10/19 Buses and more buses

After an afternoon on a crowded Vietnamese bus showing gory animal flicks (the guy next to me thought they were hilarious), I arrived in Phnom Phen late at night to take a remok in search of a decent hotel.  After a few negotiations, I found a nice little hotel with a view of the palace and Silver Pagoda.  Tried to get online to Skype with my Echo Ladies with no luck.  Up early in the morning to get my Vietnam visa extension and tickets to Siem Reap. On a bus at 2p to arrive at 8p.  Although rushed, I could already see that Cambodia was different.  The faces, the smiles, the language, the script, ... the advertising ... so different.  In my eight hours to Siem Reap, the only billboards I saw were for political parties - The Cambodia People's Party and the Sam Rainsy Party.  The latter of which was very sporadic.  Arriving in Siem Reap, I was picked up by another remok and taken to my very substandard overpriced hotel on the river.  I arranged an early pick up for my day at Angkor Wat and hoped for the best.  Went for a drink at a lovely hotel in the "heart" of the city and felt pampered.  It was lovely after two days of buses.  Strangely quiet and luxurious, I just sat and watched and enjoyed Cambodia.