The floor is rough planks, except where the plank is missing and the dirt becomes the floor. There is a bamboo platform built about 3 feet above the plank floor. Mattresses are placed side by side with a mosquito net surrouding each one. There is a roof overhead but the end of the room is open. Basically, I am sleeping outdoors. I pay $1 for a bed for the night. 

I am sleeping Khmer style in Cambodia .The toilet is a squat toilet. I have not used one before, so this will be a new experience. Later, to my relief, I found other toilets of western style. The showers do not have hot water, but this is common in Asia. The water in the shower is not cold, though, because of the climate here year round. It makes for a pleasant shower and hot water is not needed.

Cambodia shares a border with Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. Until a few years ago, it was off-limits to foreign travelers because of guerrilla warfare in the country. Even today there are unexploded land-mines and 50,000 are injured yearly by these war remnants. It's important not to wander off the beaten paths in Cambodia. 

Corruption is also rampant in Cambodia. The country ranks high on the International Corruption Transparency list. Local residents and foreign visitors as well have to be alert not to get caught up in the corruption and many scams.
 
I arrived by plane in Siem Reap at night and hired a motorbike to take me to my hostel . Once in town, the driver turned down a dirt road. The hostel is down this road a little ways. Many of the streets in Cambodia are dirt, even in town. The main roads are paved but anything that's not a major route is usually dirt. I can only imagine what the area is like during the rainy season.

Cambodia is a developing country. It's the poorest country in Asia. Poverty is rampant and the people work long hours for little pay. The life expectancy of a Cambodian is 62 years. Poor health care and heavy pollution contribute to a life span more than 10 years less than an Americans life expectancy.

There is a constitutional monarchy but they have an elected government. King Norodom Sihamoni is the constitutional monarch and head of state. 80%25 of the 13.4 million people are engaged in farming. The country has a market economy. There are no power plants in Cambodia. All their electric is imported from neighboring countries .

The currency of Cambodia is both the dollar and the riel. 4,000 riel = $1. If you pay with American money, you may get the change in American dollars or in the Cambodian riel. You may also get change in a mix of dollars and riel. 

Cambodia is a paradox of corruption and integrity, of greed and generosity. It's home to one of the great 'Wonders of the World', yet comes bundled with a history of wars and extreme human suffering. Yet, with these horrors in their recent past, some way the surviving people live with a smile and a great spirit of optimism.

The next morning after I arrived, I got in touch with Dierk. I met Dierk when I was in Bangkok. He spent the night at the hostel I was in. He had come to Thailand to have surgery done on his leg. He injured it playing soccer. He is from Germany but has lived in Cambodia for 8 years. He married a Cambodian woman and works as an instructor, teaching how to repair motorbikes and also teaches English to adults . While in Bangkok, he gave me his contact information and told me to let him know if I came to Cambodia.

I met Dierk in town and he took me on his motorbike to see where he worked. Then he rode me around town on his motorbike, showing me the area. He gave me some pointers about how best to get around and things I might enjoy seeing while here. Before we got back his bike ran out of gas and we pushed it to a roadside stand to get a bottle of gasoline.

It was good to see Dierk again and he invited me to come to his house before I left town. I had plans for the next two days but we made plans for the following Monday. 

Siem Reap is a fun town with old French shops and houses. A slow moving river runs through its center. 

 There is a lot of activity at night. I walked to the old market. It's one of the outdoor markets that offer everything from foods to clothing and souvenirs . Massage shops and Pubs are everywhere. Tuk Tuks and motorbike taxis line the streets along with the food carts. I walk up and down street after street among the lights and excitement of Siem Reap as musicians play in the streets and foreigners and locals mingle in the night.

Then I walked to the river. The pedestrian bridges over the river are framed with colored lights that give it a carnival atmosphere at night. Lighted lanterns float in the river below the bridges. It's a busy place with it's own markets on the banks. This market is in a permanent building and a little more upscale looking than the old market. 

People sit on the bridges or seats along the river to enjoy the evenings. Kids of all ages play or ride bicycles along the river bank. It's all within walking distance of where I am staying.

Today was a good day to familiarize myself with the town. Tomorrow I will travel the 7 or 8 kilometers to see one of the great Wonders of the World.