View from the back of a tuk tuk
Here are eight more observations from living in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
- English is OK
Most people can understand and speak at least some basic English. - Friendly people
Most people are friendly in a calm sort of way. - Traffic is easy to navigate
The aren’t many traffic or stop signs here except on main roads, but people drive slow and yield excessively at intersections. - Tuk tuks are everywhere
Tuk tuks are basically Cambodian taxis. They are riding carriages attached to a motorbike and are all over the place. - Prayer gesture is common
The Buddhist prayer hand gesture is a typical greeting, often used at fancier hotels and establishments. - Power outages
Power outages are common and usually last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. My apartment has a backup generator so I am usually never without power for than a few seconds. There was a city-wide power outage after the first rain of the season that lasted for over 72 hours, but life went on pretty much as usual. Some places without generators shut down and there was less light at night, but otherwise it was surprisingly not a big deal. - Lots of tourists
Because of the nearby Angkor Wat temples, the city is full of people from all over the world. This is especially noticeable in the Night Market and Pub Street areas. - Funny t-shirts
There is a particularly high number of ironic and witty shirts, worn by both Cambodians and foreigners.