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Hotel Review: Pavillon d’Orient

Posted by April on (Updated: )  |  Leave a comment

First I have to apologize, I am supposed to have my finger on the pulse, but this little gem of a hotel managed to allude me for over a year! However last Monday night Brandon and I had a nice little rendezvous as we checked it out. First things first, it is located in a pretty out of the way place which is why I think I had never noticed it in my wanderings. It is off road number six, but well past Psah Lure and on the back road to the temple. The bad news is that it is a longer drive to get into town. The good news is that the hotel knows this and to make it a little easier they offer complimentary tuk tuk’s from their hotel to town from 6 to 10pm. So really, how can you complain when you can get a free ride. The distance to town is really the only drawback to this hotel, otherwise it is just fantastic! With beautiful gardens that evoke the same oasis quality we are often getting recognized for, the Pavillon feels like a lovely escape as soon as you walk through the front gate. The lobby is open air, and while I do wonder how they handle the rainy season, this time of year it feels cool and serene. The staff were lovely and polite and seemed genuinely happy to be working there. When asked about her boss the front desk woman went on and on about how hard he works and what a good job he does, I think staff loyalty says a lot about a place and they were obviously fans of the manager. The rooms are big with a French feel. The bathrooms have showers and bathtubs and all the rooms have a balcony. The pool is nestled in the gardens and has a lovely waterfall you can hear from the balconies. When I first arrived there was a rather rowdy volleyball game happening across the wall and while I’m all for local ambience it proved to be a bit much for even me, but with the doors closed the noise was shut out and peace and quiet ranged. We had dinner in the restaurant that night and the food was very good, another plus when you’re a little ways from town…just stay in! I had the spaghetti and other had friend rice, curry and ginger chicken, all enjoyed. Breakfast the next morning was also good, though a touch French for meJ I did get some bacon though so I was happy! The final touch was when we checked out we got small necklaces with our Chinese symbol on it. All in all it was a great escape and I am looking forward to having our guests stay.

Rating: Socks Off
Upside: The big airy rooms and the huge bathrooms as well as the personalized service.
Downside: On the other side of town and no restaurants or shopping nearby.
Insider Tip: Tuk tuk’s are free from 6 to 10pm so go in for a night on the town on them. Café Indochine is under the same owner so you get a 10% discount if you eat there!

Pool and Garden
Pool and Garden

Restaurant
Restaurant
Deluxe Room
Deluxe Room
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'Killing Fields' torturer on trial in Cambodia – Asia-Pacific – msnbc.com

Posted by April on (Updated: )  |  Leave a comment

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29228359/

This article appeared this week on MSNBC and there have been others in the Wall Street Journal and across the US. The interesting thing is that here in Cambodia no one seems to know and if they do, they don’t seem to care too much. Now granted I’m in Siem Reap and the trial is happening in Phnom Penh, but still, this isn’t OJ, no one is glued to Court TV, in fact up here it’s just another day.

I have mixed feelings about the tribunal. Part of me is glad that justice is being carried out, that these men and women who caused inexplicable pain will be held accountable. Everyday we see remnants of this brutal regime, everything from Cambodians often choosing not to wear glasses, no matter how much they are needed, to staff not wanting to stand out and be noticed or be better than anyone else, to villagers being terrified of banks and keeping their savings hidden in their homes or gold. These are leftovers from a time when being different, educated, or wealthy was a risk and a liability. In many ways Cambodia is what it is today because of the Pol Pot era. The years of civil war following the Khmer Rouge have left Cambodia behind in infrastructure, healthcare and education.

So while I do think there are many reasons, including retribution for the 2 million lost and the long felt repercussions, I also am concerned about the cost of justice. I read that the price tag for the trials is now over $100 million, mostly funded by foreign donors. To put this in perspective, that’s over a million microloans given to village entrepreneurs, it’s over 8 million people getting access to clean drinking water and it would run the Siem Reap Children’s Hospital for 50 years! So is it worth bringing 5 people to justice for this price tag?

This is why out in the village people aren’t talking about the trial, when I asked what they said is it won’t bring their loved ones back, won’t erase the memory of the hunger and the fear, won’t make up for the years lost and won’t help them in their life today. There are people that want this justice, but these aren’t the people that we know, aren’t the ones worrying about where they will find money for food or how they’ll send their kids to school. So while Duch gets all the attention and the world focuses on justice being served maybe we need to take a step back and worry that maybe, those that need the attention still aren’t getting it.… Read more »

It's Good to Be Two

Posted by April on (Updated: )  |  Leave a comment

Couper and I took the boat from Phnom Penh back to Siem Reap this weekend and while I generally think being 2-years-old looks frustrating, this was one time I was jealous of his time in life. We boarded the boat at 730am at the Phnom Penh Pier…for me this was ridiculously early, for my little friend who is up at 6am without fail, this was a fun outing. Walking down to the boat on the slippery steps my heart was in my mouth, Couper on the other hand reveled in his 2-year-old oblivion and enjoyed the extra squeeze I was giving him. Once on the boat my seat felt a bit cramped and I wasn’t convinced by the view. Couper had plenty of room and if he stood on the seat also had a great view out the window at the other boats and birds. For the first couple of hours of the trip this is what he amused himself with, bird watching and boat pointing. By the time we got the Tonle Sap Lake and the boring part of the ride commenced Couper made himself comfortable and fell fast asleep. I attempted to sleep, but the vibrations of the boat made any head-rest rather jarring!

Couper woke up as we started getting closer to Siem Reap and he and I ventured outside to watch the boats and birds in the fresh air. He loved this and, rather than worry about the harmful UV rays beating down onto his tiny, perfect nose, he waved to the birds and locals out fishing. At the dock on arrival the sea of tuk-tuk drivers that descended on us just amused Couper and, unlike me, he at no point thought we might end up in the lake…in retrospect he probably would have thought a swim was a lot of fun too.

We were running late so got to have lunch in town at a nice restaurant where the waitresses fussed over him. All in all, not a bad day of boating for a 2-year-old.

An adults perspective: When the words “death-trap” and “boring” enter your mind you know it isn’t the ideal form of transport. With that said, the views in the beginning and end are fun and the middle isn’t as bad as the bus. Most tourists sit on the roof thus arriving in Siem Reap looking like lobsters, those that stay down below suffer the consequences of mild claustrophobia and stuffiness. The ride takes about 5 hours and if you tap into your inner 2-year-old it ain’t so bad 🙂

couper-enjoying-the-boring-part-of-the-boat-ride-its-good-to-be-2… Read more »

Helping others has never tasted so good!

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Friends Restaurant in Phnom Penh has been on our itineraries since we started 6 years ago and it, and thankfully us, are still going strong. We ate at Friends this weekend and here are the top five things I love most about it:

 

  1. The raspberry vanilla smoothie. Couper drank all of mine so I had to get another one, he drank a lot of that one too, he has good taste.
  2. That your water glass is ALWAYS more than half full because the trainees are hawk eyed and one sip does not go unnoticed.
  3. All the staff are former street kids learning valuable skills so they can get jobs out in the community.
  4. The chairs have big cushions on them so are really comfortable.
  5. The Friends store next door sells fantastic clothes (I may have bought my new favorite black dress, but don’t tell Brandon…recession and all!)

 

Bonus: The food, well it’s fantastic! The cashew nut chicken is my favorite and the portions are perfect so you can fit an appetizer, main and dessert!

dscn0494… Read more »

Star Light Star Bright Angkor Wat I See Tonight

Posted by April on (Updated: )  |  4 Comments

angkor-wat-night-tour1

Some kids get to go to the movies, some kids get to go to ice cream, our kids get to see a 12th Century UNESCO World Heritage site lit up with hundreds of lights.

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night-out2

This evening we were invited to a preview of the Angkor Wat Night Tour, a chance to visit Angkor Wat after the crowds have left with strategic lighting allowing for an amazing perspective. On February 9 the Angkor Wat Night Tour will officially begin, featuring dancers, performers and other ‘shows’ as you wander along a designated path through the temple. Tonight, the performers were rehearsing, but Brandon, the kids and I got an inside look at what will be on offer in February. The temple looks beautiful and it is a magical experience to see the stars above the Angkor Wat spires. It is also a nice change to be able to wander the halls of Angkor Wat without sweating profusely.

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If the company arranging the night visits keeps visitors to a minimum and keeps their shows at a high quality of performance and taste then this could be a truly unique experience. We will be heading back after the 9th to see if crowds are being kept away and if the show manages to hold the magic, and not lose it in a landslide of polyester. Here’s hoping that this tour continues with class and culture and our kids can continue to have a night under the stars and spires at Angkor Wat.

Information: To book contact Journeys Within Tour Company, the show opens February 9, but preview nights are available beforehand.

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