Back to the hotel to rest but we didn’t have lunch that day so we decided to eat at least. While the others were satisfied with sandwiches, I ordered chicken amok which is a popular Khmer dish. It has coconut milk and I think it also has ginger or turmeric and I can also taste a lemongrass (I love lemon grass!), it really smells good because of the lemongrass, it’s mildly spicy but citrusy, served with rice and a fish sauce on the side. The best!
I went back to our room after lunch and rested for a while but we have to get up by 6PM to have a buffet dinner and watch an Apsara show at Koulen II where we have a reservation.
Cambodian Chicken Amok
Ideally we should be at the restaurant by 6PM to enjoy the dinner buffet as the Apsara show starts at 8PM. Since we arrived late, we thought our seats were already taken. Fortunately not, so I guess we got the good seats! lol.
We started filling up our plates as soon as we arrived. Apart from asian food they also got western food served. You won’t really ran out of choices which I think is extremely good. Considering some of my friends are choosy. lol.
If you’re a picky eater, you will have a lot of options to get. If you’re vegetarian, you will definitely find a food for you. If you’re carnivorous, a whole aisle of meat can be yours to choose. lol.
One or two things I love they got are the onion rings and that sweet pork. It’s mouthwatering, I’ve been going back and forth for it. I got quite disappointed with the fresh spring rolls, it’s somehow different from those authentic thai restaurants I had before. I was even excited to try it at the region where it originates but I just didn’t like it even its sauce. I’m not sure if it’s the wrapper or the filling, it’s really not one of the best fresh rolls I had and as much as I hate leaving food on my plate but I thought it tasted a bit ramish.
$12 Buffet at Koulen II so good!
The Apsara show is about to start when I got into my seat, ordinarily it begins at 8PM. The Apsaras are beautiful, they are supernatural female beings like the muses of Greek mythology. The costumes are just glittery made of silk, I think. Their headdress is just like the Angkor Wat. They actually look like the bas-reliefs we saw on the walls of the temple.
Traditionally the Apsara show meant to convey a message or story by a Cambodian version of Indian classic, Ramayana. I like that we get to understand the story by its flowing movements and facial expressions. The flick of their fingers and foot works are just graceful. The performance took about an hour and it was actually worth watching.
The Apsara performance
Total damage and contact details of our tuk-tuk driver, Walter
Back to the hotel, while the others opted to stay at the lobby to hang out and probably take a nightcap, I went straight to our room, took a shower and went to bed. Too tired! lol. But I had to pack up my things as we have to get up early the following day to take our bus ride back to Vietnam.
The next morning we found our way back to Ho Chi Minh. We had a couple of stops and at Phnom Pehn terminal where we saw the lady conductor who helped us on the day of our arrival in Cambodia. We asked to have a picture with her for remembrance and she gladly obliged. She’s so accommodating, she’s really nice. We really like her.
Street foods. Bugs.
We had a stop at this restaurant for an early dinner and just across it is a stall full of bugs or insects being sold. They’re edible, they say.. but I’ll pass! lol. Though some insects I saw there are also being eaten by some people in the Philippines but…. I’ll pass. lol. I just don’t eat bugs. I kill them. lol.
12 fweakin’ hours bus ride!! lol.
The Angkor Wat tour took a bigger toll than I initially expected. I suddenly felt my feet aching. All through out the bus ride, I was sleeping. I’m just too eager to get back to Saigon, get into our second hotel and just rest. lol. Thank God the visa stamping on two borders were just a jiff, went back to the bus then back to sleep again.
Cambodian border. Bye Cambodia!
When I opened my eyes, we’re already in Ho Chi Minh! We went straight to Victory Hotel around Pham Ngu Lao, District 1. We had a trouble with the reservation which eventually been ironed out. The owner who’s very accommodating offered to take care of our luggage on our last day while we do the souvenir shopping in lieu to their slight slip up on our original reservation.
It’s almost 9PM and we need to secure a bus ticket that will get us to our next destination the following morning, Mui Ne. I guess this is something that we overlooked. All bus lines going to Mui Ne for the next day are sold out. We need get to there because we already have a hotel reservation. So we ended up renting a private van, thru a travel agency, that would take us to see the sand dunes.
You would think it’s a bit pricey but since it’s a short notice, it’s all worth it, I mean we can use the van all through out Mui Ne – over night! Unlike taking the bus, we still have to hire a vehicle or guide to tour us around Mui Ne.
Back at Ho Chi Minh!
We had our super late dinner at this little diner in Pham Ngu Lao. I like that everything is so close in our hotel as after dinner we headed back to our hotel and eventually get a rest but have to wake up early the following day. Yes. Early. Again. lol
But our stay in Mui Ne is so satisfying. I cannot wait to share with you the photos and stories about our stay there.
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