Cambodia 2013: Part 1

Finally back after almost two weeks of not posting! Blame it on my preliminary exams for keeping me way too busy than I should've been because of all the studying. Afterwards, I'd just be so tired that I fall asleep and forget to update.

Anywho, now that it's back to regular programming, let's just take a moment to take in the new blog. The new look just makes me so giddy inside and out, and this is going to be my first post on this new platform!

Last December, my family went on a Cambodia-Vietnam tour and it was the first December tour that we didn't go as a family because my dad and my brother decided to stay behind. It was also the first time that we almost missed our flight because of unbelievable traffic along Roxas Boulevard. Argh. Thinking about it just brings about so much frustration. Thankfully though, we got to the airport just in time and it was a good two and a half hours before we reached Siem Reap.

Cultural art everywhere in the arrivals area. Their airport is small but they're very systematic which is awesome. We arrived late at night and all of us were obviously really tired from the rushing and just the flight itself. (Cebu Pacific flights why you so uncomfortable? *Sad Face*)

We checked into the Ree Hotel which is just a convenient 10 minutes away from the airport! It was also really really dark at night there so you didn't really get to see the town at all.

The next morning, I woke up to this view and I got to see Siem Reap for the first time. There are no high-rises and super developed commercial buildings. It was this simple town teeming with cultural heritage. I also later found out that there are no tall buildings because it was strictly prohibited to erect a structure that was taller than the Angkor Wat. (Which I have a totally separate post for. #SoAwesome) 

Gingerbread centerpieces! I love the breakfast buffet at the Ree Hotel. It wasn't too fancy but the food is just so enjoyable every single morning while we stayed there! :)

Our first stop after breakfast was the Silk Factory. Silk production is different in a lot of Asian countries and Cambodia is no exception to this. 

Life Cycle of a Silk Worm. Can you imagine living for only 47 days? D:

Cambodian silk is originally yellowish because of the different cocoon that the silkworms spin.

Legit silkworms, anyone? 

The silk factory had an in-house guide to explain how the silk is processed. They start by boiling the cocoons and then slowly unraveling them to extract thin threads.

They're spun to straighten. 

Where the silk is died. No machines here. Just pure traditional ingenuity.

Weaving is always cool. How the workers know every single swipe and click is just so mind-blowing for me.

Weaving instructions in Khmer. 

There's also this gallery that shows the more current of their cultural wear which is surprisingly reminiscent of our very own baro't saya and barong tagalog.

At the end of the factory tour is a shop where you can buy all sorts of nice silk products. They're a bit pricey but the quality is topnotch. I only regret not getting a wallet for myself! LOL

Also took a short trip to the reservoir for pictures. I loved how ethereal it was up there, save for the kids that pestered you to buy stuff for a dollar. That was actually the surprising thing in Cambodia. They accept U.S. Dollars so much that it's literally part of their price tags. Beneath their currency is always a converted version in Dollars which is really cool for travelers.

We had lunch at the Sand Restaurant where the food was nice. I love how Cambodian cooking is like this mix of Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese cuisine. The flavors are really clean but striking enough for you to know how yummy they are. 

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my Cambodia travel diaries! There are just so many photos lined up for all of you to see! Happy Friday! :)