Genevieve's restaurant

Upon researching this trip (in January 2016 lol), I found a little restaurant in downtown Siem Reap with excellent Trip Advisor comments and an interesting history: Genevieve's restaurant. Specializing in Khmer (Cambodian) and Western food, the restaurant is named after an Australian teacher and overall nice lady who died of cancer. Her husband Phil started the restaurant and you can read about it below. When I booked our reservation via email, Phil commented "nice name!", and when we were there on Wednesday night, there was ANOTHER Geneviève dining there with her family!!!

Genevieve's Restaurant was so good (and SO budget-friendly!!!) that we were there again last night (Thursday). The restaurant is always busy, and since we didn't have a reservation at 730pm when we arrived, we only had to wait 10 or so minutes before a table became available. TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!!!! Pics below.

When we get back to the hotel this arvo I will write about our private picnic experience yesterday, on top of a mountain. xo

Genevieve's story

Lok Lak, made with Australian tenderloin (SOOOOOOO TENDER AND DELICIOUS!!!)

Khmer Chicken Curry

Ryan enjoying Lok Lak for the second night in a row (why mess with a good thing?)

Set up at Angkor Village Resort for the set dinner menu and show (outside + mozzies + $39USDpp = off to Genevieve's we go!!!)

Our first tuk-tuk ride (EDITED to omit negativity!)

We're staying at the Angkor Village Resort until Friday morning, when we leave for Phnom Pehn. This resort is basically a rain forest, and I've got the mosquito bites to prove it! Why didn't our room come with a mozzie net over the bed? Good question! EDIT: there was toooooooo much complaining in this post, due to the fact I had been awake since 4am. I am attempting to change my outlook on life, and will TRY to keep my negativity to my own damn self. My fathers comment remains, however, because he is the F'n BEST <3

Last night we took our first tuk-tuk ride into town, and HOT DAMN what an experience!!! For those wondering what a tuk-tuk is, it's basically a 4-seat (2 benches on opposite sides) cart that is attached to the back of a motorbike. There are handles above your head (on the roof of the tuk-tuk), typically made from rubber hoses and/or thick rope. We will be enjoying many a tuk-tuk while in Thailand :)

Traffic here is absolutely random in the most chaotic way possible, but everyone is calm and no one yells, so it's verrrrrry interesting. I can't wait to compare it to the abundance of motorbikes that are waiting to kill us while crossing the street in Saigon LOL ;)

This resort only has free wifi in the lobby, so I may/may not be able to tell you about our Angkor Wat adventures until we get to the next hotel, but I'll try my darnedest.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Downtown Siem Reap

Ryan and I took advantage of the Club Lounge yesterday, and had a few free drinks before heading to downtown Siem Reap, where draught beer is 50 cents. We're looking for a pair of linen trousers, since his mysteriously vanished (the running bet is that we'll find them when we get home, beside our bed), and he'd like a relatively nice pair of trousers for any fancy dinners we might have (which we don't have planned, except maybe New Years). Unfortunately, the night markets did not prove fruitful, although I bought a lovely Cambodian-made t-shirt, and managed to squeeze it into my already too-full pack LOL

I had a Royal Angkor massage today, which consisted of oil and boiled sacks of herbs that are rubbed on your body to release tension. It was very pleasant, however yesterdays' foot reflexology massage was one of the best I've ever had. My next massage will be downtown, because they're only $2 ;)

We leave Palace Residence and Villa Siem Reap in less than an hour, as today marks the official start of our private Signatures of Asia tour. A driver will be coming to collect us here in order to check us into the Angkor Village Resort, and then this evening we are heading back downtown to enjoy dinner at Genevieve's restaurant.

Lobby of our first hotel. Look at all the orchids!!!

Outside lobby

Entering the lobby

Infinity pool

Flower

I don't know what these are called, but I refer to them as "Nancy's flower", and am looking for another flower clip, similar to the one she is wearing below (July 2013 post entitled "What is death?"). They grow in abundance here, so I figure they must be Cambodia's national flower.

Downtown Siem Reap: Pub Street is exactly how is sounds - hostels, pubs, and restaurants. YES I wear my backpack backwards in large crowds.

30 degrees and it feels so good!

Day two of our honeymoon and all is well! I slept almost thirteen hours last night, but pauvre Ryan woke up at 4am and was unable to fall back asleep. He got a solid twelve hours, though :)

I really enjoyed Cathay Pacific, and recommend it to anyone flying Premium Economy or Business to Asia....the crew gave us a bottle of champagne because it was our honeymoon!!! Also, I slept the majority (ten hours) of the 15.5 hour flight - winning!

Cambodian customs was a breeze, since we purchased our e-visas before leaving Canada, and our transfer was waiting for us on e we excited the airport. Too bad our room wasnt ready when we arrived, but we waited out our jet lag in the lobby with some beers ;)

The breakfast buffet has quite a large selection, although we'll need to get there before 8am tomorrow to get the lychee fruit, whichw as all gone by the time we got there at 8:20. Must be an early morning thing. The papaya and pineapple were great, and there was a large selection of western breakfast items (which will be a rarity the longer we travel).

I think the plane did a number on my upper back, but if it's still bothering me in an a couple of hours then I'll add a massage to my foot reflexology appointment at the spa. I have a. 20% discount coupon =D

Our room is very spacious and close to the pool, which is a plus since we can slide out the back door and enjoy the sun (which I'm doing right now).

Tonight we will be heading downtown Siem Reap to check out some markets and eat some street food! 

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!

ARRIVING INTO HONG KONG

A DUCK MADE FROM CANNED FISH AND MEAT

WHERE WE FELL ASLEEP YESTERDAY AFTERNOON

Merry Christmas!!

Eveything is off to a good start! We were first line to check our bags (Premium Economy FTW!), and the check-in counter was directly in front of security - which was a breeze. Note to self: always fly on December 24 or 25 ;)

Ryan and I have been enjoying the Plaza Premium lounge, complete with turkey, mashed potatoes, vodka and beer, and we'll be boarding in about half an hour. This morning, the flight left AHEAD of schedule! Probably won't happen tonight, but you never know :)

Have yourselves a merry little Christmas, since we'll be missing the day completely.

A report of the Cathay Pacific flight will follow nice we land in Hong Kong! Don't forget to leave cookies out for Santa ;)

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go

Hello again, lovely friends and family! 

Ryan and I are two sleeps away from our honeymoon, where we'll spend six weeks travelling Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Along the way, we'll be visiting Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Hanoi, Luang Prabang, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Koh Lanta, Phuket, Bangkok... and loads of other places in between!

I will try to post as much as I can, and include photos. 

Much love, and happy reading! 😘

Thank you, Nancy Duquette, for your gorgeous backpack! I will use it everyday and think of you 💖

I *may* have packed too much.....

- 4 tank tops 

- 2 built-in bra tanks and one halter

- 3 dresses

- 1 long skirt

- hat

- flowy pants that cover knees

- 1 pair of shorts 

- 2 tshirts (wearing one to travel)

- 3 bikini tops and 3 bikini bottoms

- yoga top and shorts

- coverup/muumuu that Ryan HATES (lol!)

Not pictured

- sleep shirt and boxers

- fuzzy leggings

- zip-off pants that convert into shorts

- sweater

- hiking shoes (Merrill's), hiking sandals (Teva's), and flip-flops (I still call them "thongs", thanks to my time in Oz)