Seim Reap to Phnom Penh and next day in Phnom Penh

Breakfast Bai Sach Chrouk

Today I had a 2pm van trip back to Phnom Penh so I had a nice breakfast (the traditional breakfast dish Bai Sach Chrouk which means Pork with broken rice) at the hotel then went out for my massage. My plan was to get an hour foot massage at Master Feet followed by an hour body massage at Taktshang Massage (the awesome place from last night). Unfortunately Master Feet is actually closed temporarily. So I skipped the foot massage and just got a longer 90 minute body, I know, rough life. Thilm seems to have been trained for Swedish massage (my favorite and the one I was trained in), which is a relaxing massage that circulates your blood. My hands, arms, legs, and back all felt wonderful. I was very relaxed as I walked over to Elia and got a chicken gyro to go. I took a bite to check it out before it got cold and it was excellent (it was maybe even better 5 hours later so I shouldn’t have worried).

Chicken Gyro

Elia Greek restaurant

Inside Elia

Fruit Stand on the street

Cart in Siem Reap

Covid anti-viral drugs

The Post Office is quite versatile. Ours could learn something from them. They run a great van shuttle service between major cities. They sell postcards of Angkor Wat (both a 10-pack and induvial cards). They also sell Covid treatment drugs, WTF? No seriously. I saw two different people come in and buy bottles of Molnupiravir, which is approved in the UK to treat Covid. You can see the bottles of pills in a medicine cabinet in the back. Crazy, right? Anyways, I bought a few postcards and had time to write them out before the van arrived. The postal lady hand stamped them with a long hammer looking stamp that she thwacked on the postcard (see pics).

Post Office selling Covid treatment

Hand stamping post cards

no toilet seat

The bathroom in the post office was possibly the worst I’ve faced on the trip. No seat, no tp but at least they had soap. There was also a hose though I didn’t use it. Time for the Go Girl! It has been over 5 years since I last used my old pink one (now misplaced) but my sister got me another one, purple this time. I was still able to make it work just fine. The van had mechanical problems so was 2 hours late. I entertained myself watching the daughter and small son of the lady who was sweeping the grounds. The daughter would run outside of the gates, crouch below the wall opening, then pop up to scare and delight the small boy.

Go Girl

Go girl to the rescue

Children playing peek a boo

Children playing

Cool looking cat at post office

Delicous seasame donut holes

Finally we were off and on the way. I think the driver was trying to make up time, driving very fast. Suddenly he hit the brakes. I was prepared for an accident up ahead, but instead a cow was crossing the road. I envisioned a bumper sticker for him “I brake for cows” but I think he would brake for a variety of things: dogs, children, anything that may act unpredictably. After about 90 minutes we had a short bathroom stop with a decent bathroom so I figured I should use it just in case. It was in a restaurant and I saw some little doughnut hole looking items. I asked the prices and first she said 6000 for one, but eventually with help from a fellow passenger we sorted out it is 500 for one so I got one of each to try. They were really good and tasted a bit like sesame balls with a dough filling.

Cute girl with mom

Sadly, by the time we got to the Post Office in Phnom Penh I was tired and not hungry so I did not get to try the fresh (i.e. alive) seafood dish I had been eyeing at the Night Market. I was asleep by 10 and slept in until 7 when I finished my next blog post and had a relaxing morning sorting pictures for my blog. I decided to skip the museum and palace since there are no headsets due to COVID, which makes it all less interesting, walking around having no idea what you’re looking at. I’ll be back so that will give me something to see then. Instead, I walked around to find a blind massage place. I took a path along my favorite parks and waterfront. Near one of the shrines at the waterfront, I saw cages of small birds and boy releasing one. I googled it and it is good karma or atonement to free a bird (they call it “merit releasing” where you ask forgiveness for sins before releasing). Though I won't get into karma related to these birds being raised in captivity or caught just so they can be released. I released one myself as religious intent is not a requirement.

Guy selling birds

Iconic Lion near shrine on waterfront

Tree in front of Royal Palace Grounds

Selling birdseed

There were also many people selling bird seed and many more feeding birds so the pigeons do pretty well here. Again I found kids making games out of nothing. This time they were taking cardboard and trying to see how far they could throw it. So cute! I started my search for a blind massage place, but the first 3 addresses I tried were all closed, probably due to Covid or my outdated information. I did find on of those stalls selling tiny cooked clams and bought some. 3 blocks later I stopped to eat them but couldn't figure out how to open them, so I had to go back and ask. You use the shell of an opened one to pry them open. They were good: salty and a little too spicy but okay. I got good at opening them by the time I was finished.

Feeding birds

Tiny Roasted Clams

My clams

Drying Fish in the sun

Mor Drying fish 2

More Drying fish

Duck Soup

I wanted to try some duck and found a place see selling duck in noodle soup for 20,000 riels. That seemed like too much but once I converted it to 5 bucks I ordered it. It was good, no different from what I might get at home. I ate about half and took rest to go as I wanted a blind massage and had heard you should not go on a full stomach as they press down quite hard. I found the one I’d seen before. It was not on the map so no reviews, which made it my last choice. I changed into scrubs and put my clothes in the closet. I didn't realize I should lock the cabinet and keep the key, but no one else was there so it didn't matter. The blind masseuse came in and located me.

Stand outside of Restaurant

Duck Restaurant

Tables inside Blind massage

They do not use oil so the massage was mostly compression or short strokes 1 or 2 inches. For future reference I would say stronger is better even if it’s too strong sometimes as the alternative is light touching (just moving their hands around on your back). She did not speak good English so it was not possible to get any option between hard and not hard. The compression was good, some of the strokes were good, but pressing my head or moving my pony tail around was just confusing. However, the shoulders made up for it. She had me sit up and she did what I've been hoping to get someone to do all trip. Sharp compression with the elbow or forearm on my knots, putting her weight on it for 5 seconds. I wish it 20 seconds, but I'll take it. Then I got a nice rub down with short strokes on my shoulders at the end. The whole massage was worth it just for those last 6 or 7 minutes. My back and shoulders felt great! After that I took a Grab to my hotel for my bags then another Grab to the airport. It’s hard to believe the first trip is already done!

Blind Massage Place