Siem Reap 1 Hotel & Meals (12/22-24/2012)

Still Saturday, December 22, 2012
We arrived in Siem Reap, Cambodia, and everyone noticed how hot and muggy it was!
We were met by trucks to carry our luggage, and two buses. The buses were decorated with curtains:

Due to the late hour, we were taken directly to dinner at the Nest Angkor Cafe Bar, an outdoor dining venue under a huge tent.

A set menu was provided:
Starter: Poached river prawn with pomelo and vegetable salad

Soup: Kor kor soup - blended mixed vegetable soup with river prawns

Main: Pan-fried dory fish filet with black pepper sauce, bok choy and steamed rice

Or: Slow-cooked chicken breast, pumpkin puree and bok choy (and green pepper)

Dessert: Rom Vong - array of mixed Khmer pastries with coconut cream

Tea or coffee

Then to the Sofitel Phokeethra Royal Angkor Hotel where we were welcomed by dancers and drummers:

If the Sofitel Metropole Hotel was 5-stars, this hotel must be 7-stars!
Kent tries spreading out on the bed:

You cannot go out front and get a picture of the hotel, because there is so much greenery:

The buildings are arrayed around a large pond; here Santa is in a small boat:

Santa at night:

Covered walkways cross over the pond to the buildings, and to a gazebo:

There are Angkorean statues on the grounds, but this one had a couple tigers which took away from the stateliness of the compound!

The swimming pool had a"meandering river:"

The lobby had an elephant-themed Christmas tree:

A gingerbread display:

Most mornings, a musician provided pleasant background music in the lobby:

He is playing a Khim, a hammered dulcimer.

Sunday, December 23, 2012
Breakfast was a huge buffet in The Citadel Restaurant in the hotel.
While in Siem Reap, we were on our own for lunches. The first day we were the only ones to take the offer to be taken to a local restaurant for a Khmer meal. We were taken just down the street by tuk tuk:

and had a great meal at Borey Sovann Restaurant:

Like most places in Cambodia, they had photos of the king:

And in this case, photos of the parents of the king; the father, the former king, passed away in October 2012.
A "view" of rice fields through the window:

A napkin bird:

One day we had spicy vermicelli salad with chicken:

eggplant and pork in oyster sauce:

along with morning glory greens in garlic sauce.
Dinner tonight was at Viroth's Restaurant where we had a Khmer meal:
Seafood and tomato soup: Shrimp, tomato with local herbs

Khmer country salad: Cabbage, carrots, pork, peanuts with local herbs

Four entree dishes: Amok fish: Fish, coconut milk, lemongrass and local herbs

   Eggplant Saute with pork: Eggplant, minced pork, ginger and local herbs

   Grilled chicken: Chicken skewers marinated in satay sauce with tomatoes and pineapple

   Mixed vegetable sauté

Fresh fruits (mango, pineapple, banana) and Khmer dessert (coconut glutin)

Monday, December 24, 2012
The lunch was so good at Borey Sovann, we returned the next day, this time for veggie spring rolls:

and Banh Chaev, a dish recommended by the waiter that looked like a seafood omelet:

Tonight's dinner was at the Sofitel Phokeethra Hotel, where we had a buffet of immense proportions. Before dinner we were entertained by the "Carol Singers" from the New Life Church Orphanage:

After dinner there was an Apsara dance performance:

Very expressive hand movements and gorgeous outfits.
Next, Siem Reap 2 Angkor Wat.