Month: February 2016

It’s been a busy few days. Siem Reap is a great town with loads of things to do, great food and people visiting from every corner of the earth. The big attraction is Angkor Wat of course, and our visit coinciding as it did with Chinese New Year…let’s just say that personal space invasion has been a bit rampant. And it was worth it!

Ancient Angkor is a collection of more than one thousand temples spread out over an estimated 1000 square kms.  Some are nothing more than mounds of repubble of course, but there are at least 50 or so that can be visited. I am no expert on the history of the place, partly because we managed to avoid buying a book until the end of our visit… Don’t ask…

Much of the tour the first day was on foot. We were thankful when the path led us into forests and through the hulking buildings themselves which offer cool respite from the relentless sun. Our tuk-tuk driver was never far away either, although he slept for much of the day. Smart guy.

On day two, Ponlok informed us he had family business to attend to as he introduced us to his replacement. Rocky is a little older and a go-getter. He was reading books on business development as he lounged in the built-in hammock in his tuk-tuk…I have no doubt that this dude will go far; he sold us the Angkor book that one of his clients had given him as a gift, and took us to his place to get it. He lives in one room with three other guys. They park four motorcycles in the room at night, and sometimes have overnight guests. Think about that.

You can’t walk one metre in this town without being asked if you want a tuk-tuk. Or a coconut. Or a pair of alibaba pants. Or dinner. Or a foot massage. We took them up on the latter after our first day in temple land and it was the best $6 I ever spent.

We found a restaurant where we could swim as long as we purchased at least $5 worth of food or drink. Heaven…

 

S21 was at the centre of a system of prisons across Cambodia used by the Khmer Rouge to inflict horrific torture on innocent citizens from 1975 to 1978. A former high school, it is now a museum in the middle of Phnom Penh, a solemn testament to the country’s past. Tears were never far away as I listened to stories of what happened there; they flowed freely a little later in the day when we visited the infamous killings fields. What one human being can do to another in the name of (fill in blank) is one of life’s mysteries.

The tears had dried by the time Paula and I returned to the city. Paula is my friend who is teaching English in South Korea and who arrived Saturday night. It is wonderful to have a traveling companion. We sat at a rooftop bar overlooking the river as the sun set, eating yummy finger foods and counting our blessings. Later, we made our way to the Night Market where Paula replenished her summer wardrobe; I resisted, having resolved to stop the clothing addiction. It’s amazing how quickly prices fall when the vendors see disinterest!

The six-hour bus ride to Siem Reap was long. But there was a reward at the end, because this town is wonderful…big enough to have lots of interesting things to see and do, small enough to go out without a map, get lost, and find your way back again (tested and found to be true!) We stumbled across something called Pub Street (pun intended) and were caught up in a New Orleans vibe that likely goes on into the wee hours. Not tonight though; our tuk-tuk driver will be here at 5 a.m. for sunrise at Angkor Wat.

I love Phnom Penh! And I didn’t expect to! It is after all a big city. It’s hot and sticky and crowded and noisy and the smells aren’t always pleasant. But the people are. And the streets are numbered grids which means I can wander a long way from home and actually  be able to find my way back. I’m in a great location…a five minute walk from the riverfront shops and restaurants, around the corner from the Royal Palace, a ten-minute walk to the night market. Speaking of markets, I took a short-cut last night and found myself in the middle of one. Live fish, fruit and vegetables of every description, huge chunks of animals (not sure what), and people, lots and lots of people frantically bargaining for their nightly meal or their livelihood, depending which side of the barter they were on.

I had the most delicious meal last night – aloo saag! Yes, it’s Indian and I’m in Cambodia but India does vegetarian a whole lot better, and it had been soooo long… Tonight? Maybe Lebanese! Anything is possible in this amazing city.

Despite the valiant efforts of at least a hundred tuk-tuk drivers, I managed to walk to Wat Phnom this morning. It stands on the only “hill” in the city (it’s really only a bump) and the believers go there to pray for luck. I said a little prayer myself, given that I had to cross the street to get back. In this town, it could be your demise. I’m proud to say that all went well and I’m even getting cocky. Crossed the street at least three times today with impunity!

 

 

 

Sitting in the garden post-breakfast, waiting for my bus to Phnom Penh. A black and yellow butterfly the size of a chickadee has been feeding on the flowers. Alas, no camera close at hand. My fruit salad was sublime…lychee, pineapple, banana, oranges, watermelon and dragonfruit – a new one for me.  I loved my time in Kep, and I think I’m finally getting into the groove. The exotic city of Phnom Penh awaits.

It rained hard overnight, and the air is glorious this morning…fresh and cool with a slight breeze. I think today will be a beach day provided I can secure a tree under which to sit. It’s my last full day in Kep, and I’ve enjoyed this laid-back little seaside town. For now, I am sitting in the garden, listening to the sounds of the gardener sweeping fallen leaves.

I walked the perimeter of Kep National Park yesterday. It’s a little over 8 km total with most of it under a canopy of tree tops, a welcome reprieve from the relentless sun. The trail begins behind a resort, so I thought I’d take advantage of the market there to pick up snacks. Apparently catering to park-goers is not high on their priority list unless you view Tabasco sauce and rum as hiking provisions…

Armed with a bag of lightly salted chips, I set out. The park is home to many small animals but my only sighting was a smallish lizard that scared the life out of me, waiting in ambush as he was. I did meet a couple of young guys who were staring intently at a rock face, throwing bits of stone at a hole there. They’d seen a huge spider, and somehow thought that throwing rocks at it would entice it to make another appearance. I saw no spiders in the park. Ironically, my sighting was back in my room….an absolutely huge specimen. He met a violent end, thanks to overzealous staff armed with a can of spray.  I’m still feeling like a murderer; this guy had presence!

But back to my hike. The trail goes in a circle through the park and affords great views of the mountains and the sea. Vietnam is visible in the distance, about 20 km further along the coast. I met a group of four from Ukraine who had decided to take in the beauty via tuk-tuk, the sound of their motor the only break in the serenity.

 

The last 3km or so consist of a road with absolutely no shade. My timing, always perfect, put me there at noon with the sun high in the sky, scorching everything beneath. Thankful for my peasant hat…

I tasted Kep crab last night. It is one of the reasons folks come here, and I broke with my vegetarian regime because it’s been difficult getting sufficient protein (they don’t seem to do tofu). The crab was okay, but not like ours, and way too much work for less than 2 oz. of meat. It’s back to nuts and beans for me.

Ended the day with a walk along the shore and a gorgeous sunset. Ahhhh!

Rabbit Island looks nothing like a rabbit. Not even an abstract artist could pull a rabbit out of this hat. The concensus seems to be that it was named by someone who’d imbibed too much palm wine, and I’m inclined to agree. The name aside, it is beautiful and exactly what I needed after the searing heat and humidity that is Cambodia.

It’s a 30-minute boat ride from the Kep pier  The boat drops you off about 9:30 and picks you up for the return voyage at 4, all for $8 including pick-up and return to the hotel.

I’ll let the pictures describe the day, but just want to add that as I was walking toward the mini bus that was taking me back to the hotel at the end of the day, I heard, “Hello Susan.” Looked over to see Miki, my tuk-tuk tour driver from two days ago in Kampot. Proof once again that having an affair on this planet would be ill-advised.