The Tourist Trap

When I think of Siem Reap, the words “tourist trap” come to mind. What you don’t know, is how absolutely thrilling those two words are after 6 months in-country as a “native.” I know it seems like every other weekend I’m running off to Battambang or Phnom Penh … but Siem Reap puts them both to shame. Phnom Penh caters to the ex-pat crowd. Sure, there are tons of Westerners, but most of them live here and have more then their share of dirt under their fingernails as a result. As for Battambang, it’s still a Khmer city and, aside from the occasional backpacker, lacks a lot of tourist attention. Of course, this is what mainly gives Battambang its charm. But, if it’s a true vacation that you want, Siem Reap has no competition.

As we taxied into the city, I saw billboards, resort-style hotels, and shops with automatic doors. I almost cried right then and there. In essence: it was a beautiful display of capitalism. I’m sure some of you just cringed, but I assure you, if you spend six months away from the convenience of Target, the night life of any remotely metropolitan area, and the allure of consumption, you will feel entirely different. Most of what we did this weekend is par for the course in the United States or Europe, but in Cambodia it’s an oasis of my own culture.

After getting over our initial shock, we checked into our hotel, grabbed some lunch and went shopping. We all indulged on our own poisons. In the matter of an hour, each of us transformed slightly from our frugal, discreet selves into a shade of who we were just six months ago. Honest to God, I felt like I was coming out of hibernation as I thumbed through racks of clothing. Some people went for art, and others more epicurean delights … but everyone found something.

We all rushed back to the hotel to fawn over our new purchases before dinner and freshen up. If there’s a town in Cambodia where you can dress up, it’s Siem Reap. Naturally, I christened one of my new shirts that evening, put on make up, and did my hair. I realize how mundane this must sound to you, but my life lacks all those daily rituals of beautification because they simply have no place at my site. To be able to feel pretty - to wear something that shows my shoulders and a little lip gloss - is exhilarating. As usual, I could write a whole book about the food we ate alone, but bragging to you about eating penne bolognaise wouldn’t get the response I’m used to when I tell other volunteers that I didn’t have to eat rice. That being said, trust me - if you eat something twice a day, everyday (especially something bland and starchy like rice) ANYTHING different seems extraordinary. The night passed in typical form, but we all turned in early. In honesty, I think we were all blown away by the city and needed a night to decompress and take everything in without the sensory overload of going out.

The following day we lounged around and then went to the pool. We swam and played chicken, splashing each other and racing across the pool. In the interims, there were also people to watch, and beer to drink. Laying on my towel, listening to country music and sipping my beer with no firm future plans farther than the next ten minutes felt like a true vacation. Once we all had enough sun, the boys split up for some bro-bonding and the girls headed in town for some pre-happy hour margaritas.

Saturday night was one to remember. I broke out my little black dress, Kelsey straightened her hair, Katie put on extra eyeliner, Deidre and Rebecca wore new outfits. Siem Reap didn’t know what was about to hit it. We met up with Will and Steph and the rest of the boys in the lobby to get some Mexican food. All you can eat one-dollar margaritas and tacos. Oh baby. Needless to say, by the end of dinner we were ready to go bar hopping. We hit all the major hot spots in a matter of an hour and a half: the Temple for 2-for-1 cocktails, Angkor What? for shots of absinthe, the Beer Lounge for beer of course, and a few other key stops before the girls split up from the guys. Sorry boys, a night like this doesn’t come along very often in Cambodia, and you were throwing off our game.

I’ll spare you a play by play of what can only be described as a very typical night on the town. However, I will say waking up at 8:30 a.m. for breakfast was like taking a bullet. I forgot how much life could hurt when you go to bed after 4:00 a.m. After breakfast, I napped. For several hours. Then, Deidre, Kelsey and I went for an afternoon snack and some people watching. Towards the end of the afternoon, we wandered around the supermarket for an hour or so. Yes, I said supermarket. There are only two supermarkets in this country, and I bet you’d walk around it for an hour too if you had forgotten what packaged meat and Glade plug-ins looked like.

That night, we got dolled up again, shared our last meal and hit the town for round two. Although we didn’t stay out as late as we had the previous night, they were equally fun. When my alarm went off at 6:00 a.m., reminding me that my bus was leaving at 7:00 to take me back to the real world, I thought about “accidentally” missing my bus and staying in Siem Reap for a few extra days … or months. Whatever. Of course, I couldn’t do that.

The bus ride was long and uneventful compared to a weekend that seemed to fly by in a blur of good food, good friends and lots of fun. When I returned to site, I poured out my overnight bag on the floor and grabbed my camera so I could relive my weekend memories a few more times before I curled up under my quilt and took a long, late-afternoon nap. Who would have thought being a tourist could be so much fun?

(p.s. - new photos up from the weekend)