Hellou Cambodia

So here we are, in a new country, we both haven't been before...

Last night, we got here to Siem Reap, about 1am...all the streets were empty and dark. Defintiley not a 24 hour city as we expected it... but far more busy during the day...

At first it hit us and we found us both back in memories of India. Walking down the streets, Tuktuks everywhere, and after turning down 2 Tuktukdrivers, showing them how well we are on our own two feets walking down the street, the 3rd driver thinks, he gets us as his customers by shouting even louder and being even more agressive showing off his Tuktuk...

We expected Siem Reap (literal meaning: Thai Defeat), to be very touristy and westernised. What we didn't expect is, to be as much fascinated by the "other" tourists (mostly decades older, French, and very desperately looking for the 'real' Cambodian experience...with everything available being very organised) ...and the locals, I actually don't know, which was even more bewildering...

Looking for an ATM, we found out, we only can get out American $ . As a local, you can choose either USD or local money...but as soon as you choose English language in the ATM the choices are limited to one ...

The locals were asking us constantly if we wanted to pay in USD, or in real money... and as Tim started to use those terms as well within 12 hours, i was quite taken aback of how fast he picked up these terms... it took me quite some time (actually 'til we were both sitting in a bank) that I found out, the locals don't call their money "real money"and the tourist's money as USD, it's the Cambodian currency called RIEL... and how much you get for 100 dollars... i felt like Dagobert Duck (Scrooge McDuck for the English speakers), being able having a shower in our own money...

And as westernized this whole place is, not only everything is labeled by dollars (they mostly have their own exchange rate), we also found Ricola in a pharmacy! (For the Aussie- readers: it's kind of the Swiss version of Strepsils, exept that the Swiss are quite proud of it). (Tim: they are as proud of it as Aussies are of Vegemite)

And tomorrow morning, at 5am (!) we get picked up, by our Tuktuk driver, who takes us to Angkor Wat for Sunrise.. another adventure... what the Taj Mahal is for Indians, Angkor Wat is for Cambodians..

So soon, and hopefully with pictures, we can tell you more about it...

Take care you all...

(Sorry guys, once more troubles with the computer uploading the pictures...although we already chose them...but I don't wanne keep you waiting. This post has been in the pipeline since yesterday, but didn't find an accurate fast enough computer for the pics...)