My last night in Bangkok, and in southeast Asia. I spent the last 4 days at Shanti Lodge, a hippy-ish guesthouse that functions somewhere between a retreat center, commune and hostel. It tucked in an area called Tewet, north of the madness of Kho San Road, the main backpacker/tourist area. The lodge is surrounded by trees and potted plants, fronted by a large open, wooden-clad restaurant with big chairs and comfy cushions. Bathrooms are shared, but I had a private room with A/C for 11 dollars. Splurging again :)
It's conceivable to never leave the place. The restaurant serves delicious and varied food - not expensive but more so than street food - and nobody bothers you if you sit there on the couch all day. With the mad heat and chaos outside, it's probably the safest option. It's not 100% perfect - for all the ambiance and communal amenities, the staff is relatively restrained in their friendliness as are the other guests. Although we did meet some cool French guys one night and stayed up lounging and chatting with them.
On the second day, my friend Guido joined me at Shanti. I met Guido in Kep (post) and he is the person who recommended the place. We did some sightseeing - the Royal Palace is the most amazingly decadent place I have ever seen and the huge laying Buddha in Wat Pho is also impressive - but again, the heat killed us. So we went to MBK - the well-known shopping mall which is conveniently blessed with A/C. I had already scoped the shopping areas out the day prior, acquiring a few things, but that didnt stop me from shopping some more. Clothes are really cheap - 3-8 bucks for most pieces - and stylish as well. I had to buy a cheap tote to add to my collection of luggage just to cart the goods home. (And you know I don't even like shopping!).
Another friend I met, Monica, whom I met in Siem Reap randomly showed up at Shanti as well. I had dinner with her and her cousins one night, which was nice. Funny how small a world it is when you are traveling.
The last night in Bangkok, I went to the Sky Bar at the Tower. To continue my trend of good luck, another friend, Patrick, whom I met in Kep where I also met Guido, was in Bangkok at the same time and emailed me to make plans to see this Sky Bar place, which is a favorite of his. (I had to buy cheap "fashionable" shoes on the street because they wouldnt let me in with "sporty" sandals. Yeah, that kind of place). But it was amazing - the view was literally unbeatable. We enjoyed some pricey but worth it cocktails, then headed back. And here I am! My taxi will come at midnight for my early morning (3:45!) flight to Rome.
Unlike every other trip I have ever taken, I dont feel sad about this trip ending. Because I know there is so much in store. I'm not going back to any suffocating routines, job....in fact, for better or worse, I'm not going back to anything! Even our apartment will be leased out by June now that Frank is leaving his job. If anything, I am worried about losing all the wonderful feelings I have felt during this trip, getting sucked back into the usual mentality of worrying, planning, obligations, and other tasks that suck our energy and divert us from really living. Hopefully enough of my experiences are ingrained in me that I can call on them at any sign of energy drainage.
I am going to miss Asia though...:( there are no monks on motorbikes in the US, with their saffron robes, there aren't streets full of delectable street food carts surrounded by little plastic chairs half light with fluorescent lights, roosters and babies awaking you at 3am in the small villages, cool people who actually want to make friends with you (not just trying to pick you up in bars which is the usually only time strangers talk to you at home)....and of course, the people of these countries, the beautiful and different nature, the spirit, culture...everything I guess! The things I won't miss are the incessant mosquito's (I'm never without a good batch of itchy bites), lack of toilet necessities (from a Western standpoint....aka, an actual toilet seat, toilet paper, soap, paper towels, automatic flush!), and certain foods (peanut butter!!!). However, the only thing I truly couldn't be without for long is my family and friends. It will be nice to see everyone.
Taxi's here! On to Rome now....ciao!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The Good and the Bad
The truth, of course, is that all countries deserve to become modernized. How can we deprive the people of its benefits? From assuring basic needs like having three meals a day and advanced medical care, to providing richer opportunities like access to education, the ability to actually choose your job (and have a variety of fields to choose from) and improve your life.
It's just that with these benefits, life becomes more complex. There is a push and a pull to each benefit and only the most skillful can balance the two sides successfully. How many people have lost sight of what life is really about and become dedicated to material possessions? Gaining goods is alluring to all humans, but it's also a trap that keeps us wanting more, and becoming less fulfilled as we attain it. Or, how many people become daunted and confused by what to do with their lives? (ahem). The developing world is sadly deprived of opportunity. So why, once we have it, does it become a source of stress rather than gratitude?
True to Vijay's comments in the last post - the lesson here is balance. (1) Knowing the bad aspect of something as well as the good and (2) the ability to stay in balance. The problem is that so few people, let alone entire societies, are good at balance. The human response to good is to give me more of it. Yes, this is the fire of capitalism which has enriched societies worldwide. But look at what happens when we don't look after the greater system: "unfortunate" downsides occur like damage to environment or loss of culture. Or perhaps, in the race, "minor" details are overlooked, like the fact that many mortgage-backed securities weren't backed by much at all. From individual effects, like childhood obesity to greater effects like the financial crisis occurring today, we can't just accept modernization (loosely termed) with open arms. The bad must be recognized, accepted and accounted for.
Can we really expect the next soon-to-be-modern country to see through modernization's ills and stay balanced? Interestingly enough, the principle of accepting the bad and staying balanced is central in Buddhism, the dominating religion of the people here. Maybe, if nobody else, these people stand a chance.
It's just that with these benefits, life becomes more complex. There is a push and a pull to each benefit and only the most skillful can balance the two sides successfully. How many people have lost sight of what life is really about and become dedicated to material possessions? Gaining goods is alluring to all humans, but it's also a trap that keeps us wanting more, and becoming less fulfilled as we attain it. Or, how many people become daunted and confused by what to do with their lives? (ahem). The developing world is sadly deprived of opportunity. So why, once we have it, does it become a source of stress rather than gratitude?
True to Vijay's comments in the last post - the lesson here is balance. (1) Knowing the bad aspect of something as well as the good and (2) the ability to stay in balance. The problem is that so few people, let alone entire societies, are good at balance. The human response to good is to give me more of it. Yes, this is the fire of capitalism which has enriched societies worldwide. But look at what happens when we don't look after the greater system: "unfortunate" downsides occur like damage to environment or loss of culture. Or perhaps, in the race, "minor" details are overlooked, like the fact that many mortgage-backed securities weren't backed by much at all. From individual effects, like childhood obesity to greater effects like the financial crisis occurring today, we can't just accept modernization (loosely termed) with open arms. The bad must be recognized, accepted and accounted for.
Can we really expect the next soon-to-be-modern country to see through modernization's ills and stay balanced? Interestingly enough, the principle of accepting the bad and staying balanced is central in Buddhism, the dominating religion of the people here. Maybe, if nobody else, these people stand a chance.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Modernization - Beware
I have to say I was a bit deflated on the bus ride from the border to Bangkok. Was Thailand going to be a modernized place? The highway was large and paved, with green reflective signs above, just like the US. Sigh. But soon we drove by traditional houses and in Bangkok proper there was a wonderful mix of old and new, sort of like Hong Kong.
What is it about modernized countries that bores many travelers...or in other words, what is it about developing countries that draws such a loyal following? In a word, the answer is Authenticity. Developing countries still exhibit signs of real life. People go to markets, make food at home, share with their neighbors, are generally warm and friendly, have some guiding life philosophy usually wrapped up in rich culture, and more importantly, are not tainted by the ills of modern society: greed, violence, certain health problems, among others. In their simplicity and authenticity, they seem happy.
We envy them for that, and at the same time, feel lucky enough to be invited into that peaceful existence during our visit. If we could, we would protect them from modernization: save yourself! keep your chopped mango instead of packaged potato chips! play games outside instead of on the computer! In what direction is modernization taking them? If we could envision the future state of these countries, is America really the model?
It would be nice to think that we could learn from the West's mistakes and help these countries grow into something more balanced and holistic than our countries are. A country that stays grounded rather than swimming in excess and one that looks after its environment. But alas, it's not likely to happen that way: there isn't someone in charge of Development across the globe that is looking at development and its problems as a larger system. (Oh where are our systems engineers when you need them?). Already, families here watch TV 24/7 and eat Pringles. Modern packaging - plastic of all kinds - litters the streets. ETC.
Where we will turn in 50 years to observe and experience authentic, untainted, and dare I say, happy, societies? Are there enough remote tribes to quell the desires of searching travelers, and once they are found, how soon else will they become tainted? Because unfortunately and ironically, tourism is the numero uno way (or is it TV?) to kick off the process of modernization.
It's not all that bleak. But there is a wonderful and interesting world out there - and a lot that we "lucky" ones - people born in modern countries - can learn from it. Maybe by taking back some of their old world ways, we can make our own societies, and lives, more balanced.
What is it about modernized countries that bores many travelers...or in other words, what is it about developing countries that draws such a loyal following? In a word, the answer is Authenticity. Developing countries still exhibit signs of real life. People go to markets, make food at home, share with their neighbors, are generally warm and friendly, have some guiding life philosophy usually wrapped up in rich culture, and more importantly, are not tainted by the ills of modern society: greed, violence, certain health problems, among others. In their simplicity and authenticity, they seem happy.
We envy them for that, and at the same time, feel lucky enough to be invited into that peaceful existence during our visit. If we could, we would protect them from modernization: save yourself! keep your chopped mango instead of packaged potato chips! play games outside instead of on the computer! In what direction is modernization taking them? If we could envision the future state of these countries, is America really the model?
It would be nice to think that we could learn from the West's mistakes and help these countries grow into something more balanced and holistic than our countries are. A country that stays grounded rather than swimming in excess and one that looks after its environment. But alas, it's not likely to happen that way: there isn't someone in charge of Development across the globe that is looking at development and its problems as a larger system. (Oh where are our systems engineers when you need them?). Already, families here watch TV 24/7 and eat Pringles. Modern packaging - plastic of all kinds - litters the streets. ETC.
Where we will turn in 50 years to observe and experience authentic, untainted, and dare I say, happy, societies? Are there enough remote tribes to quell the desires of searching travelers, and once they are found, how soon else will they become tainted? Because unfortunately and ironically, tourism is the numero uno way (or is it TV?) to kick off the process of modernization.
It's not all that bleak. But there is a wonderful and interesting world out there - and a lot that we "lucky" ones - people born in modern countries - can learn from it. Maybe by taking back some of their old world ways, we can make our own societies, and lives, more balanced.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Last Stop on the Bamboo Train
Happy to leave Siem Reap, a town that seems to revolve around tourism, I arrived in Battambang. Although I appreciated the ability to eat ice cream, muffins and party with western tourists, I was ready for real Cambodia again. I dont really dig towns where the energy of the locals revolves around tourism, I much prefer to be a spectator of the local cycles and energy of a town.
Battambang was unassuming when I arrived: the usual dusty streets, rather busy, a bigger town then I expected. I spent the first night wandering around. I was lucky to hit the long riverside park around dusk to see the local people doing aerobic routines en masse (a hilarious and surprising sight the first time you see it) and enjoy the scene of everyone gathering to snack at the street vendors there. Other than that I was a little unsure how I would spend my time in Battambang: My next and last stop would be Bangkok and I didnt want to rush out of Battambang only to be stuck in Bangkok for too many days. Plus it would be my last stop in beloved Cambodia.
I remember an offer I received from a couple I met in Kratie. Maurin and Eddie were volunteering at an NGO in Battambang, called FEDA, which is a school, and were starting a kayaking project for tourists. So I hauled myself 11K out of town to participate in kayaking. When I got there, I was happy to learn I wasn't the only person: I met Jerry, a professional storyteller, clown, teacher, among other things, from California. We got a tour of the FEDA school then hit the kayaks. It was a rather long journey down the river, about 3 hours (thankfully a local FEDA rep was paddling with me), with a few pit stops to play with the locals kids who were swimming in the river. Jerry had brought with him a bag of tricks, literally. He would whip out a scarf to hide in his hand and recover under one of the kids shirts, a paper bag in which he would throw an imaginary ball that made a sound when hitting the bag, hide a pen in his ear, etc. Even just having a ball, we could play catch with the kids. It was great fun. I never thought of magic tricks as a way of connecting with people who dont speak your language.
That afternoon and next two, we took tuk tuk rides through the countryside and saw a variety of sights: a few wats (temples), small workshops (woodcarving, stone masonry - both amazing to witness, rice paper making), the bamboo train (a clever contraption created by the local people that takes advantage of the rail tracks...like riding a flat version of the rickety Astroland roller coaster) , and ending on the third day with a hike up a hill to a majestic wat.
Two experiences stand out on those trips. On the first day, me, Jerry and the tuk tuk were caught in a huge thunderstorm. We took shelter under a the tarp of a small restaurant and there our driver offered to tell us his story of surviving the Khmer Rouge. Fascinating and so deeply touching. It seems like such a cliche to use the phrase, but how else to describe the feeling when someone's story can really stir up deep emotions and sympathy? After the story, we took off on tuk tuk again, but the rain came stronger. This time we were forced to dock at the home of a local family who lived off the road. They kindly invited us in. We removed our shoes and sat on a wooden platform about waist high, with no front wall, that served as their living room. They turned on a florescent flashlight. (I wondered how they spend their evenings typically - 10 people sitting in the dark quietly?) We smiled and they smiled and we all just sat there in silence for a few minutes. Then Jerry took to his routines, this time telling some folktakes, translated by our driver, doing origami, and more tricks. They seemed very happy to have us there, despite their calm demeanor. It was a wonderful night.
The second moving experience of the trip was at the Killing Cave. On that last hike when we climbed up to the wat, we stopped at the Killing Cave, where the Khmer Rouge took women, children the the elderly to be slaughtered. A chilling place. Sitting in a dark pit a few stories below ground level, looking at a pile of human bones, you are overcome with feelings. Such sadness and sympathy. As hard as it was, it feels important to reflect on what happened, to feel some unity with the people who passed.
For the second day of the tour, we picked up a couple that we met in a cooking class: Thea and Raminder. They were from California, a dentist and physical therapist, respectively. They came on the trip up to the wat and killing cave and on the bamboo train. They were really cool and together the four of us had a great time. Jerry would also whip out his tricks for the kids in the villages. One day we visited another NGO called Don Brasco, a catholic organization worldwide, that is doing amazing work for local children outside battambang. We met his German guy, a farmer in his 70s who volunteers in agriculture projects related to the organization. He has participated 7 years in a row, since retiring. I was really touched and inspired by him. I hope I can do as much good in my life.
And yes - the cooking class! We took a class at "Smokin' Pot" which was great, where we met Thea and Raminder. It was the cheapest and best class so far. They even gave us a printed cookbook :)
The finale of the Battambang trip was a night at the circus. Run by another NGO, Phare, from France, the circus is one of a number of classes offered to local kids to train them in the arts. A wonderful concept - I dont know how to explain it in a way that doesn't sound cheesy, but the arts are so valuable, making people feel rich on the inside. We can choose to help the the poor by providing basic material needs, and that is so important, but dont they also deserve the luxury of self-expression and beauty? Prior to the circus was an art exhibit that blew my socks off. The paintings were advanced conceptually as well as technically. The circus was also a delight. It focused on acrobatics and flexibility, as well as juggling and balance. There was an overarching theme of "school days" and plenty of humor strung throughout. Maurin and Eddie from the kayaking place where there, as well as Thea, Raminder and Jerry - the whole Battambang family!
I was glad to be able to leave Cambodia, and essentially end my trip, on such a good note. I hope I can keep the feelings I had on this last day vivid inside, to combat the upcoming onslaught of decisions and reality that surely awaits me at home. Of course, many good and exciting things await me at home too. I feel very lucky to be able to go back to a "new" life. So new, in fact, that it's not even conceived yet :)
Battambang was unassuming when I arrived: the usual dusty streets, rather busy, a bigger town then I expected. I spent the first night wandering around. I was lucky to hit the long riverside park around dusk to see the local people doing aerobic routines en masse (a hilarious and surprising sight the first time you see it) and enjoy the scene of everyone gathering to snack at the street vendors there. Other than that I was a little unsure how I would spend my time in Battambang: My next and last stop would be Bangkok and I didnt want to rush out of Battambang only to be stuck in Bangkok for too many days. Plus it would be my last stop in beloved Cambodia.
I remember an offer I received from a couple I met in Kratie. Maurin and Eddie were volunteering at an NGO in Battambang, called FEDA, which is a school, and were starting a kayaking project for tourists. So I hauled myself 11K out of town to participate in kayaking. When I got there, I was happy to learn I wasn't the only person: I met Jerry, a professional storyteller, clown, teacher, among other things, from California. We got a tour of the FEDA school then hit the kayaks. It was a rather long journey down the river, about 3 hours (thankfully a local FEDA rep was paddling with me), with a few pit stops to play with the locals kids who were swimming in the river. Jerry had brought with him a bag of tricks, literally. He would whip out a scarf to hide in his hand and recover under one of the kids shirts, a paper bag in which he would throw an imaginary ball that made a sound when hitting the bag, hide a pen in his ear, etc. Even just having a ball, we could play catch with the kids. It was great fun. I never thought of magic tricks as a way of connecting with people who dont speak your language.
That afternoon and next two, we took tuk tuk rides through the countryside and saw a variety of sights: a few wats (temples), small workshops (woodcarving, stone masonry - both amazing to witness, rice paper making), the bamboo train (a clever contraption created by the local people that takes advantage of the rail tracks...like riding a flat version of the rickety Astroland roller coaster) , and ending on the third day with a hike up a hill to a majestic wat.
Two experiences stand out on those trips. On the first day, me, Jerry and the tuk tuk were caught in a huge thunderstorm. We took shelter under a the tarp of a small restaurant and there our driver offered to tell us his story of surviving the Khmer Rouge. Fascinating and so deeply touching. It seems like such a cliche to use the phrase, but how else to describe the feeling when someone's story can really stir up deep emotions and sympathy? After the story, we took off on tuk tuk again, but the rain came stronger. This time we were forced to dock at the home of a local family who lived off the road. They kindly invited us in. We removed our shoes and sat on a wooden platform about waist high, with no front wall, that served as their living room. They turned on a florescent flashlight. (I wondered how they spend their evenings typically - 10 people sitting in the dark quietly?) We smiled and they smiled and we all just sat there in silence for a few minutes. Then Jerry took to his routines, this time telling some folktakes, translated by our driver, doing origami, and more tricks. They seemed very happy to have us there, despite their calm demeanor. It was a wonderful night.
The second moving experience of the trip was at the Killing Cave. On that last hike when we climbed up to the wat, we stopped at the Killing Cave, where the Khmer Rouge took women, children the the elderly to be slaughtered. A chilling place. Sitting in a dark pit a few stories below ground level, looking at a pile of human bones, you are overcome with feelings. Such sadness and sympathy. As hard as it was, it feels important to reflect on what happened, to feel some unity with the people who passed.
For the second day of the tour, we picked up a couple that we met in a cooking class: Thea and Raminder. They were from California, a dentist and physical therapist, respectively. They came on the trip up to the wat and killing cave and on the bamboo train. They were really cool and together the four of us had a great time. Jerry would also whip out his tricks for the kids in the villages. One day we visited another NGO called Don Brasco, a catholic organization worldwide, that is doing amazing work for local children outside battambang. We met his German guy, a farmer in his 70s who volunteers in agriculture projects related to the organization. He has participated 7 years in a row, since retiring. I was really touched and inspired by him. I hope I can do as much good in my life.
And yes - the cooking class! We took a class at "Smokin' Pot" which was great, where we met Thea and Raminder. It was the cheapest and best class so far. They even gave us a printed cookbook :)
The finale of the Battambang trip was a night at the circus. Run by another NGO, Phare, from France, the circus is one of a number of classes offered to local kids to train them in the arts. A wonderful concept - I dont know how to explain it in a way that doesn't sound cheesy, but the arts are so valuable, making people feel rich on the inside. We can choose to help the the poor by providing basic material needs, and that is so important, but dont they also deserve the luxury of self-expression and beauty? Prior to the circus was an art exhibit that blew my socks off. The paintings were advanced conceptually as well as technically. The circus was also a delight. It focused on acrobatics and flexibility, as well as juggling and balance. There was an overarching theme of "school days" and plenty of humor strung throughout. Maurin and Eddie from the kayaking place where there, as well as Thea, Raminder and Jerry - the whole Battambang family!
I was glad to be able to leave Cambodia, and essentially end my trip, on such a good note. I hope I can keep the feelings I had on this last day vivid inside, to combat the upcoming onslaught of decisions and reality that surely awaits me at home. Of course, many good and exciting things await me at home too. I feel very lucky to be able to go back to a "new" life. So new, in fact, that it's not even conceived yet :)
Monday, March 16, 2009
Heat and History
Over the course of two days, in ambient 96 degree weather, I explored Angkor Wat and the many other ruins nearby. I can approxinate I saw around 15 sites. The first day me and my motorbike driver tackled the outer site. The make-or-break experience at a site is, decidedly, the number of other tourists there. (Second priority is the time of day - to get the best light :-). Being able to walk through a huge vaulted stone hallway, following the bas relief stories on the wall, accompanied only by the sound of your feet shuffling on the sandy floor and the sun shining through the archways, is meditative and inspiring. To be in the same place with other tourists (especially the dreaded tour bus groups!) is completely another experience, and one I would almost rather not have altogether. The outer temples are more green and tourist concentration is more random, so the 10-hour day breezed by.
The ruins are fascinating on many levels. The visual appearance is overwhelming: monstrous sizes, amount of damage, interwining of the jumgle, etc. One of a kind. But the real intrigue comes when you engage your imagination : What did this building and city look like in its prime? Who walked in these halls and on what business? Then the ultimate question: How could it all come to this - a pile of ruins, practically forgotten and arguably irrelevant in the modern world?
It seems unfathomable for a massive civilization to fall. But it's happend time and again and the world hasn't ended. We are still here after Rome and Egypt's fell. It seems like any event that huge must have some important lesson. The only one that stands out is the seeming fact that our civilization isn't protected or special either. The concept of life, and all aspects of it, having cycles is one of the most basic and undeniable truths. (this applies outside the realm of living things....the earth revolves around the sun, after all). Like seeing a ghost, we are reminded of our own numbered days. In face of our own death, we can decide how to live differently, but what about for a civilization? Such a huge system is not easily controlled. Can we control it at all, even if we knew what we wanted to do with it? Or decline just an inevitable truth that we are better off forgetting about?
The second day I spent at the hardcore sites: Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. I arrived at Angkor Wat at 7:30am and it turned out to be a perfect time- I was glad to have some of Angkor Wat to myself. The rest of the day I saw the numerous structures at Angkor Thom, which is (was) a huge walled city. While amazing (some of the most impressive structures here), the mid-day sun and number of tourists and touting wore me down. Touting from children selling books, jewlery, following you into the temples, woman selling pinepples, cold drinks, and amputees asking for money. It's not like in America where we have welfare and social security, and where many people are the creators of their problems; these people really have nothing and you can't blame them. I gave a lot of money, on a Cambodian scale, to the people throughout the two days. After 7 hours, a mere halfday for the diehards, I was ready to say goodbye to the temples.
My days are numbered in Cambodia: 5. I am trying not to think about it :( Off to Battambang tomorrow, then Bangkok for my flight to Rome...where I am spending 10 days in Italy with Frank!
The ruins are fascinating on many levels. The visual appearance is overwhelming: monstrous sizes, amount of damage, interwining of the jumgle, etc. One of a kind. But the real intrigue comes when you engage your imagination : What did this building and city look like in its prime? Who walked in these halls and on what business? Then the ultimate question: How could it all come to this - a pile of ruins, practically forgotten and arguably irrelevant in the modern world?
It seems unfathomable for a massive civilization to fall. But it's happend time and again and the world hasn't ended. We are still here after Rome and Egypt's fell. It seems like any event that huge must have some important lesson. The only one that stands out is the seeming fact that our civilization isn't protected or special either. The concept of life, and all aspects of it, having cycles is one of the most basic and undeniable truths. (this applies outside the realm of living things....the earth revolves around the sun, after all). Like seeing a ghost, we are reminded of our own numbered days. In face of our own death, we can decide how to live differently, but what about for a civilization? Such a huge system is not easily controlled. Can we control it at all, even if we knew what we wanted to do with it? Or decline just an inevitable truth that we are better off forgetting about?
The second day I spent at the hardcore sites: Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. I arrived at Angkor Wat at 7:30am and it turned out to be a perfect time- I was glad to have some of Angkor Wat to myself. The rest of the day I saw the numerous structures at Angkor Thom, which is (was) a huge walled city. While amazing (some of the most impressive structures here), the mid-day sun and number of tourists and touting wore me down. Touting from children selling books, jewlery, following you into the temples, woman selling pinepples, cold drinks, and amputees asking for money. It's not like in America where we have welfare and social security, and where many people are the creators of their problems; these people really have nothing and you can't blame them. I gave a lot of money, on a Cambodian scale, to the people throughout the two days. After 7 hours, a mere halfday for the diehards, I was ready to say goodbye to the temples.
My days are numbered in Cambodia: 5. I am trying not to think about it :( Off to Battambang tomorrow, then Bangkok for my flight to Rome...where I am spending 10 days in Italy with Frank!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
And It Got Better
Kep continued to please and surprise. I ate the crab market that first night with a friend I met, Patrick. We each ordered a heaping plate of crabs - mine sauteed in ginger, his grilled and we split the plates. Amazing food, and fun to eat.
The next morning I boarded a boat to Rabbit Island, off of mainland Kep. I met two German guys, Thilo and Guido. They are from Berlin, but Thilo is part owner at one of the guesthouses on Otres beach, the remarkable beach I stayed just a few days before. We had a great time together on the island - took a longer than expected walk around the island, meeting some local people, navigating rocky shores and resting on the beach when needed. I stayed in a bungalow for $5 (I still get excited by the cheaper-than-US prices). There was a Spanish couple running the guesthouse, helping the Cambodian owners, for a few months and it was nice meeting them. The woman was very warm and welcoming. She owns two restaurants in Spain and at night she cooked us dinner. We ordered "whatever she was having," which happened to be a grilled squid, sauteed shrimp, and a heaping plate of stir-fried rice with vegetables. And of course, Angkor beer to wash it down. We spent the rest of the night talking, the Berliners telling me hilarious stories about their travels. They have been traveling together for over 10 years.
I was happy to spend the night in the bungalow. The day on the island was peaceful and jovial, and the sound of the waves at night was the perfect end to the day.
The next morning I dined on stale bread and sour mangoes that the island kids picked for us. A meager meal since there are no banks in Kep and I had 6 bucks to my name. Thilo was kind and lent me some of his nutella :) To my surprise and appreciation, when we checked out and paid the bill, the Berliners treated me for dinner the previous night. It was incredibly sweet and I hope to return the favor in Berlin sometime soon :)
The boat to the mainland left early, leaving me a few hours to kill before the bus to Phnom Penh. I started chatting with a motorbike driver, Menassy, who the Berliners knew. We got to talking and he asked if I wanted to ride around to see the countryside. How much? I asked, and he said free. Why? He laughed and said he didnt know, he just wanted to because I was nice. (I had told him I had a boyfriend and Cambodians seems to respect that). So we went for a ride. I told him I would buy him lunch, so we went to a local place outside of town. It was fun. At places like that, you feel a bit like a celebrity. Young guys look and laugh with their friends and older guys are straight-faced until you smile at them or say hi, then they give you a genuine grim. We ate a delicious meal. $3 total for the two of us and we had grilled fish with ginger, rice, soup and two iced coffees :)
Menassy and I chatted throughout the ride. He was born just after the Khmer Rouge and his parents died when he was a child. He was raised in the orphanage nearby. Now he teaches French in the mornings and works at a bar/guesthouse as night. I was honored he was showing me his country, and it was beautiful. At one point it started to rain heavily, so we pulled off the road and joined a family in their covered, wall-less living room. Without much talk, they smiled and pulled up some chairs. A younger pregnant woman sat picking mint leaves off the stems, another sat breastfeeding a baby, with two older woman there calmly watching the rain and their family. Menassy and I slid right into their quiet life. I was thankful to be there. The generosity of the Khmer people, or Vietnamese or Laos people for that matter, is tremendous. There is never a second thought to help someone else out. (Ha, I often imagine certain scenes being relived in the US and how they would turn out....)
I took the 4 hour bus ride to Phnom Penh. I sat next to a young guy who seemed "cool" - urban looking trucker hat, tight jeans, etc. Some of the young guys dress pretty cool. He barely spoke english but we managed to exchange a few words. The bus was playing the usual Khmer music videos or comedy routines (which seem awful but who am I to judge) so I put on my ipod. I saw him checking it out so I offered him one of my earbuds. We listened together the whole 4 hours. I played basically whatever I wanted but I tried to play some stuff I thought he would know or like. I think the only thing he actually recognized was a Justin Timberlake song, but he seemed to like more clubby upbeat music. Anyway, it was just nice. Nothing else - chilling together and rocking out to music.
In Phnom Penh for the second time, I decided to stay in a different part of town, somewhere more local feeling. Thankfully I made a good choice on the area (guesthouse was average). Right on the corner there was a happening local restaurant, an upgrade from the usual local haunts, which are usually pretty bare bones, but not a tourist place. Red flags for Angkor beer all around and Khmer music playing, lots of tables of young people and adults talking and sharing food. I ate alone, but then started chatting with this young guy who was essentially the motorbike valet for the restaurant. He was having a beer with one of the "regulars", a middle-aged guy who was pretty drunk. We had a good time. The older guy was always chinking glasses, pouring us beer, and feeding us bar snacks. Me and vishna (?) the valet guy just laughed and chatted. (I asked him if liked Ameircan music. Strangely enough he knew only Jack Johnson and Santana...why?) I love how people here are always friendly and ready to chat. Not just with westerners, but also with other Cambodians, I have noticed. It is just their way. I didn't stay too long, but it was nice to share some beers with locals and have a good laugh with them.
The amount of sharing I experienced in a single day struck me - from eating nutella in the morning, being treated for dinner, sharing lunch, riding free, sheltering from the rain, playing music, and drinking ever-flowing Angkor. People I barely knew, in a convential sense, were so willing and wanting to share with me, and me with them. What an amazing capacity we have to open up and connect with others, and a need to do so. A simple gesture of generosity does the trick, no matter what language you speak. If ever a day had a lesson!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
My Retreat
I spent the last 4 days on a vacation from my vacation: Sihanoukville. The two sections of the town - one average beach with lots of tourism and one beautiful beach with relative isolation - each have their benefits (fun on the former, tranquility on the latter). But neither side feels very "cambodian." That said, I enjoyed them for what they were.
Arriving off the bus, disoriented as usual, I walked about a mile to the main (touristy) beach, called Serendipity, with an English couple, Charlotte and Tony. Encumbered with backpacks you can't always scan the whole town before deciding on a guesthouse and this particular weekend, many of them were full or overpriced. So I was happy to find a quiet bungalow for $9 on the dirt road leading to the beach.
Charlotte and Tony and I had a nice dinner the first night of steak and french fries. It's not "local food" per se, but the steak was cooked on a grill right next to us - we couldnt pass up fresh and simply cooked food. To give you a flavor of the non-Cambodian-ness of this beach, observe a few other meals I had: (1) traditional English Sunday roast (delish) (2) croissant for breakfast from a French bakery (oh the joy when I noticed that place!) (3) blue cheese and butter baguette (yes from the same place). (4) ice cream from a german-run vendor). To redeem myself I tried a few local things: fresh spring rolls and grilled squid from the vendor on the beach and the always intriguing and stinky durian fruit (thanks to my friend who was craving it).
I met some cool people - starting with nephew of the guesthouse (called Mohachai) who was Dutch. I was lucky to run into him at a bar one night after Charlotte and Tony went home, so I had someone to get a drink with. Of course that lead to meeting more people, a funny British woman, and we went out the rest of the night. I also made friends with Noam from Israel, who we ended up hanging out with the next day and smoking hooka with that following evening.
My first day on the beach coincided with International Women's Day. I have never heard of this day, but Cambodia surely honors it. I walked down to the local / Khmer section of the beach to get away from the tourists and I'm glad I did. I ended up making friends with this sweet 20-year-old local girl, Anat, who works in town. We chatted and swam and also hung out with a German couple who frequents the beach every year and knows the locals. It was a good day. I made a trip out to her store the following day (where I had the ice cream) and we chilled there for an hour or so. She is really sweet. She wanted to be a nurse but her family has not enough money (2000 per year) so she must be resigned to work in a shoe store. Man, one thing I would love to do for this country is have a scholarship program - how easy would that be? I have met so many talented, english-speaking young people on my trip who can't afford further education. Tourism, retail are their best options. Without education, how else can we expect the country to progress? Even if the level of education isn't as good as other countries, it surely must add something, and it can't stop at the high school level, which is where it seems many NGO's focus.
Well, after 3 days staying on the main / touristic beach, I moved to Otres beach. Just a few minute motorbike ride down the strip, Otres beach is absolutely stunning. After spending the day there, Charlotte, Tony and I moved there for the fourth night. Noam, my Israeli friend, had another friend who owns two bungalows and they let me stay for free. It was heaven. Just a beach chair, small table, bungalow, the sand and me. In front a wide sea dotted with a small, green island.
I left Sihanouville today and landed in Kep, via an shoddy old Toyota. Kep is as charming as Otres beach but used to be quite happening as a local and expat getaway. It is now a shell of what is once was due to the wrath of the Khmer Rouge. The beautiful wide roads, that once saw more traffic, wind along the beach, opposite a row of empty villas on overgrown lots where the rich once vacationed. I rode along the beach today on a bike. Tonite I'll get some fresh seafood - Kep is known for it and tomorrow I take a boat to stay a night on Rabbit Island, as its called, which should be even more magical. Days like the last few, I wonder - how is it that I am I allowed to experience such beauty and tranquility? Isn't life suppoosed to be hard? Well, before anything takes it away, I will soak it in.
Arriving off the bus, disoriented as usual, I walked about a mile to the main (touristy) beach, called Serendipity, with an English couple, Charlotte and Tony. Encumbered with backpacks you can't always scan the whole town before deciding on a guesthouse and this particular weekend, many of them were full or overpriced. So I was happy to find a quiet bungalow for $9 on the dirt road leading to the beach.
Charlotte and Tony and I had a nice dinner the first night of steak and french fries. It's not "local food" per se, but the steak was cooked on a grill right next to us - we couldnt pass up fresh and simply cooked food. To give you a flavor of the non-Cambodian-ness of this beach, observe a few other meals I had: (1) traditional English Sunday roast (delish) (2) croissant for breakfast from a French bakery (oh the joy when I noticed that place!) (3) blue cheese and butter baguette (yes from the same place). (4) ice cream from a german-run vendor). To redeem myself I tried a few local things: fresh spring rolls and grilled squid from the vendor on the beach and the always intriguing and stinky durian fruit (thanks to my friend who was craving it).
I met some cool people - starting with nephew of the guesthouse (called Mohachai) who was Dutch. I was lucky to run into him at a bar one night after Charlotte and Tony went home, so I had someone to get a drink with. Of course that lead to meeting more people, a funny British woman, and we went out the rest of the night. I also made friends with Noam from Israel, who we ended up hanging out with the next day and smoking hooka with that following evening.
My first day on the beach coincided with International Women's Day. I have never heard of this day, but Cambodia surely honors it. I walked down to the local / Khmer section of the beach to get away from the tourists and I'm glad I did. I ended up making friends with this sweet 20-year-old local girl, Anat, who works in town. We chatted and swam and also hung out with a German couple who frequents the beach every year and knows the locals. It was a good day. I made a trip out to her store the following day (where I had the ice cream) and we chilled there for an hour or so. She is really sweet. She wanted to be a nurse but her family has not enough money (2000 per year) so she must be resigned to work in a shoe store. Man, one thing I would love to do for this country is have a scholarship program - how easy would that be? I have met so many talented, english-speaking young people on my trip who can't afford further education. Tourism, retail are their best options. Without education, how else can we expect the country to progress? Even if the level of education isn't as good as other countries, it surely must add something, and it can't stop at the high school level, which is where it seems many NGO's focus.
Well, after 3 days staying on the main / touristic beach, I moved to Otres beach. Just a few minute motorbike ride down the strip, Otres beach is absolutely stunning. After spending the day there, Charlotte, Tony and I moved there for the fourth night. Noam, my Israeli friend, had another friend who owns two bungalows and they let me stay for free. It was heaven. Just a beach chair, small table, bungalow, the sand and me. In front a wide sea dotted with a small, green island.
I left Sihanouville today and landed in Kep, via an shoddy old Toyota. Kep is as charming as Otres beach but used to be quite happening as a local and expat getaway. It is now a shell of what is once was due to the wrath of the Khmer Rouge. The beautiful wide roads, that once saw more traffic, wind along the beach, opposite a row of empty villas on overgrown lots where the rich once vacationed. I rode along the beach today on a bike. Tonite I'll get some fresh seafood - Kep is known for it and tomorrow I take a boat to stay a night on Rabbit Island, as its called, which should be even more magical. Days like the last few, I wonder - how is it that I am I allowed to experience such beauty and tranquility? Isn't life suppoosed to be hard? Well, before anything takes it away, I will soak it in.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Cambodia
What to say about Cambodia! It's amazing how every country in this relatively tiny region of the planet can be so different. Vietnam has the Chinese influence, Laos' influence from Thailand and Cambodia's from India...although much altered from their sources over time. There are hints in the food, language, people's faces, dress. All three have sad, war-torn pasts, however, Cambodia's Khmer Rouge puts an even sadder, more distinct scar on the country.
The Kmher Rouge was in the recent past: 1975-1979 (Read about it). Coming here you can at once see the past turmoil and future that is growing sporadically on top of it. This unsteady, slightly chaotic feeling is absent in Laos and Vietnam: Vietnam's communism creates some order and control, and Laos, although still struggling, seems resigned (nay, happy?) with their situation, moving along a slow evolution. Cambodia, on the other hand, shows signs of poverty and disorder more obviously. ..more like what I noticed about India (although I would put India much further down on this scale of poverty and disorder. Ppopulation difference is probably a major factor). Here I have seen more beggars in urban centers, more desperate attempts for people to sell you things on the street or give you motorbike / tuk tuk rides, more trash all over. In general, more people here seem to have street smarts about them. Which is expected: These people have seen it all. I suppose most people over 30 were here for the Khmer Rouge, and today Cambodia is on the short list for most corrupt governments. (The known evidence: there are far more cars here and in Laos or Vietnam, earned through corruption). Despite all this, the people are wonderful, like India. Warm, friendly, and no, not always trying to get your money. Even more so than Vietnam/Laos, we have had people chatting us up, introducing themselves and honestly wanting to share their country with us. (Actually it seems more people here speak decent-enough English. It's customary for them to greet us with Hello in english rather than in Khmer. It wasn't like this in Laos/Vietnam)
I spent the first two days, after crossing the border by bus, in Kratie, another sweet riverside town. One day I took a boat across the Mekong to a quiet, rural island and rode my bike around, saying hello to the wonderful locals along the path. I later took a boat tour 15km outside town to see the Irrawaddy river dolphins. They are an endangered and rare dolphin that lives here. There are only 65 left? They look like regular dolphin with the nose chopped off. Very cool. We got to see them around sunset which was nice.
I am now in Phnom Penh, the vibrant capital of Cambodia. I love it here. It's funny how travelers opinions can vary so much: many people advised to skip it, said there wasnt much there, too many people/poverty, etc. But to me, its great. You hear so many opionions, better to find out for yourself :)
I'll write more later on this. Off to bed!
The Kmher Rouge was in the recent past: 1975-1979 (Read about it). Coming here you can at once see the past turmoil and future that is growing sporadically on top of it. This unsteady, slightly chaotic feeling is absent in Laos and Vietnam: Vietnam's communism creates some order and control, and Laos, although still struggling, seems resigned (nay, happy?) with their situation, moving along a slow evolution. Cambodia, on the other hand, shows signs of poverty and disorder more obviously. ..more like what I noticed about India (although I would put India much further down on this scale of poverty and disorder. Ppopulation difference is probably a major factor). Here I have seen more beggars in urban centers, more desperate attempts for people to sell you things on the street or give you motorbike / tuk tuk rides, more trash all over. In general, more people here seem to have street smarts about them. Which is expected: These people have seen it all. I suppose most people over 30 were here for the Khmer Rouge, and today Cambodia is on the short list for most corrupt governments. (The known evidence: there are far more cars here and in Laos or Vietnam, earned through corruption). Despite all this, the people are wonderful, like India. Warm, friendly, and no, not always trying to get your money. Even more so than Vietnam/Laos, we have had people chatting us up, introducing themselves and honestly wanting to share their country with us. (Actually it seems more people here speak decent-enough English. It's customary for them to greet us with Hello in english rather than in Khmer. It wasn't like this in Laos/Vietnam)
I spent the first two days, after crossing the border by bus, in Kratie, another sweet riverside town. One day I took a boat across the Mekong to a quiet, rural island and rode my bike around, saying hello to the wonderful locals along the path. I later took a boat tour 15km outside town to see the Irrawaddy river dolphins. They are an endangered and rare dolphin that lives here. There are only 65 left? They look like regular dolphin with the nose chopped off. Very cool. We got to see them around sunset which was nice.
I am now in Phnom Penh, the vibrant capital of Cambodia. I love it here. It's funny how travelers opinions can vary so much: many people advised to skip it, said there wasnt much there, too many people/poverty, etc. But to me, its great. You hear so many opionions, better to find out for yourself :)
I'll write more later on this. Off to bed!
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