Favorite cafe in Siem Reap

Just next door to my hotel, I discovered a little gem of a cafe, the Upstairs Cafe.

Opened by a french lady, its sunny countryside interiors, coupled with free wifi, really good coffee and cakes, have made it very successful among the local & expat community.

Sarah, the owner, came to Siem Reap, fell in love with a Japanese man, & decided to leave her hometown of Strasbourg to come & set up a cafe here.

Listening to her stories was humbling & gratifying: how many of us join the corporate rat race, each wanting to climb higher, go faster, earn more... But her goal was to employ & train Cambodian women, while giving people a nice place to relax in.

Needless to say, I skipped the average hotel breakfast everyday & hopped over to the cafe for good Illy coffee, fluffy omelettes & freshly toasted bread! It was heaven.

Besides all-day breakfast, she also bakes really good cakes - the chocolate fondant cake with english cream and lemon sponge cake were the two cakes I tried over & over again.

Ruins

Even though it was extremely hot & humid, the Angkor ruins of Cambodia still managed to take my breath away. 

The 10th century ruins of Hindu temple Banteay Srei, one of my 2 favorites. The carvings on the red sandstone were still clearly visible, unlike its bigger counterparts like Angkor Wat or the Baphuon. 

Doesnt it look like a dollhouse?

At the recommendation of a friend, I stopped also at Banteay Samre, another Hindu temple often empty but just as beautiful as Banteay Srei. I was sweaty, dirty, barefoot & wearing pants 2 sizes too big for me! But the grandeur of this temple and its courtyards make it the most memorable for me.

At before I left, the smiles of street children captured my heart.

Temples

Visited Angkor Wat & a few other temples today... Magnificent. The sheer size & intricate carvings & their location in the jungle attract tourists from all over the world; we brave the intense heat & humidity, the punishing sun and narrow stairs to witness works of the Angkor empire.

Ta Keo temple

Ta Prohm, where tree roots have totally ate the temple. 

Amazing Angkor Wat. 

Siem Reap

Coolest boutique hotel I've been to... I've been to the owner's other hotel in Bangkok & this did not disappoint... Friendly staff & great design aside, my room even had a private jacuzzi :)