“Markets” are big in Siem Reap.  The main part of town is called Old Market — full of restaurants, bars and shops for tourists and locals alike.  There are several “Night Markets”, so-called because after-hours trade was almost non-existent prior to 2007 — these are primarily targeted at visitors and feature traditional Cambodian handmade products, food and entertainment — open from 4pm to midnight.  The Phsa Leu Market, where I bought my bike, is a bustling commercial center, with mostly local clientele.  And then there are the ultra-modern Angkor Market and Lucky Mall.  As I went to buy my bike and then pedaled around town for the afternoon, it was incredible to experience the gamut of market environments that coexist so seamlessly.  Here’s a bit of a tour of two ends of the spectrum:

We’ll start with the most traditional and local, Phsa Leu Market.  In addition to bicycles, you can get pretty much anything there — but do be careful to dodge the Motos that seem to drive everywhere, even into the narrow aisles between the stalls in the indoor section of the market!  The range of goods available pretty much covers everything you’d find in a department store, full-on shopping mall, and a grocery store.

The toy and handbag departments:

The gold and fine jewelry section;  

Housewares…. 

Toiletries & Cleaning Supplies…

Lingerie… 

The shoe department… 

No, really, I said the SHOE DEPARTMENT! 

And there’s also a ton of food stalls and shops.  I’m only including one here (the meat section!) for several reasons.  1) You’re probably getting the gist of this and I don’t want to bore you. 2) There will be an interesting comparison coming below, stay tuned!  And 3) I frankly don’t know what a lot of the food was.  I’m going to ask the tour guide I’m going out with (a former JWOC scholarship student) if she’ll walk me through Phsa Leu one afternoon and tell me what it all is!  

One thing that really struck me funny as I walked by one of the stalls was a guy and his two sons riveted to WWF (in English) on the TV as they waited for customers.  Since I refrained on making a comment about women and shoes above, I’ll refrain from saying guys are pretty much the same everywhere… Ooops, did I say that out loud?  ;^)  

So, after about 10 minutes of bike riding, I’ll take you into the Angkor Market and Lucky Mall.  No, this isn’t the neighborhood Safeway, though I can see how you might think it was!  (Note the meat section at the end!)

It’s fascinating how these two places — and a full range of businesses in between — seem to so comfortably co-exist as the hundreds of Motos, bicycles, tuk-tuks, cars and trucks purposefully criss-cross the city full of people getting stuff done…  I think I’m going to like hanging out here!