The increased popularity of Angkor Wat has boosted the city of Siem Reap on the western part of Cambodia. From a sleepy town at the end of the Khmer Rouge era, it has now become a bustling city with a myriad of gigantic hotel complexes or smaller boutique hotels. It now boasts a brand new state-of-the-art airport, as well as a fabulous new archaeological museum.
It may have had a positive aspect of the life of the locals. But of course, there is always a negative impact on a fast-growing economy. It may affect the general feeling of the place or threaten its past heritage.
Siem Reap nowadays seems to be a bit of the two sides. The city has grown exponentially from its outskirts but has been able to keep, or even embellish, its old historic center.
 |
| A taste of Old Siem Reap |
As Cambodia was once part of the French Indochina colony, Siem Reap has kept a certain colonial atmosphere from this period. The French quarter of the town has been kept. Memories of Henri Mouhot (1826-1861), who popularized the ruins of Angkor to the rest of the world in 1861, or of
 |
| Café Malraux |
André Malraux (1901-1976) and of his wife Clara, who was suspected of looting the ruins of Angkor in the 1920s, have remained. Malraux was a renown Asian art collector and also became a famous writer. One of his many novels, 'La Voie Royale' (1930, 'The Royal Way') is about Angkor. In one of the narrow lanes of the historic town, a bar and restaurant bear the name of Malraux.
 |
| On the riverbank |
The Siem Reap river, on its way to the great Tonlé Sap lake, still separates the two sides of town. Its magnificent shaded banks have been partially embellished. On its lower part, there are a few pedestrian bridges linking both riverbanks. As the right bank remains the heart of the city, this is a lively section at night, where many food stalls perpetuate a local Asian flavor that remains despite the newer international restaurants now competing with the traditional Khmer cuisine.
The old traditional market remains with its maze of alleys. But the artifacts belong more to the tourist junks than to a more traditional form. The old Chinese-like buildings have been restored in the surrounding area. Some have bright colors to accommodate today's taste. This whole area is now at the center of a wild nightlife draining all the tourists, who have come to visit the archaeological park. Pub Street is at the heart of this new touristic attraction.
 |
| Pub Street at night |
If draft beer remains the cheapest (50c USD), food is fairly expensive on Cambodian standards. But of course, besides the ubiquitous North-American fast foods, it advertises all international tastes: French, Italian, Belgian, Mexican, Thai, Korean, Japanese, or of course Chinese to accommodate the continental Chinese invasion of Cambodia! Like in neighboring Thailand, the night activity includes, massage parlors, fish-spas, baked ice-creams, or other features pleasing the tourist crowds.
A positive aspect of this new economic impact is that most facades have been restored, the streets have been cleaned, and an array of nice shops has been added to the scene. For coffee drinkers, there are now many cafés open everywhere, offering an A/C cool atmosphere during the heat hours of the day.
The former Asian backpacker tradition of Southeast Asia remains subdued as a more affluent group of tourists have now overflowed Siem Reap as a gate to visit the ruins of Angkor Park, a Unesco World Heritage site.
 |
Museum entrance
Colorful townhouse in the historical part of town
|
The Angkor National Museum was opened in 2007. This fine state-of-the-art museum is an absolute must to get a better understanding of the history of the Angkor period in the 12thcentury. It has been criticized as being owned by the Thais and for having an additional modern 'cultural mall'. In comparison, the café museum on the ground floor remains a disappointing spot, considering the existing space available, and the modernity of the premises!
In order to get a feel of the original heart of the city, besides walking along the Siem Reap river, it might be best to explore it still narrow streets or visit some of the traditional Buddhist temples in town.
Christian Sorand
 |
| One of the town alleys |
 |
| At a Buddhist temple |
 |
| On the Siem Reap riverbank |
 |
Pedestrian bridge
|
 |
Mobile vendor
|
 |
| Night colors by the Siem Reap River |
 |
| Colonial architecture at night |
No comments:
Post a Comment