You want to get high tonight?

 

Oh Siem Reap…
   Fourth day in town now and my level of weariness for tourist Cambodia is about at it’s limit. I want to move on but unfortunately just can’t figure out where exactly to go! Oh the problems of a traveler. Cambodia presents an interesting dilemma for me, given my limit of 60-70k a day in the few cool morning hours that I’d be willing to push my legs to ride: accommodating cities are spread too far apart and camping in the bush is off the table due to landmines. Been tossing around a brain numbing array of ideas ranging from heading to China to flying back to California for stateside touring. For tonight, I’ve settled on doing some research on crazyguyonabike.com to see what other people’s Cambodia bike routes have looked like so that I may be able to have an idea of my own.
   This moment though, I’m simply enjoying this beautiful life sitting on one of the many balconies near Pub St overlooking the tourist bustle with my $0.50 Angkor beer.
   Yesterday I took a needed rest from riding and hired a moto driver for most of the day. Banteay Srei was the first stop, a temple part of the Angkor complex but 20k or so away from Angkor Thom and the main area. I had thought it was $20 extra to get in here but if it ever was, it isn’t now, just an Angkor pass is needed (Bang Melea, which I didn’t make it to is an extra $20 though). Banteay Srei has nowhere near the scale of Angkor Wat or the Bayon but what it lacks in size it makes up for in sheer beauty of its relief carvings and fine detail. Everything is so well preserved too, quite a sight to behold; it shouldn’t be missed on an Angkor trip.

   The peddlers were again out in force. I stuck around Srei for over an hour to study all the detail and to wait it out while crowds moved through so I could return when it was just me and the stone. It gets me every time when the kids without provocation start lowering their $1 offering price like its somehow too expensive for me; I just don’t want the tourist knick knacks! Still sad, every time.
   There’s a landmine museum near Banteay Srei that I thought would be interesting and fancied a look. One dollar admission which I was happy to give to such a worthwhile organization. Museum and organization was impressively created by a single man who just out of the kindness and love for his people, demined all over the country for no monetary incentive. He says he’s disarmed over 90,000 mines! The museum is small but poignant, four viewing rooms displaying pictures of the demining process, nicely written explanations in English about the history and several displays of spent munitions and disarmed mines that have been collected. The most shocking thing I learned while there was that my own country, the US, has yet to sign the Ottawa Treaty banning landmines!! The explanation that I read claimed the US deems mines necessary in securing the border between North and South Korea. Surprising and infuriating that the US, of all countries, has the audacity to not step up against the inhumane brutality these mines wrought. Its sad that humans even sat down to create such a weapon of war that strategically maims, but does not kill, so to create greater cost to the "enemy". Glad I made a visit, I think its worthwhile, especially when combined with Banteay Srei.

  Back on the road, so many people honking. First day I got to Cambodia I figured this out: Cambodians love to honk. They honk to say hello, they honk to say goodbye. Honk to say they’re coming through, to say thanks, to emote anger, happiness and sometimes they must honk for no reason whatsoever.
   Went to Pra Tom to check it out, hadn’t seen it the day before, and also catch the sunset from its peak (it being a "mountain temple"). At the base of the temple touts appear from the sidelines and offer up cans of beer, an embarrassing Western custom apparently picked up on by these entrepeneuring Cambodians; can’t help but think its pretty funny actually. Ascending the steps, about four dozen people came into view sitting about on any open space facing west. Bit of a circus but nowhere near as crazy as I’ve heard the temple mountain is that is closer to Angkor Wat; I’ve heard as many as 1000 cram themselves up there. The whole scene of people praying to the sun god was humorous to me at least; I actually liked the contrast of the seated tourists and ancient structure.

  Dropped back at the guesthouse I realized predictably I had left my room key IN the locked room. Luckily no padlock was used (since the hole the slide goes into was discomfortingly knocked out at some time). Tail between my legs I admitted my error to the front desk hoping they had an extra key. Few minutes later and a plastic bag full of what looked like a hundred keys was spilled out on the floor in front of my room. Bewilderingly, none of the keys were marked!! The key bearer seemed to have some sort of method to this madness but after no success he eventually just started trying them all; what a mess. He disappeared and reappeared with yet another bag full of keys and with just a bit more key attempt madness, one thankfully worked. I’m so forgetful! Got lucky this time. I was smart and bought a combo lock so I wouldn’t have to worry about this, but that of course only works when the door jam is in proper condition.
   Walked around the streets as I usually do just to entertain myself. The moto touts are annoying enough during the day but at night its a whole different level. You typically get the same number of them approaching you but their pitch goes from "Moto? You want moto? Tuk tuk?" To "Moto? You want moto?" Then if you say no or ignore, you get: "Marijuana? You want to get high tonight? Smoke?" Then if you ignore that, "Boom boom? You want lady?" And finally, if that doesn’t tickle your fancy, the guy simply asks "What do you want tonight?". This is the question I’ve been very frightened of what the answer could even be…
   This morning I did a Khmer cooking course through Le Tiger de Papier. Three others luckily joined me after I simply dropped by impromptu around 10a. Our group was led through the market with our teacher for the day to see the different produce for sale and have the opportunity to ask her what anything we saw was. Quite a few unrecognizable fruit and vegetables and also an interesting peek into the anatomy of several fish and chickens that you usually don’t get, that’s for sure. Back at the restaurant, in the upstairs cooking area, we started to prepare the two dishes of our choice (mine being mango salad and amok with fish). We chopped our vegetables and spices; I love love love lemongrass, I could chop it all day. After chopping came mixing and after mixing came cooking and after that, bon apetit! Was some really good fun but certainly wasn’t at all for serious foodies who really do cook; was all very simplified and hand held. Worth it for me though. Was $11 for the 3 hours with the teacher and at the end you eat the two dishes you made

   Didn’t do much of anything else the rest of the day; mostly just thought about what I’m doing from here….which of course I still don’t know. I’m sure something will come to me though…eventually.

20.Apr.09 South East Asia 2009