Tuesday night (our anniversary!) we had an exquisite, six-course meal at Cuisine Wat Damnak in Siemp Reap, located in a beautifully lit traditional Khmer garden. There were two different tasting menus to choose from, so we both ordered a different one and shared each dish, allowing us to have twelve different courses over the evening. From the lime duck soup with Angkor Stout, to the braised wild mushrooms with coconut milk, the quail saraman with coconut tree heart and the steamed dark chocolate cake and pot de crème with salted peanut mousse...the meal was to die for and the perfect way to celebrate 3 years!
Over the course of the 3 days we were in Cambodia, we got into a lovely routine that looked a little something like this: wake up early to tour the temples of Angkor Wat, have lunch at local spot, enjoy the pool at our hotel, get massages, go out for dinner and end the night with a drink (or two) on Pub Street. I've included several pics below, that help document our time in Siem Reap, but here are a few of our trip favorites.
My favorite temple that we visited was Banteay Srei, this beautiful, unique pinkish/teal temple a bit further away from the others. Matt's favorite was Angkor Thom, which is bigger, more well-known, and has a crazy number of chambers to get lost in. Our favorite meal (besides Cuisine Wat Damnak) was at Mingalar, where we had the BEST Burmese food at a local boutique inn. Our favorite tuk tuk driver was Sokah...okay he was our only tuk tuk driver, but he was most definitely the best. The doggies were also a trip favorite, because they were all built so similar to Miley! It made us miss her even more!! Overall, we agree that our favorite part of the stay was a tie between the gorgeous scenery, and the unbelievably friendly people that welcomed us everywhere we went. Much of the country lives in extreme poverty (though tourism is helping to boost the local economy in Siem Reap quite a bit), but it was evident over our short stay that they have a grasp on the important things in life. They are always smiling, always asking questions (and so many of them speak English very well!), and constantly showing gratitude towards their visitors. It made us sad to leave, and eager to return again some day!
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| Anniversary dinner at Cuisine Wat Damnak |
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| Matt, and his favorite temple, Angkor Thom |
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| THE Angkor Wat |
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| Ta Prohm (aka Tomb Raider) |
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| Dinner at Soria Moria |
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| The vibrant Pub Street |
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| My favorite temple, Banteay Srei |
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| Banteay Samré |
Okay, so back to Hanoi. We arrived late last night and once again, immediately felt the difference in the Vietnam culture, compared to Cambodia & Singapore. After and eventful ride from the airport to our hotel (our driver got lost, and only knew "hello" and "sorry") we set out to find the best pho possible. We walked approximately one minute and our lives were changed. The broth was so rich and flavorful, the noodles were light and fresh, and the spicy sauce was (gasp) better than sriracha. Oh, and we only paid 80,000 Dong, aka $4.00. Yeah, I think we can get used to this.
Our hotel is located on a bustling street in the Old Quarter, right in the heart of where many locals live. There are also a surprising number of backpackers from all over the world here! Today we spent the morning and most of the afternoon exploring this vibrant city, that reminds us a bit of Rome or even New York in some ways. There are people everywhere, cars and tons of moto-bikes on every street (crossing the street is quite the endeavor here) little shops, street food, local vendors... It feels less touristy than our first two stops, so we're trying to brush up on a few Vietnamese phrases (luckily, we know pho very well, cám o'n rât nhi'êu!)
We got coffee this morning at The Hanoi Social Club (thanks, Bill!) and had a yummy breakfast of toast with ricotta, tomato, avocado & lemon pepper. I'm not a big coffee drinker, but I fell in love with the ca phe trung, which is their famous egg coffee that puts any Starbucks latte to shame. Matt had the ca phe da, which he thoroughly enjoyed as well. Then we set out for a nice stroll around Hoan Kiem lake, and walked by historic sites like Thap Rua (Tortoise Tower) the French Quarter, Opera House, Dai Hoc Tong Hop Ha Noi (the University!), Hoa Lo Prison (where John McCain was held POW), and just happened to stumble upon some more pho at Pho Bo which was equally as good as the bowl we had last night.
We took a short rest back at our hotel, and are getting ready to do as the locals do and di choi (go out to play) tonight. We're on the hunt for some bia hoa (the cheapest beer in the world) and bún bò nam bô, but won't say no if there's more pho calling out to us. Chúc Ngú Ngon! (or good morning, for those of you back in the States.)
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| Pho real!? |
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