Pub Street

I did not want to leave the club yet. I was at the bar, alone, having my fifth mug of beer, just waiting for all the alcohol to sink in. Then I could join the mob, start dancing, vanish in between the phosphorescent lights, and lose myself in the beat of the pumping music that almost made the building explode. It was close to midnight, and I had not spoken to anyone at the club except one waitress who had been serving me my pints of beer. The night did not start out this way and would not end like this, either.

Earlier that evening, I was with my friend Bebs, a Filipino now based in Bangkok but joined me on this trip to Siem Reap. We just finished dinner and decided to walk around Angkor Night Market to check out anything that we might be interested in buying.

Angkor Night Market in Siem Reap opened just five years ago, in 2007. It is said to be the first night market in Cambodia. What sets it apart from the other night markets I have seen in other Asian cities like Hong Kong, Malacca, and Bangkok, the Angkor Night Market features and highlights not just the goods being sold but also the place itself — a series of stylish traditional huts built Khmer style. This fosters a very Cambodian atmosphere, adding to a genuinely delightful experience walking around the labyrinth of over 240 shops. Most of the items available are paintings, wood carvings, silk, and local delicacies. There are also a few massage and spa bars for those who need a little more pampering after a day of exploring the city.

After fifteen minutes of squeezing our way through the narrow alleys sandwiched by traditional souvenir shops and massage corners, we emerged from the night market empty-handed. It’s not that we could not find anything great — there was a lot actually — but I just thought it was too early to buy souvenirs from this trip. It was only Day 3 of my month-long Southeast Asian trip and I wouldn’t want to worry about overspending in the future.