TravelsWithLobo's video: DISCOVER SIEM REAP - WALKABOUT with BEN - 4K

Just drifting along on foot in our discovery of Siem Reap ...today's vlog. Siem Reap owes its existence as Cambodia's fifth largest city to its close proximity to the world's best known and most impressive archeological sites that to this day proclaim the grandeur and dominance of the once mighty Khmer Empire. The history of Angkor as the central area of settlement of the historical kingdom of Kambujadesa is also the history of the Khmer kingdom from the 9th to the 13th centuries. As magnificent as all that is, you can't spend all your time at the archeological sites so some time has to be dedicated to the discovery to the city of Siem Reap. I started that with last week's vlog - Siem Reap - Pub Street - Covid 19. That was a highly charged presentation of a normally throbbing part of downtown Siem Reap presently dialed down to a shadow of its former self due to Covid 19. This week the approach is a fortuitous stroll around the downtown area of Siem Reap in the company of Ben and his parents. We met them at the Baby Elephant Boutique Hotel. Ben has been living in Siem Reap for five years and his parents from Minnesota came to visit him. As Ben was showing Siem Reap to his parents we got the opportunity to tag along. Have a look at this leisurely presentation of some of the sites and sights of Siem Reap. Wat Damnak Pagoda, set along Wat Bo Road, is the largest pagoda in downtown Siem Reap. It was originally a royal palace during the reign of King Sisowath (1904–1927) before serving as a Khmer Rouge military depot between 1975 and 1979. The monastery has a primary school, 2 charities, and a sewing academy for young local women within its verdant grounds. Wat Damnak is a place to experience the daily life of its resident monks, who are also more than happy to show visitors around and educate them on Buddhism. Offering a tranquil retreat from the bustling town centre, it has traditional Khmer architecture, stone sculptures of Buddha, frangipani trees, and a pond containing colourful water lilies. The Siem Reap Old Market on the west side of Siem Reap River is where the local population head to in the early mornings to shop for a wide array of fresh vegetables, seafood, and meat as well as household items. Locally known as Psar Chas, it’s the oldest Khmer market in Siem Reap and a must-visit for those looking to experience the local lifestyle. (hotel.com) The open-air market is covered by a massive roof, offering ample shade from the sun if you’re here on a scorching afternoon. While the stalls aren’t as refined as the ones you might find at newer markets like Angkor Night Market. The wet section of Old Market is located close to the central food court, where local vendors display live seafood in fish tanks and butchered poultry atop ice trays while the dry section offers tropical fruits, household appliances, pre-packaged snacks, as well as local condiments such asprahok (fermented fish paste). (hotel.com)