Day 731: September 26, 2026 – Siem Reap, Cambodia

What a pleasant surprise Cambodia turned out to be! I’ve been to many Asian countries but never Cambodia, and for some reason I had a low expectation for this country, which was completely wrong. Between its lush green countryside, vibrant cities, international cuisine (we had Indochinese, Mexican, and Greek) and ancient architecture, I could have spent much more time exploring.

A must-see for tourists is the Ta Prohm Temple, known as the “Tomb Raider” temple because the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was shot there. The iconic scenes feature giant trees (fig and silk-cotton) which over centuries grew into the abandoned temples.

The streets in central Siem Reap were a colorful combination of Times Square and Las Vegas.

Tried something I’ve never had before: fried ice cream rolls. The “fried” part is not completely accurate; they are made by pouring milk and cream onto a freezing surface, spreading it thin, adding fresh fruit, and then chopping into little cylinders. Made from scratch, and yummy!