Mark quickly got us checked out of the Singapore Le Meridien, and by 7 a.m. we were in a nice cab and on our way to the Changi Airport. This is one classy airport! Before we could stroll around and enjoy all of its many amenities, Mark had to get actual paper tickets for us on "Silk Airways" (sort of defeats the idea of electronic ticketing, doesn’t it?) and then we checked our bags. Mark hoped his “godlike” status might get us into one of the three lounges in this terminal, but sadly no, we needed to have business class or better tickets before the magic doors would open. For this leg to Cambodia we are just more of the Unloved and Unwashed Economy passengers.
So, we started looking for breakfast spots. Glenn and I chose the Burger King breakfast that (according to the photo on the wall) included scrambled eggs, bacon, croissant and hash browns. In real life, this was ersatz bacon, runny eggs, NO jam for the croissant. Mark fared better by going to an Asian-style restaurant nearby. We then checked with the airport hotel that we will be using as we exit Asia in six days. These airport hotels are an interesting concept, clean but small rooms that provide all the essentials for the traveler with too long a time between flights to sit up in the lounges. The rooms are rented in 6-hour increments and since they are located WITHIN the secure area, you can leave one plane, sleep a few hours, and board another plane without ever having to endure another scrutiny by the local version of the TSA.
We were on the upper level of Terminal 2 and down below us were displays for the big Formula 1 races to be held in Singapore for the first time this November. Also there was a literal “forest” of huge tree ferns, all bedecked with living tropical flowers. Running through the “forest” was a pond, filled with huge koi. And, of course the terminal held the usual bookstores, etc. but two things were unique here: 1) the massage parlors and 2) the FREE internet kiosks as well as comfy chairs and desks with Internet access for those with their own laptops. We utilized the Internet computers, but passed on the massage. We caught up on our e-mail correspondence and also learned just how big a tumble our investments took yesterday, with the Dow down over 300 points. Ouch! Not a nice thing to do to people on vacation.
As we headed for the gate for our flight to Siem Reap, Mark took a few minutes to buy some gin at the duty free store. Mark had alerted us earlier that this airport has a different method of handling security. There are x-ray machines and metal detectors at EACH gate. This shortens the security line, but my titanium knee still set off the bells and I got a brief patting down.
Our plane to Cambodia was a small airbus—so small, they rejected Mark’s suitcase as a carry-on, although he has used it as a carry-on many times. Very small bins on this plane, it seems. They seated the three of us in the row that has to be ready to remove the doors in an emergency. First, they moved Mark away from that row, then when they asked if we could handle emergency duties, we said “no way!” So, I was moved to a window seat and Glenn drew that dreaded last aisle seat where the back will not recline. The plane was packed—two thirds of its passengers were Italians, part of a big tour group.
The flight to Siem Reap was just shy of two hours. They DID feed us a so-so lunch of chicken and dumplings. With my cold, the only thing that really tasted good was the cold orange juice. I asked for, and got, seconds on that. There was cloud cover for much of the flight, even a little bumpy at times. But the clouds gradually thinned out and at one point I could see smoke rising from the burning below. Apparently Malaysia does so much burning that they leave poor Singapore (and Malaysia) under a smoke pall for the duration of the burning season. As we flew further north, the land looked very flat and very barren. Not until we were near Siem Reap did it look green again—covered with jungle perhaps.
Cambodia is one hour west of Singapore, time zone-wise, so we had to set our clocks back to 11:35 a.m. as the plane landed. We got out of the plane and into blinding sunlight. Warm temps, but far from blazing hot. Our “e-Visas” obtained from a Cambodian website speeded up the process of immigration considerably for us. Great idea! We had to fill out a customs form, and then were told to toss it into a big basket as we pushed our luggage trolleys by. So much for getting into Cambodia! Pay the twenty-five bucks for the visa and you are welcome to enter the country.
Mark had asked the hotel to provide a car and driver, and sure enough, as we exited the airport, we spotted a nice young man holding a sign for “Mark Halliday” and the Le Meridien hotel. He loaded our bags into an air-conditioned Toyota Camry and we had a quick ride of maybe five miles to our hotel. $8 total for the car and personalized pick up seemed very reasonable.
Very poor-looking dwellings for the most part as we drove toward the hotel although here and there a substantial home appeared. But we were hardly prepared for the Le Meridien! A very impressive building, sitting atop a raised earthen platform—much like the temples we will see tomorrow. The hotel architect wove many elements of the ancient Khmer temple ruins into this gorgeous building which just opened in 2005.
The lobby was huge but elegant with an air of Zen-like calm. Meditative music played softly in the background. Check-in took place while we were all seated, enjoying a welcome drink. This was a tea and grenadine concoction with some interesting spice in it. Our enjoyment of this pleasant welcome was marred when Mark realized that he didn’t have his AMEX credit card! Thinking back, he thought he either left it at the duty-free liquor store in the airport, or it fell out of his pants pocket during the general moving about that took place on the plane for our threesome. So, he now had to figure out how to notify AMEX of the loss—apparently Friday is not the day to lose your AMEX card—the Internet site is “temporarily down” and while AMEX will accept a collect phone call—the hotel won’t! Mark said in all his traveling this is the first time he has lost a card.
After checking in and finishing our drinks, our registrar escorted us up to our rooms—on the second floor, and adjoining each other: Rooms 2046 (Glenn & Barb) and 2048 for Mark. We all agreed these are among the most beautiful rooms we’ve stayed in. SO elegant in a very restrained, very Asian way. King beds, and a full-size futon couch, plus desk, and all the amenities. The refrigerator is concealed in a cabinet, with a wonderful Khmer sculpture on top of it. Classy!
The bathroom was maybe the best part—a tub AND a glass-enclosed shower. Nifty looking toiletries all around the bathroom too. One unusual feature is a shuttered opening between the bedroom and the bathroom. On “Trip Advisor” this was mentioned by many reviewers. They loved the hotel, but felt very ambivalent about that window into the bathroom!
What many Trip Advisor reviewers DID mention was how wonderful the room smelled. Ours did too, and we found that the secret was a little oil lamp filled with lemon grass oil. It had a switch and could be turned on whenever you wanted another wonderful whiff. After unpacking we agreed to take a couple hours to unwind and maybe nap, then we would explore the pool area—something else all the reviewers raved about.
By 4 p.m. we were ready to hit the pool. We found our rooms were near the long stairway leading down to the pool. It was in this area that the architect REALLY incorporated many themes from the Angkor temples. Arches, balustrade designs, the Buddhist lotus blossoms, large stepping stones to cross from one part of the pool to another. Still ponds filled with carp and water lilies bordered the swimming pool at several points. The pool was all 4.5 feet deep, with tiled sides and bottom, and there were steps leading down into the pool at various points. We quickly learned that the LAST step was a big one and if you were trying to ease into the coolish water, you suddenly gave a gasp as you dropped down into the pool. Several corners of the pool had jets and a long underwater bench for sitting and enjoying the water massage. We were unanimous—this is an amazing place, and it would be, no matter where it was sited. For it to be here, in Cambodia seemed almost unreal. Mark should feel very proud that he was able to book this for us and at the amazing rate of $30 cash per night, plus 1600 Starwood “points.”
Back in the room, we had quick showers, and then Mark joined us while we filched cold beers and coke from the refrigerator—compared to Singapore’s beer prices, $3.00 from the minibar seemed a bargain. We checked out the dining possibilities here at the hotel: you can a) eat in the lobby, b) go to the main indoor restaurant with a varied menu; c) eat in the upscale Italian restaurant or d) eat out on the terrace. Tonight the terrace was reserved for a private party.
We weren’t all that hungry yet, so Mark suggested we take a little stroll and see what shops were near the hotel. We needed to pick up some supplies, like cheaper beer, chips, big bottles of water, etc. The hotel provides two complimentary small bottles daily, and then they hope we will buy their four-buck bottles in the mini-bar.
As we left the hotel, we could see little white “lanterns” hanging from the trees at the entrance—a lovely effect. In the lobby, there were small crystal bowls filled with candles all edging a huge clear glass table.
Across the busy road we could see some kind of store that also had very pretty outdoor lighting. It said something about being for the “Orphans Benefit House” and Mark thought it might be some kind of religious store. There was no stop light and we stood at the side of the road, wondering how we would ever dodge all the motor bikes, tuk tuks and the occasional car to get to the other side. But, a uniformed crossing guard spotted us, and immediately brought all the traffic to a halt for us. All worked very smoothly.
A bevy of pretty Cambodian girls greeted us at the store doorway, all smiling, and holding their hands together in their form of greeting. Inside the store, we realized it had everything! Jewelry, curios, and what we most wanted to find—a little mini-grocery store.
Beer? Yes! At one buck a can. Bottled water? Yes! Big bottles at $1.25. As we happily cruised the grocery aisles we noticed one of the pretty Cambodian girls was attentively following us. Finally we realized—she was our personal shopper! When we accumulated too much to hold, she quickly held out an empty basket for us. When that was full, she deposited it near the check-out stand and brought another empty basket. When we couldn’t find the prices, she got them for us. What a sweetheart! Mark thinks what Safeway needs is these pretty Cambodian girls instead of those big, dumb carts. I agree!
All the prices were quoted in US dollars. The Cambodian currency exchange rate is something like 4000 rieles to one US dollar. Apparently in tourist areas they have just given up and use US currency. Oh, and they are happy to take ANY credit card as well.
We were well satisfied with our purchases and saw no need to explore further in the now dark evening. Back at the hotel Mark lugged our groceries up to his room, then we all went to dinner. We chose the main dining room which had only a few other diners in it. Glenn and I tried the Khmer fried rice with chicken wings. Very artistically arranged with a “bouquet” of veggies in the center of the rice. Mark had a spicier dish—basically in a soup bowl with lots of veggies, shrimp, etc. Looked rather small, but he declared it enough. Also a nice assortment of rolls. By the time we finished dinner we were all feeling tired and sleepy.
Back at our rooms, a young man soon came around to turn down the bed, leave us three marshmallows (???) and at our request he emptied out the minibar. Now, we can put our stuff in there without worrying about using the high-priced stuff from the hotel. We are settling in!
Photo Album Jan. 18 >>
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