For many of my classmates, the morning began with waking up and packing their luggage. For others, it started with an early breakfast around 7:30 am. Today, the class was going to Phnom Penh. After finalizing my luggage, I headed to the ground floor of the Seuya Hotel, where I had ordered breakfast the previous night. A small glass of orange juice, a Khmer omelet with rice, and a few pancakes covered with diced fruit–this was the breakfast I came to enjoy during my stay at the hotel. After breakfast, at around 8 am, my classmates and I brought our luggage outside to the parked bus. Compared to the bus for our previous studies and excursions, this bus was much larger in order to accommodate our luggage. To the enjoyment of everyone, we also had the same bus driver, who is a very skilled driver and navigator.

After the luggage was loaded, my classmates, teachers, and I boarded the bus. As the bus started moving I had thought, “This wouldn’t be our last time in Siem Reap.” Peering out the window, the many buildings of Siem Reap started to grow sparser, turning into farms and more
open land. Later down the road, Professor Magnus, Mr. Pheng (our Center of Khmer Studies facilitator), and our TA Brian, spotted a road food stall. Pulling over, my classmates and I, found out that the lady with the straw hat with her bamboo tubes on a cart was selling Kralan. Kralan is a local Khmer food made up of sticky rice with red beans and coconut. Due to its structure, bamboo was a popular choice in containing Kralan. Mr. Pheng handed the bamboo tubes to everyone on the bus. He told us that there is a special way to open the bamboo–we’d have to peel small parts of the bamboo from the top (like a banana) and do so slowly. By doing this, we could peel to the bottom of the bamboo tube without the bamboo sticking to the rice or breaking. Some classmates succeeded in peeling their tubes, others did not. Regardless, the Kralan was very tasty and flavorful. I definitely would get it again.

After a couple of hours, we stopped at Sambor Prei Kuk, an ancient Pre-Angkorian city and one of the older capitals of Cambodia. Before going to learn about the city, everyone ate the packed lunches from the Seuya Hotel. After eating, we followed our tour guide further into the ancientcity. According to our tour guide, the city itself was once composed of 293 brick temples, now there is little more than one fourth of that. Observing the buildings, some differences from other temples we have seen are that some of the buildings were octagonal in shape and made of bricks. From Smiling Shiva to partial destruction of the city from the United States, my classmates and I learned a lot of the history of the city as we traveled through three of its sites. Perhaps the most visually striking part of the city was the last temple we visited. While some temples did have brush and plant growth on their roofs, this temple stood with a towering tree growing on it. It makes one ponder whether the tree has aided in this temple standing through time or if it will be the cause of its destruction.

After our visit to Sambor Prei Kuk, we continued our journey to Phnom Penh. Many of us slept along the way, tired from our journey today and previous days. At around 6 pm, the bus passed the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Surrounded by the Mekong river, the towering skyscrapers and bustling streets resembled cities in the United States. Many of us watched in wonder as we passed by neatly groomed parks, the Royal Palace, and other lofty monuments. Shortly we arrived at our hotel–the Katari hotel.

After checking in, many of us wanted to explore Phnom Penh. Getting permission to use the bus, many classmates decided to go to Aeon Mall. After a ten minute bus ride and some walking we arrived. Upon entering the mall, it was easy to become overwhelmed. With over three floors, a bustling crowd, and promotions occurring in the atrium of the mall, there was much to see. Even at 7 pm, the food courts, where we had chosen to get dinner, were still bustling and seating was difficult to find. After dinner, many of my classmates split up into groups. After traversing a few floors and shops, Olivia, Emily H., and I decided to take a tuk tuk back to the hotel. With warm weather, a gentle breeze, and the city’s scenery, the tuk tuk ride back was a pleasant way to end our day.