experience that I wanted to add a few more pictures. 

The mango daquiris at the swim-up pool (at the far end of the picture) were probably the best tasting cocktail I've ever had. Sit for a few minutes, and the staff brings the snack. Brownies delivered to the room every evening. A smile and greeting, by name, from everyone, all the time. The best service ever, from housekeeping, breakfast dining room staff, reception, the manager. We were definitely spoiled during our stay.

We took a tuk-tuk (motorcycle taxi) only once during the week as we preferred to walk. Monday, we began walking and a tuk-tuk driver approached us. He spoke decent English and offered to drive us around town for an hour for $2. He took us to the Royal Palace where we saw the biggest bats, with bodies the size of crows, covering the trees next to the palace. We visited the Vietnamese/Cambodian War Memorial (the Vietnamese helped get rid of Pol Pot in 1979) and a religious area, I'm not sure what it was, but it had more modern version of the same five-headed serpent that we were to see at Angkor.

Monday evening, we attended a performance of Phare: The Cambodian Circus Show. Don't think Barnum and Bailey, think Cirque de Soleil, no animals. It was a character-driven theatrical show by local performers with comedy, acrobatics, and a story. Nice way to spend the evening. Our favorite character was this guy, on the "not-so-high wire" who started out as the drunk person of the show. 

Since it isn't temple-related, I've got to include this picture of a monkey at one of the Angkor parking lots. He was trying to eat the yellow measuring tape. Even though it snapped back, he kept pulling it out, studying it, then trying to chew it.

After about eight or so of the Angkor temples, and being templed-out, our guide for Tuesday and Wednesday, Sotath, took us to the Tonle Sap Lake Wednesday afternoon where we had a private boat ride on the lake to a floating village. It is dry season now, so these stilt houses are high above the road. The lake covers this road by the end of the rainy season and the houses need the stilts!

Sotath went with us on the boats, such a friendly and knowledgeable guide. We rode boat 109.

Because the lake was low and tourism is still way down from pre-Covid levels (only about 25% of tourism has returned), few floating houses were on the lake, but we did boat to one with a restaurant. In the distance is another floating house/restaurant. 

And the final picture is our boat navigating the narrow channel to return to its spot.