Siem Reap - Skun, Santuk Silk Farm, Kampong Kday

The drive to Siem Reap from Phnom Penh was long but interesting. We passed many stands selling everything from fruit to religious objects to scooter parts. To avoid possible flooding of the living area during monsoon season, most houses are built on stilts, and the open area at ground level is used as a garage or storage area. Many of the homes had interresting design features, and there were often ornate gateways over the side roads leading away from the highway. Also, of course, there was the constant drama of the cars and buses and trucks and many, many motorbikes all sharing the main highway which had one lane traveling in each direction.

We made several stops to break up the long ride. The first one was the town of Skun known for its market which sells various insects and spiders for consumption. The people in the town avoided starvation during the reign of the Khmer Rouge by eating these insects and many have kept up the tradition.

Pictured on the left below is a bowl of tiny deep-fried birds. These are usually prepared by marinating them in a mixture of oil, salt, garlic, and MSG. Sometimes red dye is added to make them look more appealing.

On the right is a bowl of silkworm larvae. The larvae are steamed or boiled to extract any silk and then deep fried with chili and onion.

In the picture below, Ly is holding up a fried tarantula for our consideration. When he asked if anyone would like to try it, one of the Australian men volunteered. The tarantulas are prepared in much the same manner. They are washed and mixed with sugar and chicken powder before being deep fried with garlic and hot peppers.

Other dried fruits and nuts more palatable to Western tourists were also for sale in meticulously clean plastic bags and containers.

Our next stop was the Santuk Silk Farm, founded by a Vietnam War veteran, where we learned about silk production. The farm employs women in the area who weave the silk into scarves and shaws. They also serve lunch to tourists. We often stopped at homes or enterprises like this for a tour or a meal because it is part of Intrepid's mission to support local residents.

Our final stop before arriving in Siem Reap was the old bridge at Kampong Kdey. When it was built in the 12th Century, it was the largest and grandest of the bridges along the Ancient Royal Road. The bridge features an ornamental naga - a serpent-shaped Hindu diety.

I was confused by the sign in the picture below on the left which seemed to indicate that you could not draw any pictures of the bridge, but Ly explained that it is asking people not to write graffiti on the bridge.

We finally arrived at what would turn out to be my favorite resort of the trip - Navutu Dreams Resort and Wellness Retreat. The rooms were modules nestled amid the tropical foliage, and there were three pools of cool water to swim in.

That night Ly walked us through Siem Reap's old market and the nearby streets filled with restaurants and bars.

Our walk ended at the Apsara Theater where we dined on an assortment of Khmer tapas as we watched a performance of classical and village dances.