Richella
The Wandering Scotsman
At the beginning of April this year I at last made my trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia. We have been living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for the last 4 years and every year we promised that we would go to Cambodia and this year we eventually did.
Before making the trip my sole photographic objective was to capture some great shots of the famous Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples. However once we arrived I was overwhelmed by the outgoing ,friendly and welcoming nature of the Cambodian people. I quickly realised that it was not the temples that would be my memories of Cambodia but the people and street life. After years of persecution and inconceivable hardship the Cambodian people seem to live life to the fullest. Many still suffer and daily life is hard for the majority. Despite this they go about their daily business with a smile on their faces.
After my first day, when we spent the day visiting the temples, I quickly switched my photographic ambitions to trying to record some of the amazing street life that was all around me.
Each morning I left my hotel at 7am and walked along the banks of the main river in Siem Reap photographing the people getting ready for their day. I was amazed by the ingenuity of the Cambodian people and how they can do so much with such simple motorbikes and mopeds that I decided to make a mini project to capture the divers use of motorbikes in daily life.
The first and most common use of motorbikes is to provide the Tuk-Tuk service around Siem Reap. Many of the tuk-tuks are made from converted horse carriages and many of the drivers had customised their tuk-tuk. I grabbed this shot of a glamorous young women taking a Tuk-tuk to wherever she was going.
These boys had converted their motorbike into a water delivery truck. Perhaps one of the "coolest" conversion I saw.
Hauling his load of freshly cut bananas to the Old Market in the centre of Siem Reap.
This is a "people carrier" Cambodian style. I'm guessing that this is a farming family coming into Siem Reap early in the morning to visit the Old Market in the centre of Siem Reap. Many of the Cambodians are subsistence farmers selling what little extra they can grow. Life is tough in the countryside as it is in many countries.
Of course, If you don't have a trailer you can just use your motorbike as a people carrier. Here a family of four head into the centre of Siem Reap across one of the many bridges. The young boys sees the decorations that are being erected for Cambodian New Year and points them out to his family. Cambodian New Year takes place from the 13th April for 3 days. It is a time of great celebration and symbolises the end of the harvest season, before the wet season begins.
Another family loaded down with groceries makes their way home after a mornings shopping at the Old Market
Two young lads set off on their morning rounds to clean windows.
A slightly older version of a water delivery motorbike. It's hard to believe that the little worn-out motorbike could tow that trailer when it was fully loaded with water.
Not sure where this woman was going as she headed out of Siem Reap fully loaded with baguettes. Perhaps she was heading to the Angkor Wat temple complex to make sandwiches for the tourists.
And not forgetting the non-motorised version of the motorbike, the bicycle. No mountain bikes, no racing bikes just the good old fashioned bicycle was much used in Cambodia.
A beautiful young woman peddles her mobile flowershop along the main highway heading out of Siem Reap. When she saw me she started to giggle and wobbled a little on her bike.
Here a couple of tourist join the morning commuters. Despite the chaos and business of the roads the Cambodian drivers were very courteous and acknowledging and in my 5 days in Siem Reap I didn't see one bit of road-rage or any accidents - so quite safe to ride your bike. Many tourists rent bikes in the town centre and cycle around the temples. It is about 8km from Siem Reap to the temples, an 8km loop around the temples and then the 8km back to Siem Reap. Not for the faint hearted in the scorching heat at the end of the Cambodian dry season.
I was mesmerised as to how this woman managed to get these sticks stacked and balanced on the back of her bike.
This woman is taking her haul of homemade sweeping brushes to the local market to sell.
Young love in Cambodia and her smile was so typical of many that I received walking around Siem Reap each morning taking photos. This is a magical place and I was humbled and still get quite emotional when I think about the friendly, hard-working, out going and generous people of Cambodia. I will definitely be going back. Not to see more temples or trek around the country side on a quad bikes, although although this generates much needed tourist dollars for Siem Reap.
I will be going back because of the people. This must be one of the few remaining places where people are genuine, where people smile and wave without wanting something in return. Where people are grateful for what they have and work hard to make their lives better.
If you enjoyed these photos then head over to my SMUGMUG site to see more of my photos from my short visit to Siem Reap. If you ever have the opportunity to visit then take it. Its a great place!!
Before making the trip my sole photographic objective was to capture some great shots of the famous Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples. However once we arrived I was overwhelmed by the outgoing ,friendly and welcoming nature of the Cambodian people. I quickly realised that it was not the temples that would be my memories of Cambodia but the people and street life. After years of persecution and inconceivable hardship the Cambodian people seem to live life to the fullest. Many still suffer and daily life is hard for the majority. Despite this they go about their daily business with a smile on their faces.
After my first day, when we spent the day visiting the temples, I quickly switched my photographic ambitions to trying to record some of the amazing street life that was all around me.
Each morning I left my hotel at 7am and walked along the banks of the main river in Siem Reap photographing the people getting ready for their day. I was amazed by the ingenuity of the Cambodian people and how they can do so much with such simple motorbikes and mopeds that I decided to make a mini project to capture the divers use of motorbikes in daily life.
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The first and most common use of motorbikes is to provide the Tuk-Tuk service around Siem Reap. Many of the tuk-tuks are made from converted horse carriages and many of the drivers had customised their tuk-tuk. I grabbed this shot of a glamorous young women taking a Tuk-tuk to wherever she was going.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
These boys had converted their motorbike into a water delivery truck. Perhaps one of the "coolest" conversion I saw.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Hauling his load of freshly cut bananas to the Old Market in the centre of Siem Reap.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
This is a "people carrier" Cambodian style. I'm guessing that this is a farming family coming into Siem Reap early in the morning to visit the Old Market in the centre of Siem Reap. Many of the Cambodians are subsistence farmers selling what little extra they can grow. Life is tough in the countryside as it is in many countries.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Of course, If you don't have a trailer you can just use your motorbike as a people carrier. Here a family of four head into the centre of Siem Reap across one of the many bridges. The young boys sees the decorations that are being erected for Cambodian New Year and points them out to his family. Cambodian New Year takes place from the 13th April for 3 days. It is a time of great celebration and symbolises the end of the harvest season, before the wet season begins.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Another family loaded down with groceries makes their way home after a mornings shopping at the Old Market
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Two young lads set off on their morning rounds to clean windows.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
A slightly older version of a water delivery motorbike. It's hard to believe that the little worn-out motorbike could tow that trailer when it was fully loaded with water.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Not sure where this woman was going as she headed out of Siem Reap fully loaded with baguettes. Perhaps she was heading to the Angkor Wat temple complex to make sandwiches for the tourists.
And not forgetting the non-motorised version of the motorbike, the bicycle. No mountain bikes, no racing bikes just the good old fashioned bicycle was much used in Cambodia.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
A beautiful young woman peddles her mobile flowershop along the main highway heading out of Siem Reap. When she saw me she started to giggle and wobbled a little on her bike.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Here a couple of tourist join the morning commuters. Despite the chaos and business of the roads the Cambodian drivers were very courteous and acknowledging and in my 5 days in Siem Reap I didn't see one bit of road-rage or any accidents - so quite safe to ride your bike. Many tourists rent bikes in the town centre and cycle around the temples. It is about 8km from Siem Reap to the temples, an 8km loop around the temples and then the 8km back to Siem Reap. Not for the faint hearted in the scorching heat at the end of the Cambodian dry season.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
I was mesmerised as to how this woman managed to get these sticks stacked and balanced on the back of her bike.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
This woman is taking her haul of homemade sweeping brushes to the local market to sell.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Young love in Cambodia and her smile was so typical of many that I received walking around Siem Reap each morning taking photos. This is a magical place and I was humbled and still get quite emotional when I think about the friendly, hard-working, out going and generous people of Cambodia. I will definitely be going back. Not to see more temples or trek around the country side on a quad bikes, although although this generates much needed tourist dollars for Siem Reap.
I will be going back because of the people. This must be one of the few remaining places where people are genuine, where people smile and wave without wanting something in return. Where people are grateful for what they have and work hard to make their lives better.
If you enjoyed these photos then head over to my SMUGMUG site to see more of my photos from my short visit to Siem Reap. If you ever have the opportunity to visit then take it. Its a great place!!
