This time last year, Chris and I were zipping around Siem Reap in a tuk-tuk. While most of our adventures centered around ancient Ankgor, we spent one afternoon gliding through the calm waters of Kompong Phluk - a cluster of villages comprised of stilted houses built within a floodplain south of Siem Reap. 

During Cambodia's wet season, the Tonle Sap Lake floods, big time.  Constant rain fill the streets and the water eventually rises up to the tree tops which happens to be at the same level as the ground floors of these raised homes. The only way to get around and stay dry is by boat . 

This village left an impression on me because it seemed so inconvenient. Need to borrow some spices from your neighbor? Get in a boat.  Forgot rice at the market? Get in a boat.  Have to use the bathroom? Get in a boat.  

My first reaction was "Why would anyone choose to live on water when they could live on land"?  But then I think about my own home. If  the roles were reversed and one of these water villagers visited Boston in the winter, they would probably have a similar reaction "Why would anyone choose to live in all this snow? It's so inconvenient and dangerous!".  Humans are incredibly adaptable  and manage to make a comfortable home in the most extreme conditions. 

Below are a few of my favorite pictures of daily life on water.  You can read more about our adventure to Kompong Phluk here.   

This spring, I'm making a few changes to my home and garden and I'd like to incorporate elements inspired by our recent trip around the world. Although I can't plant exotic tropical flowers in Boston, nor do I have the space for nest beds, I can look for a few pieces that remind me of some of my favorite places. So, in no particular order, here are a 15 things from around the world that would be fun to replicate at home. 

1. Bangkok, Thailand: Nest Beds
Nesting has taken on a whole new meaning in Bangkok. The shape of these human sized sanctuaries will make the most boring of outdoor spaces intriguing. Add a light inside and create glowing garden sculptures at night!

Photo by Eva Barbier from blog post: Chillin' Out In Bangkok

2. Hamburg, Germany: Modern Rococo
I'm typically not a fan of rococo and prefer balancing frills and flourishes with corners and crisp lines. However, I reveled in this little cafe in Hamburg, sipping my chai tea slowly while sinking into a cozy velvet couch.  I have no idea if they intentionally distressed the walls or if they just spruced up a derelict space with vintage couches from Oma and Opa's house. Whatever they did, it worked. 

Photo by Eva Barbier from blog post: Hamburg, Bremen & Bloemendaal

3. Cappadocia, Turkey: Canvas & Carpet Covered Terraces
While in Turkey, we spent two glorious mornings having breakfast here, overlooking the cave town of Goreme. I've been thinking about using canvas to provide shade on my deck during the hot summer since it's pretty easy to put up and take down. I also love the rug covered table for extra lounging.

Photo by Eva Barbier. To learn more about Turkey, visit our Turkey Destination Page. 

4. Cambodia: Colored Wooden Blinds
These colorful blinds would add cheer to any space such as a nursery, kitchen or my home office.

Photo by Eva Barbier from the blog post: Waterworld: The Floating Village of Kompong Phluk, Cambodia

5. Yangshuo, China: Wagon Wheel Benches
Check out these benches at our Inn in Yangshuo. They are made by attaching local wood planks to an axle and wagon wheels. This set-up is a charming alternative to a traditional picnic table. 

Photo by Eva Barbier from blog post: Days 167-170: Yangshuo, China - Hiking and Biking the Karst Mountains

6. Koh Lanta, Thailand: Bamboo Lounges & Pyramid Pillows
Koh Lanta is one of the places i miss most often because we found total relaxation here. Perhaps it's because bamboo lounges and beds are scattered along the beaches, waiting for a wanderer to plop down for a cold beer and a little shut eye. The colorful pyramid pillows are a nice touch, and help prop up one's head in order to enjoy the sea view.  I don't think bamboo would last in the harsh Boston weather, but if i ever live somewhere milder I plan on creating my own little slice of Lanta. 

Photo of The Indian bar in Koh Lanta by Eva Barbier from Our Guide to Koh Lanta, Thailand

7. Ubud, Bali: Stone & Wood Carvings
Bali is full of insanely talented artisans and artists that have been perfecting their craft for generations. We visited gardens, homes and temples full of intricately carved statues and furniture. Two of my favorite pieces were these Balinese women who seem full of happiness and peace. Generally, this is how I feel after a really good meal. They would look lovely in my garden and remind me of the warmth and hospitality we experienced in Bali. 

Read more about Bali here: Ubud, Bali - The Barong Dance, Stone Carving & The Awe-Inspiring Contact Lens 

8. Melbourne, Australia: Bold Tile
This tile covered the inside of a bench shelter in Melbourne. It was a pleasant surprise, since the structure was grey on the outside. I thought the pattern would make a nice outdoor table top. 

Photo by Eva Barbier from blog post: 3 Days In Melbourne

9. Kruger Park,  South Africa: Drapery Over Doors
The decor at safari camps is fantastic, but much of what you'd expect from the African bush - typical wood furniture, local animal fur rugs, and lots of neutrals.  One thing I really liked was the use of drapery, particularly over doors or entryways.  I'm not sure if this has a practical use in the summer (ie keeping bugs out of rooms) but they really made our accommodation, a tent, very homey. 

Photo by Eva Barbier in blog post: Tanda Tula Safari Camp

10. Paris, France: Black & White Tile
Black and white tile was everywhere in Paris so it always reminds me of my favorite city.  I don't know if it's the the tile that contributes to the glamour of Paris or if it's Paris that makes the tile so chic.  Let's just say it's a symbiotic relationship. If my bathroom wasn't so tiny, I'd tile it like the picture below. 

Photo by Eva Barbier from blog post: Our Favorite Room in Paris: Six Cent Deux 

11. Arrowtown, New Zealand: Recycled Container Garden
This is a neat idea for people who have a lot of outdoor space. Arrowtown is an old gold mining town in New Zealand. There was a lot of abandoned equipment from the mining days so local artists used them in their artwork and homes. Here is an old pipe transformed into a container garden. 

Photo by Eva Barbier. To learn more about New Zealand visit our New Zealand Destination Page. 

12. Winelands, South Africa: Chrome+Stone+Wood
The wineries in Franschhoek, South Africa are stunning both inside and out.  I particularly enjoyed the modern decor of the tasting room at the Gran Provence. The chrome bar and fixtures gave it a sleek modern look which was nicely offset by the rest of the room, comprised of natural elements from the region - stone, clay and wood. While it's void of color inside, the view was bursting with color outside the glass doors. 

Photo of the Gran Provence tasting room by Eva Barbier as featured in The Winelands Awards.

13. Seminyak, Bali: Colorful Shutters
These pretty shutters, spotted in Bali, would liven up a pool house or backyard shed. 

Photo by Eva Barbier in blog post: Bali, Indonesia - Laid Back Seminyak

14. Chiang Mai, Thailand: Copper Light Fixtures
Giant copper lights were suspended from tall tree trunks in our hotel lobby in Chiang Mai.  They were especially enchanting when twinkling at night. Perhaps they could be used on a much smaller scale in an entryway, over a dining room table or kitchen island. 

Photo of VC@Suanpaak lobby by Eva Barbier from Chiang Mai, Thailand - Hits & Misses

15. Caye Caulker, Belize: Weathered Wooden Signs
The tiny Caribbean island is comprised of small wooden structures that have been weathered by the salt and sand in the air.  Painted wooden signs were strewn about the island featuring island mantras (Go Slow) and store names. I think these would look great hanging in a bohemian urban garden. 

Photo by Eva Barbier from Caye Caulker - You Better Belize It.

While in Cambodia, we spent a lot of time in a tuk-tuk. Our driver took us all over the Angkor complex, through tiny villages and around downtown Siem Reap which allowed us to see a little more of daily life in Cambodia. 

Our next stop was Chiang Mai, Thailand and we had our best tuk-tuk adventure yet in this bad boy:

One day we passed by the Cambodian Land Mine Museum and decided to stop off to check it out.  The museum was founded by Aki Ra, a Cambodian who was forced to join the Khmer Rouge as a child soldier and spent his childhood laying land mines throughout his country.  In the 1970's, he defected into Vietnam in order to fight against the Khmer Rouge.  When the Vietnamese defeated the Khmer Rouge in 1979, he returned to Cambodia, continuing to fight against remaining factions that had fled into western Cambodia.  Eventually, Aki Ra became a lone mine-sweeper, searching for and disarming over 50,000 live land mines by hand, one village at a time. 

He founded an NGO to help fund his cause of de-mining Cambodia, and established the Land Mine Museum to educate visitors about the scale of Cambodia's land mine problem and the need to continue to secure resources to make Cambodia completely mine-free which, by some estimates, will take at least another 20 years. You can read Aki Ra's story, in his own words, here.  It was written many years ago and on our visit, we learned that his wife passed away from illness after their second child was born. 

The mines in Cambodia today primarily originated during the 70's and 80's.  Initially, mines were laid by the Khmer Rouge, who was supported by the North Vietnamese Army during the Vietnam War.  The mines were used in order to disrupt American supply routes through Cambodia.  Further mines were laid during the Cambodian civil war, and during the fighting between the Khmer Rouge and Vietnamese in the late 70's, followed by the continued fighting with remaining Khmer Rouge factions during the 80's.  Most of the mines still present today are hidden in the rural northwestern part of Cambodia near the Thai border.  As a result, Cambodia continues to have the highest percentage of amputees in the world, as well as many land mine fatalities.  Sadly, many of the fatalities are children who encounter the mines while playing.

The Khmer Rouge was extremely brutal and this era was a horrible and sad period for the Cambodian people.  When Aki Ra fled to fight with the Vietnamese, he had to fight against members of his own family who were still under the control of the Khmer Rouge.  He tells a story about crossing gunfire with his uncle in a battle one day.  He recognized his uncle from across the battlefield and intentionally fired shots above his head.  Aki Ra, who was normally a crack shot, told the Vietnamese he was suffering from a headache, which was why he had missed his target.  After the war, he told his uncle what had happened, and today they still laugh about it.  We were particularly struck by how resilient many of the Cambodian people are, even after such a terrible period that saw every family lose loved ones en masse at the hands of a brutal regime.

In addition the museum, Aki Ra founded a boarding school for at-risk youths, most of which were affected by land mines and are missing limbs. The children are given room, board, english lessons, computer access and most importantly an education - something that many children in Cambodia don't pursue because they work all day. Aki Ra has won several peace prizes and was one of CNN's top 10 heroes in 2010. To learn more about The Landmine Museum and School check out these sites:

www.cambodialandminemuseum.org
www.cambodianselfhelpdemining.org

We found this museum to be incredibly interesting and informative.  Aki Ra and his team do a great job exhibiting and explaining their experiences during the war and their present day mine sweeping. These accounts bring to life the tragedy, horror, and courage Cambodians have faced in recent history.  Though it's a bit of drive outside of Siem Reap, we would highly recommend checking it out if you ever find yourself in the area.

Get ready for a lot of pictures because this place was full of colorful reflections of water-based society. Similar to the Uros islands in Peru, residents of Kompong Phluk live in homes surrounded by the water from Tonle Sap Lake. However, these homes are built on massive stilts, so technically they are not floating like the Uros homes. 

Cambodia has two seasons: rainy & dry. Late in the dry season, all the water featured in the pictures below is completely gone and people must ascend to their homes on tall bamboo ladders. It's so dry that the village can be accessed by car. Then the rain comes and fills the streets. We visited at the very beginning of the dry season, so the water was at its highest level.  

Our tuk-tuk driver drove us about an hour to get here. We hired a private boat for USD$20, which took us out to the village. Then we paid another $5 per person to take a guided row boat tour so we could see the village up close. This was the best part! 

Like any village, they have public services:

After passing through the village's main drag, we stopped at a little 'floating' cafe. Here you have the option to purchase a canoe tour for $5.  The women and children drive the canoes and they take you through the smaller waterways that are not accessible by the bigger boats. This way you can see the village up close, which we found more interesting. I think it's also interesting for the villagers, as they often took a moment to check us out (especially the young ones). Two worlds were floating by each other and we both wanted a closer look. 

Angkor is a region of northern Cambodia that served as the capital of the ancient Khmer empire, which existed from about the 9th to the 14th century. During this time, several important cities were constructed throughout the area, with the actual site of the capital city moving several times.  Today there remain ruins of over 1,000 different temples and buildings throughout the expansive region.

Getting Around
Since our hotel in Siem Reap included a tuk-tuk driver throughout our stay, we were able to spread our visits of the ancient Angkor sites over our three days there.  Angkor is located about a 15-20 minute tuk-tuk ride north of Siem Reap.  Angkor itself comprises a huge area, all of which is considered a national park. Within this area are countless temples and ancient cities to explore.  We purchased a 3-day pass which gave us unlimited access to all the temples for 3 full days.  Our driver helped us plan out a route each day and would drop us off at each site, wait for us and then drive us to the next site.  We decided to put all of the ancient sites we saw into this post, the length of which should give you some idea as to how large an area this is - and we only scratched the surface.

Angkor was amazing, but we began to suffer from temple fatigue after our second day of temple visits.  If you only want to dedicate one day to temples in Angkor, check out the itinerary at the end of this post.  In addition to temples, we had other great experiences in Siem Reap that we'd highly recommend - for example, floating villages and the land mine museum - which we'll feature in the next couple of posts.

Guide or Self-Guided Tour
You can hire an official local guide to accompany you on your tour of the sites, which could be very helpful, depending on the guide. We saw some guides in the temple that spoke very poor english or spanish, while others sounded like great storytellers (we were a little jealous we didn't have one of those guides).  We didn't hire a guide as we wanted to move at a pretty rapid pace. Instead, we bought a guidebook, a variety of which can be purchased from local people outside any of the major Angkor sites.  

Attire
There is a dress code that mainly applies to women when entering certain parts of the temples. Legs must be covered (pants, long skirt or capris are fine), as well as shoulders. A scarf draped over the shoulder does not always pass! Always carry around a high-collared short-sleeved shirt. On the first day, I wore cargo pants, sneakers, a tank top and brought a short-sleeved shirt. I was incredibly hot and uncomfortable. That same day I purchased a long skirt at the night market, which I wore with sandals the following days and this was much more bearable. I still cringed when I had to put on my short-sleeved shirt in the heat and humidity! 

Temples
Here are some of the notable sites we visited over the next few days:

Angkor Thom
The largest complex within Angkor, Angkor Thom is one of the newest cities at Angkor and one of the largest of all Khmer cities (Khmer is the predominant ethnic group in Cambodia).  Angkor Thom translates to Great City and it was built in the 12th century and remained in use until the 1600's.

We next headed over to Ta Phrom.  While this was a famous temple in the old days, today it is arguably even more famous for being the site of filming many of the scenes in the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.  This site is interesting because it is only partially restored, so visitors can see how the jungle overtakes these ancient ruins. There are many areas where huge invasive trees are growing right out of the ruins, forcing the heavy stones apart over time.  The two primary trees seen here are the silk-cotton tree and the strangler fig.

Angkor Wat - Sunrise, Sunset
We finished our first day of temple-hopping by visiting Ankgor Wat for sunset. Angkor Wat is the largest of all the Khmer temples, and today remains the largest religious monument in the world.  It was built during the 1100's.  The temple complex sits on a large area of land in the southern part of the Angkor area, closest to Siem Reap, and is surrounded by a huge moat.  The best times to visit Angkor Wat are at sunrise and sunset, in order to see the temple in the most beautiful light.  After visiting at sunset on our first day, we got up early to see sunrise on our third day in Siem Reap.

Phnom Bakheng - Sunset
This is one of the oldest temples at Angkor, dedicated in the year 907 and served as the temple of the earliest Angkor capital city.  It sits on, and was built out of, a large hill which today overlooks Angkor Wat.  It is known as the best place to see sunset.  We went here for sunset on our last day in Siem Reap.  While the views were beautiful, the temple was absolutely mobbed with people, taking away from the experience.  We actually left before the sun set because it was so crowded.  On our way down the hill, we noticed some great viewing platforms along the path, which were better places to see the sunset and what we'd recommend doing!

Preah Khan
This was one of the last temples we visited and ended up being one of our favorites.  We visited on our final day at Angkor after seeing the sunrise at Angkor Wat, so were still early enough to avoid seeing lots of other visitors.  This temple was built in the late 12th century and reminded us a lot of Ta Phrom (the Tomb Raider temple) in that much of it has not been reclaimed and is still overrun by trees and vegetation.  In addition to being a temple, it is thought that Preah Khan was also a Buddhist university, with over 1,000 teachers.

Pre Rup
Another of the older temples at Angkor (mid-900's), this was a very pretty temple that afforded great views after climbing to the top.

Banteay Srei
This site is a bit farther from Siem Reap - about 45 minutes by tuk-tuk from most of the other sites at Angkor.  Built in the late 900's, this temple is known as the Citadel of Women or the Citadel of Beauty.  It was not a royal temple, but was built by Brahmin priests.  It is notable for its very compact size and the intricacy of many of the stone carvings.  One additional benefit of visiting this temple is that you'll pass by the hugely interesting Cambodian Land Mine Museum, which we'd highly recommend.  We'll talk about this museum in the next post.

Banteay Samre
This one is also located a bit farther away, but closer than Bantreay Srei (although both are in the same direction so can be visited together).  

Our Recommended Itinerary for One Day in Angkor
It is possible to see many of the major Angkor sites in just one day, though it will be a very full day.  Here's our suggested itinerary that will let you see all the highlights at their best:
1.  Sunrise at Angkor Wat.  Be sure to leave early enough to get your tickets and make it to the temple while it's still dark. Stay outside the main part of the temple to watch sunrise, but save the inside for later.  Once the sun is up, head out.
2.  Ta Phrom and Preah Khan - These will get very crowded later in the day (Ta Phrom in particular), so try to beat the crowds to experience the most serene atmosphere.
3.  Back to Angkor Thom - it will be crowded, but is fairly spread out so it won't feel too crowded.  Make your way through 4-5 main sites in the complex.
4.  Depending on what time it is, check out Pre Rup.  You will want to allow enough time to be back at Angkor Wat by 4pm, so skip this one if you need to.
5.  Back to Angkor Wat at 4pm to see the interior, climb to the top, and take pictures in the beautiful light of sunset.  Unfortunately they'll kick you out at 5:30 before the sun actually sets, but it's still worth it!

For a bit of adventure, we decided to take the bus from Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia.  We purchased our ticket online from Thailand's version of Ticket Master, called Thai Ticket Major.  You have to pick up the ticket at one of the Thai Ticket Major booths throughout Thailand.  Ours happened to be on the top floor of a Bangkok mall.  

The bus departed at 9am from one of the many bus terminals peppered throughout Bangkok.  The standard coach bus was completely full.  They served breakfast and lunch on the bus but the food looked questionable (even Chris took a pass) so we stuck with our water and mints.  If you take the bus, bring your own snacks!

Beware - Visa Scam Before the Border!
After driving for about three hours, we approached the Cambodian border.  This was where the fun began.  First, the bus stopped off at an official-looking place called the Border Visa Office.  Fortunately, we had read about this bus trip in advance, and it turns out that this is simply a third-party visa agency that will do you the service of securing your Cambodian visa for about double the official price.  Despite being told that this would be our only opportunity to get visas, most of the people on the bus were wise to the scam.  Only three or four of our fellow passengers gave them any business, to the dismay of the bus driver who must get some sort of kickback.

Crossing the Border
Next, the bus drove about 100 feet up the road and let the passengers off at the border.  You have to walk across the border and meet up with the bus on the other side.  First we had to go through a building where our passports were stamped and we officially left Thailand.  Next, we had to walk about 1,000 feet along the road through a sort of no man’s land before reaching Cambodia.  This road is dotted with run-down casinos, dusty food stands and the ‘official’ Cambodian visa center.  

This is where you should purchase your Cambodian visa.  The official sign says a visa costs 20 USD (Cambodia generally uses USD for currency).  However, there is another sign on the counter made from notebook paper and crayons that says it costs $20 + 100 Thai Baht (about $3 USD).  Even the official border agents are on the take! Still, this was our only option at this point, so we paid up and went on our way.  

Next we had to wait in line to cross into Cambodia.  This took quite a while, as there were only a few immigration agents and lots of travelers.  The immigration office consisted of a plywood shack with no A/C, no fans and lots of bugs.  I was bitten by ants.  Luckily, spirits among the tourists in line were high as everyone was excited to see the famous temples in Siem Reap.  Interestingly, once we reached the immigration counter at the back end of the shack, the process was fairly high tech, with fancy fingerprint reading machinery and computers.

Finally in Cambodia!
About two hours after arriving at the border, we were all back on the bus and on our way to Siem Reap.  This segment of the voyage took another two hours or so, but it was a really pretty ride through bright green rice fields, muddy rivers where the locals swam waist-deep to fish, and cute kids riding bikes and waving at the bus.   We pulled into town around 5pm.

All in all, it was a successful journey and only cost us about $25 plus our visa fees, which we’d have had to pay anyway.  Still, next time I think we’ll fly!

Great Hotel: Diamond D'Angkor
Lately we've been having a lot of success picking hotels that have received very few reviews on Tripadvisor, all of which were 'excellents'.  Even though all of their reviews are 'excellent', they are typically buried far down in the rankings due to the small number of reviews.  Usually it's because these hotels have only recently opened.  These places often offer some really great deals as they're trying to build word of mouth and generate more positive reviews in order to move up in the rankings.  We found this to be true at Diamond D'Angkor hotel in Siem Real. For just $55USD/ night we got a wonderful corner room on the top level, free breakfast every day, one free dinner, our own tuk-tuk driver for our entire stay, a free cell phone to use during our stay and free mini bar & daily fruit in the room.  The hotel was about a 5 minute walk from the center of Siem Reap nightlife - Pub Street. The staff was incredibly friendly and service oriented. We strongly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Siem Reap! 

Tuk-Tuks in Siem Reap
Upon arriving at the bus station, we hired a tuk-tuk to take us to our hotel.  (A tuk-tuk is basically a motorcycle towing a cart that can carry up to four people.) There were tons of tuk-tuks waiting for our bus and most of them offered us a free ride to the hotel if we'd hire them as our daily driver during our stay. Since our hotel provided a complimentary tuk-tuk we just paid our driver $3 to take us to our hotel (by the way, we knew we overpaid as this ride should have cost no more than $1, but at the end of the day $2 extra means a lot to the driver, so we did not mind). 

If you ever travel to Siem Reap, a daily tuk-tuk driver should cost you about $6 for an entire day. Tipping is optional and not expected, and we learned that people from other countries have varying opinions about it.  We ended up leaving our driver a tip at the end of the our three days there.

Stay tuned for our next post where we'll take you inside the cities and temples of ancient Angkor!