In my glassed in, ac-ed cubicle at the Shangri-La Business Center - most upscale internet cafe to date. R in a cubicle behind. In mine I have all of the tools required to run an empire - I love these spaces though realize I am hardly their target customer: bloggers aren't yet denizens of lux hotel business centers.
So while the business center's power brokers build empires, I will make my little trip reports...
CAMBODIA - Siem Reap, The Victoria Hotel Angkor
So much to be caught up on - the full debrief on Angkor and the Wats will dribble through the next few entries.
Wonderful Cambodia. Had forgotten the warmth, the supremely fun kids and the essential sweetness of their dispositions. They sell, and can sell hard, but also ease off with a grace and don't let a transaction or an insultingly low bargain pitch, or a gratingly horrendous tourist - get the upper hand on their good will. So zen? Buddhist? tempered by sadness? So Cambodian.
Siem Reap is exploding at the seams. Am sure it's all good for the people and the economy but not a little sad to see the massive hotels hulking along the airport road, with many more on their way. HUGE structures - all architecturally identical - a little flourish on the roof, a little wood on the balcony, maybe some tile, some gilding, and the ubiquitous terra cotta garudas lining the circular drives. And very sad vegetation - the landscaping of new suburban developments - stumpy palms and anaemic bougainvilleas and heavy dependence on planters. Depressing - also a lot of mirror-work - no idea why. The brand new Merridian looks like a private hospital for the well to do.
Of course our own hotel, the Victoria, utterly not a monstrosity and upgraded us so we think even mroe highly of it. R and I have been given the Gouvernour's Suite (memsahib me), dad and Sarah to the Maharaja's Suite above us (Mahrarini Sarah) and Linds and Chad - organizers and martyrs - took the lesser of the three suites which may or may not have had an important name.
Anyway - gorgeous. Ours with a corner veranda with teak and cane lounging furniture - fainting settees and drooping benches and masses of silk cushions, a changing room, a vast bedroom looking out on the main square and the resident colony of bats in the trees across, and a four poster bed out of a Merchant Ivory prop closet - slung with (of course) a mosquito net canopy.
And AC!, jasmine tea silently delivered in a silk lined box with two tiny cups each evening, and teak floors and counters too in the bathroom.
There was much more - a DVD library (easy in a country which mints pirated) and lovely other parts of the hotel too but first wanted to deliver the goods on the room.
Have to sign off quickly - will fix all typos and nonsense when I can edit this next from the States. So sad to leave Asia but so very thankful that I've had the chance for this re-introduction. And don't plan on being away all that long.
Love to all from Bangkok, next from NYC. And big hugs to Dad, Sarah, Linds and Chad - our Angkor buddies.
C
No comments:
Post a Comment