Category: Travel Journal (Page 4 of 5)

Words and Photos by David Lee

Strange to say, but our trip to New Zealand was really on a bit of a whim. After nearly six months living and traveling in Asia, we wanted our next big trip to be special but relatively easy (few language barriers, predictable food, etc). We knew that I would be traveling on business in Australia and New Zealand but did not know which. We were all set for Australia but had not researched New Zealand very much, so when the decision came, we were in a rush to make plans. The good news about NZ is it is hard to go wrong. The bad news is that there is so much to see that making choices can be devastatingly difficult.

Auckland
Because my business trip ended on a Monday in Auckland, we spent three days in the city over a weekend. Called the “City of Sails” it reminded us a lot of Seattle, where were living when we got married, so we felt very at home.

Sammie was still quite young, so we needed to make sure she had a good experience. She loves animals, so on the Saturday, we visited the Kelly Tarlton Antarctic Adventure. It was a small, specialized aquarium with a lot of charm. Sammie enjoyed the Antarctic Adventure ride through the penguin tank and glass encased tunnel where sharks, mantas, eels and other fish swim all around as you walk through it. We had fun watching the divers feed the fish. I particularly enjoyed the historical recreation of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s Antarctic outpost.

Later, we sat out and had drinks on Viaduct Harbor which is the ubiquitous central development along the water where tourists are sent to keep them away from true local culture. All cities seem to have them now, and this was a pretty nice one and a least we were not familiar with the chain restaurants.

But, Heidi was not going to be in the “City of Sails” without at least being on a boat. She spotted a small sailboat along the docks where a group of men were having a Bar-BQ. Turning up her charm she walked down and asked if she could come aboard. They happily complied handing her a beer. About thirty minutes later, she casually asked if her husband (the worried looking fellow up at the cafe) and daughter (the girl in pigtails playing with the stuffed turtle) could join them. Surprisingly, they were enthusiastic about it. Turns out, they all worked for a local yacht making company, and the owner of the boat was on his bachelor party. They were not, at this point, getting too wild, just casually drinking beers. They were illegally docked, and eventually the police asked them to move the boat. This pissed them off, but thrilled us, as we got a free tour of the harbor. Once they found a new place to dock,  they set off to hit the bars and other fine institutions of Auckland. It was at this point that we left them to enjoy. We have to say that they were a good group of guys.

On Sunday, we caught a fast ferry to Waiheke which is a small island about forty-five minutes off Auckland. There is not much to do there which is the charm. One could, perhaps, visit a vineyard or go on a bike ride, but we chose just to spend a day at the beach. We simply hung out looked at the horizon and played on the sand. The amazing thing about the island is the difference in the environment. While Auckland felt like the Pacific Northwest, Waiheke seemed more tropical. An afternoon there was almost like a nice day in the Caribbean, according to Heidi. We remained until sunset eating bread, cheese, and salami and sampling local wine. A great, relaxing day trip.

Wanaka and Hawea
We flew to the South Island the next day, passed through Queenstown for a night, and headed out to Wanaka where we stayed at the Wanaka Homestead. The Homestead is a small lodge with two large cottages run by a very friendly. It is not as rustic as we would have imagined, just off the two lane highway, but it was clean and well run with good service. We stayed for five days which was probably not regular for them as we saw the guest list turnover several times during our stay.

We choose Wanaka because it is a bit off the beaten path, but it became clear that it was quickly becoming the beaten path and for good reason. The area is simply stunning. One will never run out of nature here. April is just the beginning of autumn in New Zealand, and the leaves were beginning to turn. The days were warm with chilly nights, a perfect escape from the constant heat and humidity of Singapore.

The first day out, Heidi was determined to go fishing. I am not a fisherman by any means, but she grew up with it. She had waited patiently for ten years for an opportunity, so what the heck. At the suggestion of our inn keepers, we set up a guided trip with Harry Urquardt.

Harry is bit of a local celebrity and a real taste of New Zealand flavor. As far as we could tell, his life consisted of fishing and reading James Michener novels. Having never left New Zealand, he knew a lot about the world abroad. On our last day at the airport, I bought a magazine with an article about land development in the area. Harry’s picture was in it, and he was quoted. Turns out that his family is loaded. We are not sure if Harry benefited from the sale of family land, but it would be a hell of a story if he was. As it was, his fishing strategy netted us nine catches in three hours on the neighboring lake Hawea. The largest was Heidi’s at three pounds. Fishing with Harry is definitely a recommended experience.

West Coast Drive
On the third day in Wanaka the weather turned dark and cloudy, so we hopped into the rented Lee-family-vehicle and headed west toward the coast. This led us directly into the rain storm. The rains were heavy to say the least and waterfalls off the mountains were spilling directly onto the road in some places. At one point, we stopped and counted fourteen waterfalls coming of one section of hillside. We took a picture but could only get about half in the frame.

It was a good drive in spite of or even because of the rain. After getting over the mountain pass, the topography became rain forest. We made it all the way to Haas which is a little beach community on the coast. Had we continued for another two hours, we would have made it to Fox Glacier. But a trip to New Zealand can be full of “could’ve gones” as there is just so much to see. As it was, Sammie was tired of the car, and we were all hungry so we stopped in Haas at a little airfield cafe for a late lunch. There we met up with a large elk that apparently lived in a paddock there. We also met a family from Australia that had a girl Sammie’s age. When we turned around from the lunch counter, Sammie was sitting at the family’s table. We had acquired travel companions for the rest of the afternoon.  

On the advice of our new friends (a woman traveling with her ex-husband’s parents, very odd), we stopped at the Blue Pools. It had stopped raining but the rising water must have changed something since we saw no pools and they were certainly not blue. The park had a nice little nature walk that lead us across a suspension bridge. Heidi did not like the swinging, but Sammie was keen to run across at full speed

Queenstown and Glenorchy

We flew to Queenstown on the first day out of Auckland and spent only one night. Unfortunately, the weather was not particularly good, so when we toured the town it did not give a very good first impression on this cloudy, wet day. A fair amount of congestion for a small town and a lot of construction made the town seem even less appealing.

Fortunately, we made another visit through on our last day and got a completely different impression. We had decided to travel back from Wanaka and make our way to see Glenorchy. This is an easy two hour trip but what we saw in that few hours was something to remember.

This is the point in the narrative where I take the easy way out and say that the South Island of New Zealand is not a place that can be described. It must be seen. We took over 200 pictures during the week and none of them seems satisfactory. There is a view at every turn of the road and this particular drive was among the best we have ever been experienced.

The drive from Wanaka took us over the ridge above Queenstown and then north to Glenorchy where many of the most spectacular scenes from Lord of the Rings were shot. We had lunch in Glenorchy and met up with some folks who had been in our lodge in Wanaka. As it turned out, they had worked on charter boats in the Caribbean just as Heidi had and knew many of the same people and ports of call. Add this to the lady in the barber shop from Glendale, Arizona and the Kiwi motorcyclist who had been to Spokane, and we find opportunity to invoke the “small world” cliché.

We left that same day from Queenstown airport to Auckland where we split again, Heidi and Sammie back to Singapore and me to Shanghai on more business trips. Since our time there, we have had a number of friends move to NZ. We look forward to visiting them and exploring more of this land as we know that we did not event touch the beauty of it.

Hello Soupers,

I have completed my first week or so at the Saphir Lyon Hotel. Wow, let me tell you it has been crazy! I definitely love it, and I can  tell that I am going to learn so much here. It will be a real challenge, but I love challenges.

I worked 46 hours this week, 22 hours just in the first two days, and will be working 46 -49 hours a week on average. While it is a lot of work, I am so glad to be getting this experience. I know I will never forget it.

What am I doing exactly? I guess you could call me a prep cook. My responsibilities consist of peeling and cutting vegetables, slicing cured salmon, fabricating lobsters, and plating for the buffet. I have already worked with a variety of fun foods including lobsters, cuddle fish, a few different types of cured meats, tartines, stomach lining (I forget the proper term for it) different vegetables and more. I am not “on the line” as there is only one person who works there. While the restaurant is good sized, it is primarily a buffet and the line only is for  the “Plat du jour.”

Only five people work in the kitchen at a time including Chef. Talk about getting direct experience with a French Chef! Other than Chef, the staff is all under thirty. There are two men and two women, one of which is also an intern. I love working with the ladies because I learn more French from them than anyone else. I love speaking it and get excited when they understand me.

Language is still an issue in the kitchen, but I am able to take steps everyday. At first, I wondered how I was supposed to find my way around and know what to do. When we were in a rush, and I was told to do something, I pretty much guessed and luckily for me I usually understood correctly. Even still, being unsure of what you were just told to do is kind of scary in high pressure situations. I mean, I didn’t want to mess anything up. Each day I walk into the kitchen with a positive attitude and the determination to prove to them that I can cook but not understanding makes it doubly difficult. I don’t want to disappoint them or make them regret their decision to hire me.  

If I have learned anything in this first week, it is how culinary school has helped me, and that what I learned in school will benefit from it no matter where I work. I hope that makes sense. While at school, we might only work with certain types of fish, poultry, beef, etc.; but if you understand the basics, then you will understand how to work with the different varieties. The basics are key to success. They are what French cuisine is all about. I have always known this, but now I get it.

Just the other day, I was thrown a recipe book that was completely in French and was told to make a terrine. I almost freaked out, but then everything I learned in Garde Manger suddenly came back to me. It was quite simple actually. Instead of following the recipe, I just did what I remembered from Chef Inauen’s class. Once it was done, I was told it was “very beautiful.” I was surprised at first because I wasn’t expecting them to say anything about it at all. I thought it was nice and well prepared but “beautiful?”  Another time, I was told to make a crème brulée. First they asked if I knew how, I told them I have made it on more than one occasion at school.

So, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my Chefs at the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Phoenix for what they taught me.

I hope everyone has a better understanding of what I am doing here now. I have long days and a lot to learn ahead of me. I know it will go by fast, so I am going to absorb as much as possible each and every day.

Au Revoir,

Coty

To read more of my experience in Lyon, click here.

P.S. I have included a few pictures from my trip to Paris and Perouges (including the one above).

by Emily King

Since I haven’t been to Sedona for quite some time, I decided that it was a good destination for my first bout of northern exposure. You see, if you have never been to Sedona, you haven’t experienced the power of the Red Rocks which seem to attract yogis, psychics, and good-old hippie types. I love these people and their off-the-beaten path approach to life. If I had my druthers, I would join them. Who doesn’t like a good vortex after all?

To get the uninitiated up to the speed; Sedona, Arizona is considered one of the most beautiful places in America due to the magnificent mesas and red rock formations. Sedona is also haven for New Age culture. The idea is that there are several natural centers, vortices or vortexes, that provide positive energy. If you hang out in one of these vortexes, you will feel great for days. Boy could I use that. Of course, it ain’t easy. They tend to be at the top of the rock formations.

We began our journey early on a Sunday morning with the goal of making it to Sedona for a 9:30 yoga practice. I was still weary from a late night of scrubbing floors and cleaning the kitchen (yes – I work at a restaurant), so my friend “J” and I decided to stop to fill up on caffeinated beverages and gasoline at a local gas station.  Ok, I know what you’re thinking: “Don’t Yoga-people look down upon ‘fake’ energy?” But I think tea is okay, which is what I got, but I’m sure taurine is frowned upon which is why we will just pretend that I don’t like Red Bulls at all. Shhhhh.

At the gas station, a very nice Jehovah’s witness approached us and gave us some literature to read in the car. We very much appreciated this gesture. Clearly we were in for a very spiritual day.

We made it to Devi Yoga just in time for the class. Our instructor, Soni, was everything we could have hoped for in an instructor. She was enthusiastic and told us what every pose was doing for our internal organs. Her class was so rigorous, I think even my kidneys are more limber now. It was an absolutely fantastic 90 minutes. “J” and I walked out of the studio feeling strong and centered if somewhat inadequate on the yoga front. We might be stars at the local L.A. fitness, but we were seriously put to shame by the vortex elite in Sedona. Apparently, the laws of gravity do not apply to all people equally.

We were famished after our intense yoga session and began our desperate search for sustenance. We agreed that after such a spiritually cleansing experience, it would be a heinous crime to put anything unhealthy in our bodies, so we were set on finding some vegetarian food. As is generally the case in Sedona, the planets were aligned in our favor, and we found D’Lish.

As soon as we walked through the doors, we knew that we had found some of the freshest fare in town. The best part about the little joint was that it was sensitive to food allergies and had a great bakery section full of treats for every possible intolerance. I ordered the grain bowl which included stir-fried vegetables over the Chef’s choice of grain (in this case, Quinoa) while “J ordered the grilled veggie wrap. “J” enjoyed the sun-dried tomato pesto spread and would have liked to have more. We also ordered the house Hibiscus Iced tea which is a light refreshing tea cut with fresh apple juice. It proved to be the perfect beverage for two thirsty people on a warm, sunny day.

Renewed from our light-lunch, we headed off to Cathedral Rock because I had read that it was the site of a vortex containing positive, female energy. I have a pretty positive outlook on life, so I could only imagine that this vortex would infuse me with so much optimism that it would explode from my aura like fireworks.

Word to the wise: Do NOT attempt this hike if you ran 6 miles the day before and just performed a full lower-body workout. Some of the rock-faces are very steep and require Spider Man-like climbing abilities.  “J” was very patient and waited for me to scale the rocks while I cursed myself for the damage I was doing to my quadriceps and hamstrings. I am proud of the fact that I managed to make it to the top where the view quieted my screaming thigh muscles. There is something other-worldly about the rugged red rocks of Sedona. I’m not sure that I am a believer in the power of vortexes, but I am a firm believer that the breath-taking beauty of nature evokes a spirituality and feeling of peace of its own.

It was an especially warm day for Sedona (almost 90 degrees), so after our Cathedral Rock adventure, “J” and I decided that we needed some ice cream and more water. We headed downtown where we found Black Cow Ice Cream Shop. The shop greets you with the intoxicating aroma of vanilla. Like patient little boys and girls we waited in the enormous line until it was our turn. I ordered chocolate and vanilla frozen yogurt while “J” decided to try the classic root beer float with homemade vanilla ice cream and draft-root beer.

In retrospect, I should have ordered the prickly-pear ice cream. It seemed to be a top-seller, and “J” was pleased with quality of his root beer float because the ice cream was rich and delicious.

Word to the wise: when it comes to ice cream, eat the full-fat stuff. The occasional splurge is completely acceptable especially when it comes to homemade ice cream.

Unfortunately, 4:30 P.M. arrived too quickly, and it was time to return to the vortex-free Valley of the Sun. We rolled up the windows, turned on the air conditioning, and grudgingly made our way home. As I drifted off to sleep enveloped in artificially-cooled air, I couldn’t help wondering, “can I pass off ‘over-stretched’ kidneys as a legitimate excuse for a sick day from the restaurant?”

Word to the wise: Don’t even try.

Click below for more on:

D’Lish in Sedona

Black Cow Cafe Reviews

Hiking & Climbing Cathedral Rock

Hello Soupers!

So, the good news! I am super excited that I finally got my internship! I now work at Restaurant Les Tournesols at The Best Western Saphir Lyon Hotel. It was the most intense interview I have ever been in, and it all happened in one day.

It started with the woman who got me the interview. We met at her office and went to the interview together. I knew that I would need to know a bit of French for the interview even though the hotel maangement knew I was American. On our walk to the metro, she started speaking to me in French. I drew a blank. She was talking so fast, I could not understand her. When I told her this, she repeated her words. All I could do was respond, “I am sorry, I still don’t understand.”

She switched to English and said, “Coty, you have to understand! What are you going to do? You have to use your head and think about what I am saying to you. Listed for the words you do know and put two-and-two together. You have no choice but to understand at this interview. You must use your ears.” I knew that she was just trying to help. Still, I was concerned that I would not know enough French and would make a fool of myself.

We met with the Food and Beverage manager and spoke with him for 10 minutes and then he brought in the Chef. Chef took my resume, looked it over, spoke with me for a moment, and then returned to the kitchen. Finally, we went into the restaurant and met with the Director of the hotel. This seemed pretty intense for a internship interview, and it was all in French. I thought I was going to flip out.

While we ate, the Chef came out during each course and and talked with me. Luckily, my friend played interference for me, repeated what they asked slowly in French and sometimes translated. I did my best to respond in French.

The meal was nice. Our first course was gazpacho soup with tomato sorbet. Next came the buffet which included representative foods from different regions of France. There were three or four different types of terrines, some salami and other meats, plenty of cheese, brie and escargot tarte, a few different types of salads and some vegetables. The third course was beef tartare with steamed veggies. It was some of the best food I have had since arriving in Lyon.

The Director asked if I liked the food, and I replied that I did very much. That seemed to surprise them because, they said, that few Americans do. The dessert was decadent tasting plate including chocolate mousse, strawberry sorbet, a cream puff and espresso. I was in heaven.

After the dessert, we talked for a bit more, and then I went back into the kitchen with Chef. We then went into the bar and there were the internship papers ready to sign!

Chef appreciated the fact that I was working so hard to speak French, that I had come all the way to Lyon for my internship when I could have taken an easier path in the States, and that I had come to him. The fact that I am knowledgeable in more than just one type of cuisine and that I had received instruction previously from some great Chefs at school impressed him as well.

Then he told me, “You start tomorrow.”

That hit me…

I am no longer dreaming of going to France. I now am living here. I am no longer dreaming of working in a kitchen in France. I am an intern in a French kitchen in France! I can’t believe I have made this dream come true and have accomplished my goal of working in a kitchen here!

I will let you know how it goes…

Au Revoir

Coty

To read more of my experience in Lyon, click here

Hello Soupers!

First thing’s first. I am finally in a flat and no longer worrying where I will sleep at night. It’s a very nice place and a pretty good sized house. My room is a little, cozy space in the loft. Really just somewhere for me to put my head down at night, but it’s not like I need a huge room.

I now have six flat mates who are all very nice. Some people might say, “Wow, that’s a lot of people!” But I like to think of it as six more friends in France. The situation is pretty sweet and has taken a load off my shoulders.

My flat mates are all here doing their internships too. Most are seeking business degrees except one who is getting her PhD in Microbiology. All but two of us are from France. Mel is from Portugal or Brazil. I forget which one.

We take our meals together most times. No one ever just cooks dinner for themselves and goes to their room to eat. One thing I love most about being in France in general is that everyone I have met seems to know how to cook. They may not cook advanced dishes like you find at a restaurant, but they certainly are not tossing out microwave dinners either. I love that everyone loves to cook and eat together.  

One of my mates doesn’t speak any English at all and the rest speak only a little, so French is the language used in the house. Sure, they speak English to me if we’re having a conversation, but I only hear French around the house. I suppose this is good because I can catch onto the language faster.

Now that I have settled in to the flat, I have started going to the restaurants I researched for my internship. I woke up and headed out at 10am so that I would hit the restaurants before the rush. I had my cover letters and resumes with me and dressed professionally.

I targeted two specific restaurants; the Caro de Lyon and Leon de Lyon. These were the two that I had determined were the best for my goals. They were also in a district that is surrounded by so many other restaurants that I could fill the day.

At Caro de Lyon, I went in and asked for the manager or chef (in French). The hostess pointed the way. I went to the desk beside the bar and saw the manager sitting there. I asked if she spoke English. Luckily for me she did. I explained to her who I am and what I am doing, then handed her my cover letter and resume. I then told her that I had researched her restaurant and would like to intern for them in the kitchen. She said she would review my papers and get back to me after she talked with the Chef.  

I felt very comfortable going in to more places after that since it went so smoothly, so I headed to Leon de Lyon. I followed the same process there but the gentleman I spoke with told me they weren’t looking for anybody at the time. He did say he would take my resume and look it over.

After that, I walked around the area looking for restaurants that caught my eye. I checked out their display menus before I went in to make sure they served the kind of food I wanted to learn. I entered four restaurants. Two said they had no openings in the kitchen, one just took my resume without a word, and another said they weren’t interested in having an intern. I was kind of bummed and frustrated by that point, so I started back to the flat.

When I was on my way back home, I passed this restaurant that I see every day but have never thought enter.  I decided, “What the heck I have nothing to lose and have to keep positive,” so I mustered my confidence and walked to the door as if I never got been to those other places.

It was closed! Ugh! So, now I was even more bummed. I stood outside the door for like ten minutes just thinking what to do now.

I said to myself, “Don’t let this get you down. You are going to find a place and will stop at nothing to do so.”

Wandering a bit, I decided to venture down a street I have not been down before. Good thing I did because I found a restaurant that I haven’t heard of yet. I looked at the menu and noticed it was a Relais Chateaux rated restaurant! I walked in and spoke with the Maitre d’Hotel. He took my resume and cover letter and said that he would look it over more carefully then give it to the chef. He also told me that he would pass it along to their sister restaurant to see if they needed any interns, and then, he gave me his business card telling me to call him back soon to check in.

I was so excited after that! While it wasn’t a guaranteed interview, it was still a lot more than I had gotten the whole day. I mean, if he wasn’t interested I don’t believe he would have given me his business card. The restaurant’s name is Cazenove and is very nice and fine dining. I decided it was time to go back home on a good note.

Tomorrow, I will be out again looking for more restaurants. One restaurant that I am going to is Paul Bocuse’s! I am so nervous and excited about this all at once. I really hope to get a good response. I also have a connection through a friend whose boss said they could help. I am keeping my fingers crossed, and I hope you are too!  

Au revoir,

Coty

To read more of my experience in Lyon, click here

Words & Photos by David Lee

One of the great benefits of living in Singapore is the opportunity to take weekend trips to some of the most exotic locations in the world. One weekend, we jumped on a flight with our friends (and neighbors) and headed to Cambodia to tour Angkor.

Angkor had been on our list of places to see for a long time. It definitely one of the places everyone must see before they kick. One hear about places that have a mystical quality but few really live up to the hype. Angkor does.

Whether it is the incredible architectural design, the miles of detailed reliefs and sculptures, the architecture that makes the buildings look different almost every moment of the day, or just the shear volume of temples; Angkor is one of the great travel experiences.

For photo hounds, it is the kind of place that allows almost every photograph to be spectacular. Angkor Wat is the best known temple and is often the moniker given to the entire site. In truth, there are more than 200 structures over 77 square miles. Some of the most famous images associated with Angkor are from sites other than Angkor Wat including the faces of Angkor Thom and the temples of Ta Prohm which provide those unforgettable shots of trees breaking through and intertwining with the temple structures.

What we learned very quickly is that unless you are there to earn your archeology degree and can spend years studying every detail; you are not going to be able to truly appreciate Angkor entirely. So don’t try. There are simply too many temples. It is a bit like trying to visit all the cathedrals in Europe in a week. It overwhelms you while, at the same time, desensitizing you. The smart way to play it is to hire a guide who can listen to what you want and take you to the best places at the best times.

We also learned that the time of day that you visit a particular site is very important. Heidi and our friend Bev visited Ta Prohm in the morning while Sammie and I went in the late afternoon. The pictures and impressions of the site were almost entirely different. Angkor Wat itself is best in the late afternoon because of the spectacular, ever-changing show of color as the sun sets over it. Most of the other sites, with the exception of Phnom Bekang are best visited in the morning.

Phnom Bakeng is a fun site at Angkor that is special not just for its ruins but for the way people gather in the evening.  It is at the top of a small but rugged hill. Here one can climb up the steep side or elect to be carried up by elephant. Look out for the elephant traffic jams as there are often several going up and coming down at the same time. The scariest part for us was when a family had mistakenly decided to walk back down the elephant trail and got into the middle of small pile up. The father nearly got stepped on. They then wisely decided to walk back up and start down the path for humans (and monkeys).  Prohm Bakeng provides an over look for the entire Siem Reap area including a great skyline view of the Angkor Wat temple while you and about a hundred others wait for the sun to set. We went on the second day, but we recommend you go on the last evening of your visit to make it linger in your memory.

While Angkor is the great attraction in Siem Reap, there are a lot of other things to see. We had a great guide who suggested that after two days of touring temples, we get out and see some of the life around the city. Specifically, he suggested we visit a floating village near the banks of Lake Tonle Sap.

Lake Tonle Sap is a massive lake. During the rainy season, the Mekong River, in a great oddity of geography, flows backward flooding its tributaries and raising the level of the lake. This was occurring when we were there, so we viewed the floating village at its height. It was a great side trip not only for the glimpse of village life but also for the vast beauty of the lake.

The top off for the tour is the visit to a souvenir shop / zoo boat near the mouth of the river. Here travelers can find any goofy trinket they wish to buy. Just look out for the made in China tags. You will also find a vat of what  at first look like mad piranha but turn out to be hungry trout and a pit of 12-13 alligators (or crocodiles whichever are the smaller ones).

Another very interesting place to visit in Siem Reap is the Artists D’Angkor. It is a school where they bring in talented artists from rural communities and teach them a craft. Many of the people are handicapped or otherwise impaired. Their practice for developing their craft is to join an assembly line of mass produced Cambodian art that is priced well enough to allow the school to make a small profit. It is hand crafted and good quality and, more important, it is for a good cause.

Finally, if you have the money, we recommend the Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor. Suffice it to say, this hotel lives up to the Raffles name. Built in 1920, it is in the French colonial style and is more intimate than its sister in Singapore. The food is fantastic, the service is great, and the atmosphere is truly a unique experience. Unfortunately, we could not afford to stay there, but if you can afford it, you should. We stayed at the Le Meridian which is a bit closer to the sites at Angkor. It is a larger hotel and a bit disjointed, but the service was first rate and the rooms were comfortable, a great alternative for middle income folks.

About David Lee

David is Executive Producer of intotheSoup.com and Professor of Global Hospitality Operations at the Art Institute of Phoenix. He has lived and travelled throughout Europe, Asia, and Central America but is longing to go to Africa. David has been in the travel industry for 13 years with American Express as, among other things, Director of Global Airline Strategy for Asia Pacific and a Principal Consultant for the Advisory Services Consulting group. David led Business Development for iExplore.com with National Geographic and managed Leisure Tours Strategy at Sabre Holdings. He holds a Masters in International Management from Thunderbird, the School for Global Management and a Business degree from Washington University, St. Louis.