Phnum Liep & Pagoda Stay

     NOTE: There’s a new post below this one that should be read first…so, read it!

  Siem Reap, within reach yesterday, but in a relief of pressure, new destination set to Phnum Liep, the mid way point. The 105k to SR under ideal circumstances, an early start and little heat, would be easily conquered. My disgustingly late start though and the tremendous heat, made even the 60k to Phnum Liep a slog. My average somehow was still a very quick 27k, thanks to the lack of any grade deviance and a slight tail wind. Speedy but still could not get there quick enough, the heat was nearly unbearable. At the peak around 2p it was 43C in the sun (108F) and not much cooler in the shade (which was frustratingly absent on the highway; no bus shelters along the road like in Thailand). Either the temperature has really ballooned over the last month or there’s just something about Cambodia!

  I had been told by the guesthouse that, no problem, there was a place to stay in Phnum Liep. Arriving there, initially seeing nothing, returning for another scan, then another still seeing nothing, it was fairly clear there wasn’t a guesthouse (at least an advertised one). Started asking around, still feeling rather embarrassed and uncomfortable to not know any Khmer, I feel like I should’ve done more of my homework. First stop I totally struck out; they spoke no English and my mimed gestures for sleeping didn’t help at all. Second stop though, already a success. I started speaking some English and quickly someone was called forth who could apparently handle the situation. With a moderate command of English, I was told that unfortunately, nowhere to stay in the small town there and I’d have to go Siem Reap. But, I was invited to join the group of young men seated outside, to which I of course obliged, and a glass of Chinese ginseng wine was arranged in front of me. Thinking I may be forced to ride the remaining distance to Siem Reap, I was a bit hesitant to imbibe but also careful not to insult. Tasted alright actually, not as terrible as the last Chinese liquor I had; I politely covered my glass after the second shot which I’m sure otherwise would’ve been poured and poured.
  Chuop, my English speaking partner, says he’s staying at the pagoda nearby and music to my ears, I would be welcome to stay there as well. General chatting continues but soon enough, I’m being led by moto to this pagoda (a Buddhist temple, not sure why they refer to it as “pagoda” actually).

I’m shown around the grounds, introduced to the monks then shown the surrounding area including a wildly rickety bridge that motos cross with reckless abandon. We sit to enjoy some fresh sugar cane juice; I always enjoy watching the canes get mashed through the press, small engine roaring and belt drive smacking away. I’ve had cane juice in Thailand, Malaysia and now Cambodia and they all taste slightly different but by far, I enjoy this one the most.
  Dinner was what has already become typical for Cambodia: steamed white rice, a meat, and some kind of strange cooked vegetables. We did also have some fried small fish; sardines maybe, pretty good actually. Very simple meals; I at least enjoy them but I’m generally unparticular about what I eat.
  Desert next door was a bowl of shaved ice with condensed milk and various local fruit. Don’t know the name of it in Khmer but in Malaysia they simply called it ABC. Slurping this sweet dish, I had two tables of locals vying for my attention and a chance to practice their English.
I hardly got this feeling in Thailand: people here seem very eager to improve their English. And in fact, many more people seem to speak at least a little bit of English here than in Thailand.
One guy at the adjacent table is an English teacher at a non-profit and another works at a hotel, both are based in Siem Reap. All very friendly, I come away with several mobile numbers and e-mail addresses.
  New Year is somehow STILL going on and people were partying it up on the temple grounds. Unfortunately can’t say that Khmer music is any better than Thai; it sounds nearly identical actually.
  My sleeping arrangement was an army cot set outside the monks quarters which fortunately also had a mosquito net, all I needed.
  Thought I was getting an early start by waking up at 6a but I was surprised the sun had risen perhaps half an hour before; my timing was way off. Chuop and I walked to the market area and he saw me off after my many appreciative thanks. I biked around a bit thinking about where I should eat (and then WHAT I should even ask to eat, and how). I looked out of place, not surprisingly, and another moderate English speaker picked up on that and asked where I was going (the most common of questions in all of SE Asia I think). He recommended I sit to eat over “there”, a pointed finger at a crowded restaurant; crowds usually don’t lie, I wander over. Really wishing I spoke Khmer. Figure out the word for coffee is kafae, same as in Thai and many other languages, easy. Sit and observe for a while the standard fare being ordered then mosey up to the cooked rice container pointing to it and making a silly eating gesture (I hate these mimes but they get the job done). She, rice woman I’ll call her, points at some meat, and I nod my affirmation, sure, why not. I also end up with a bowl of soup stock and a small dish of delicious sweet pickled vegetables which I probably could’ve eaten as a main course. Awesome breakfast if you ask me!

  Off on my ride to Siem Reap, not much different than the day before but about 5-10 degrees cooler to my satisfaction. Still paved road, still children wildly calling hello and goodbye (sometimes in opposite order), hands thrashing the air. Certain times I might as well not even put my hand back on the handlebar I’m waving hello so much.

  I’ve been making sure to stock up on water before I leave a town, not knowing if any will be available on the route (no 7-11s every couple kilometer like in Thailand). But on this route at least, there are plenty of roadside "gas stations" which consist of not much more than usually a tiered stand of a dozen recycled liquor bottles filled with gasoline, and an ice chest with cans of soda, beer and water. Cola has been my drink of choice lately, in absence of any cane juice of course; have to keep sugars an salts up.
  Another fast average and arrived in Siem Reap at about 10a. Thought this advertisement for a film body Nikon SLR was interesting; sometimes you forget anything but digital exists anymore

  Lots of swanky hotels on the way into the city but was confident there would be budget options lurking further within. Checked the first gas station I found for a tourist guide but they were out so I took the next best course of action: guess. Randomly turned, turned again and started seraching down what I thought were quiet roads. Hard to tell what a guesthouse is like from the outside but at least you can try to find a quiet place. Found the creatively named #10 Guesthouse down a dead end street. Nice rooms with en suite bath, a nice lounge area and only 5 bucks; sold.
  I can’t imagine possibly doing a ride any longer than 60k like I did today. Its a pathetic distance if I’m to be honest but at the same time, I’m hardly a masochist. Given this heat, I think I can only enjoy the riding if I start at 5:30 and end by 9.
I had read online that a Cambodian SIM couldn’t be acquired with a resident ID card (or of course having a local just get one for you). Then I read that this wasn’t true anymore, but you needed to have them make a copy of your passport. But neither of these were true for me: I just walked up to a shop, asked for a SIM and $5 later it was mine.
  TV in this hotel room as well (I guess Cambodians find TV much more important to travelers than Thais do). Watching Discovery channel, a show about the new Bay Bridge. I knew a new bridge was going up but didn’t know there was so much progress already; this is my first time seeing the piers in place. Guess I really have been gone a while.
  Picked up "Catfish & Mandala" at Lost Books in Chiang Mai (amazing collection of books here, especially SE Asia oriented ones). Been reading and enjoying; great story about a Vietnamese American from San Jose riding the Pacific coast and then Vietnam. Of course even more interesting to read when you plan to do just about the same. I love a saying the author of the book picked up in his travels through Portland: "Ill see you when I see you". Been sharing it with some of the many I’ve been meeting but I unfortunately don’t think they understand the nuance.
  Tomorrow, Angkor! So much hype, I’ve reserved myself from too much excitement. Just going to wait and simply embrace the experience. I feel lucky though to have my own comfortable and well working bike to tour all the temple grounds with instead of some for-rent junker.
Boat to Battambang is $16 and they’ll take my bike without a problem but I’m worried about how long it takes and the level of comfort of the trip. People online seem to indicate that during dry season, the boats are liable to bottom out on the river and general slow going making for a 9+ hour journey. A travel office quoted me 6 hours and said that low water isn’t a problem but I don’t trust that much. Have to look into it more…

Oh, and PS, can anyone tell me why the hell SE Asian computers shock me through the USB port?! Its not very pleasant! Happens when you touch the USB port, end of an exposed cable or touch any metal part of something plugged into the USB port (ie the neck strap loop of an SLR).

18.Apr.09 South East Asia 2009