The entire purpose of blogging about one's insane trip to Asia is to remember all of the fascinating details that always slip too easily and quickly from memory.
Unfortunately, (apparently sometime in April), "real" life took over again and thoughts of the exotic winter month experience were pushed aside for auditions, babysitting, dog, performances, workshops, classes, meetings, greetings, etc.
Chicago is finally beginning to consistently offer sunshine and warm climate in which to thrive out in the world.
But the memory flashes of living a full month in a whole different world (and the same two shirts, one pair of pants or one skirt for 37 straight, filthy days) suddenly pull me into a pensive state of attempting to piece back all of the strange bits of daily stories.
If anyone was following this blog (around six months ago) I'm sure they've long gotten over reading the rest of the little details of the events of 1/11-2/17.. Except for PJ & Pa, who adorably still wonder when this blog mulling over the little moments will return.
She's back! Let's hope to find the time to sit and remember soon enough to get it all down before the best bits slip away.
So -- we were right around Phnom Penh, Cambodia:
The morning we awoke to take the bus from Saigon (quite eager to vacate the bug/bat/sex worker infested hotel... they seemed surprised when we arrived at night and innocently had no lady with us and wanted to pay for a "full night" at this shockingly available spot in the center of town).. we walked to find a quick breakfast for our first and last morning in Ho Chi Minh City. Unfortunately, KG discovered Mexican inspired breakfast isn't as delicious in Asia.
We boarded our bus and were on our way out of the country, feeling quite ready for a new one after the 36 hour bus journey south to the exit the day before.
After reading so many horror stories on other backpacker's blogs about passport/visa/money scams, it was a little terrifying to watch the bus worker man approach each passenger and ask for their passport and the money required for purchasing a visa (KG and I already had our e-visas purchased, so we handed over our documents and sweat, hoping for the best). The bus company seemed clean and professional (with water bottles at every seat, with their company name on the label)
Thankfully, departing Vietnam customs and entering through the Cambodian side went smoothly for all passengers, and no passports were ran away with. Also, while waiting for the last of the passengers to get through and re-board the bus, we bought our first sugarcane juice from a couple who had set up shop in the parking lot. Tasty.
I remember the bus journey taking longer than warned, which was what we'd come to expect by now.
When we took a break at our first bus stop, we were swarmed with a group of beggars. I gave the woman with the baby some of my Vietnamese dong, and the shock and gratitude was prominent on all of their faces. The annoyance was evident on the faces of the other locals and the bus driver. Cambodia is the poorest country we went to, and there were often beggars -- we quickly noticed that they were frequently women with children they forced to lay on the ground and feign illness.
Out the bus window, we saw how much of the countryside has fallen victim to "flash farming", where the farmer burns the ground to somehow increase farming potential. A lot of the tropical beauty is pretty barren, but it the stilt houses and countryside are still lovely and fascinating. (One of the unfortunate situations the constantly barren ground offered was no cover for the ladies on the bus to take advantage of -- the gents were able to ask the driver to pull over for a pit stop, and as they're able to keep their pants up, all bus passengers only had opportunity to stare at their backs as the local cows came for over a sniff....)
We'd also been advised to sample the fried tarantulas popular in more rural parts of Cambodia, and we got our first glimpse of a table piled high with the delicacy. Though tempted by the adventurous idea of chomping on a tarantula leg, it didn't seem right for this to happen at a bus stop with at least two hours of bus travel left. Sadly, we never saw another such table NOT at a bus stop. So no tarantula legs were chomped on during the course of the trip. (Though stay tuned -- if we make it all the way to the last night in Bangkok, you may just read about some variety of icky leg chomping!)
When we arrived in Phnom Penh (the central market) we were swarmed once more, this time with tuk-tuk men. After our first traumatic tuk-tuk experience, we were quite eager to explore by our own feet. We found one of the recommended hotels (a nice place with bathroom, big comfy bed, tv, closet, nearby hallway balcony -- less than $15 a night) then ventured out to explore the city. It was already dark, and we'd heard the city wasn't to be trifled with, so we locked our passports etc. in the safe at the front desk. (Sadly, our initial loss in the early Bangkok scam, a wallet fell out of a bag on the bus... full of a second sum of lost money. Not near as much as the first, but every bit hurts when you are living such a frugal life as to settle for a $6 room with a bat.)
We walked until we found what looked like a cafe, near the river. There was a dapper french man and a few beautiful women chatting in the patio seats. Laughing, being fabulous. We awkwardly stood around in front of them, hoping they'd invite us into the dark cafe. "Em.. Can wee 'elp yew?" We explained we had only Vietnamese Dong and wished to somehow purchase a Cambodian dinner. The intimidating french cafe owner called over to Western Union on his cell and told us to hurry back with the cash and they'd fix us a meal. We hurried away from the downward over-the-nose glances from the ethnically ambiguous super models at his table and told ourselves we'd take their directions to Western Union, then take our business somewhere less frightening.
We sneakily ate at the delightful classy restaurant around the corner, out in the open air a bit with the (now constant and comforting) company of geckos slithering about the walls all around. We ate Fish Amok, Cambodian specialty (by now realizing Cambodian cuisine to be a bit more exciting than the more bland Vietnamese food)... it was delicious, though the picking the bones out of the mouth thing is not my favorite.
The next morning we had only one plan: to walk to Tuol Sleng. We left the hotel in the morning and started the sunny, beautiful walk towards the intense and horrific prison.
It was one of the most disturbing, touching, emotional, educational experiences I've ever had.
The prison is kept exactly as the Khmer Rouge left it, each torture room still containing the torture instruments left on the beds. The Vietnamese photographed the bodies the Rouge left behind, and placed each picture on the wall behind the bed.
After Tuol Sleng, we agreed we didn't need to continue on with our potential plans to The Killing Fields. We took in the mornings events at the Bodhi Tree Cafe directly across the street from the old school turned Prison. It was quaint and beautiful, an interesting transition from the dark building feet away.
After a sandwich and Amok, we were prepared to walk the city back toward the hotel. Walking to Tuol Sleng, taking it in, then walking back... it felt more than sufficient for the day.
It was one of the most memorable and moving days of the entire trip, and of my life.
On the walk back, we took in an "American" tuk-tuk, the Cambodian driver grinned with American Pride as he noticed us photographing his ride.
We also took pause at these scenic locations on the walk:
Phnom Penh was quite a city. It has such a tragic past, and though they preserve the remnants lest we ever forget the horror that took place, the surrounding city is filled with beauty and charm. The above statue is honoring the Vietnamese soldiers that liberated Cambodians from the Khmer Rouge.
Of all the cities we visited, I would say Phnom Penh may very well be my favorite.
We ended our (full and momentous) day with a pitcher of the local beer, sipping on a balcony overlooking the river. This day certainly stands out as one of the best.
