Prea Ko
Bakong,
Monks at Bakong,
Shouting children to dinner can be better than buying things from them as money is likely to go into someone else's pocket. (I was grumpy and vetoed their request for coke and told them they could choose from the fruit juices - coconut juice was a good choice - theirs not mine.)
A further episode to cure your insomnia Robert ;).
Another early morning here. I had the same breakfast that I have had for the past 3 days - rice with BBQ pork some green tomato, pickled cumcumber and soup. Very tasty.
My driver (that sounds awfully posh) picked me up at 7 and I went back to Angkor Wat and Bayon which I have already visited. Angkor Wat is really lovely and I highly highly recommend coming in the low season, even though it is hot it is infinitely better having not so many poeple. Angkor Wat has parts that hardly anyone seems to pass through.. I left Bayon after not very long however because there were too many people - relatively speaking.
There are guide books hawked around the temples including all the SE Asia lonely planet books and an excellent guide to the temples. While I was at Bayon today someone pointed out the author of the temple guide to me. I was quite impressed and thought for a moment I could turn mine into an autographed copy. I overheard him saying (not really grumbling) to the people with him that his book was now pirated and being sold for 5$ all over the city.... I decided against asking him...
Cambodians are much more tolerant than Thais of 'foreign behaviours'in the temples. There are picture signs asking people to wear sleeved shirts but the majority of foreign (at least white) tourists are dressed more for the beach than a temple and no one is asked to put on more clothes. Additionally there are a active shrines inside a number of the temples - small grotto like areas. There seems to be no taboo on photgraphing people who are praying or the shrine where people are praying.
Today in my travels I met several monks. I dont know much about the situation of monks in Cambodia - I tried asking one monk but although his english was OK to ask how many brothers and sisters I have and how old I am it was not enough to explain much about monastic customs. Never mind. It seems though that like Thailand, a lot of people join because they are too poor. The monks all said that they mostly learn Pali - not really a valuable life skill. Pali is the language of old buddhist scripts. I guess an equivilent would be teaching poor children only Latin pre-Vatican II. I guess they are not necessarily looking to make them employable.
One of the monks was teaching English voluntarily. His English was ok, ok enough to be teaching people who know nothing about English anyway. He had a school and was trying to stock it with materials. I guess he was genuine though I didn't like his vibe - he was disappointed with my contribution... It doesnt really frustrate me that people equate foreign with rich, because from their perspective it's true. Having shoes and new clothes is enough to make a person rich....
Tomorrow I am going to Anlong Veng - it is about 3-4 hours north of here - on the way to Prasat Preah Vihear - the contested border temple. It is easily the most off the beaten track traveling I have done by myself (Madeline and my trip to the wilds of Vietnam was comprable but this time I am doing it by public transport, by myself, speaking no Khmer in a very untouristed area.
The motor bike driver knew where to get a bus ticket for AV - only one company goes there and the tourist info office knew nothing about it...
So tomorrow will be intrepid traveling.
I am not sure if I will stay in AV tomorrow night or a bit closer to PPV.
I will walk carefully - the trip to the landmine museum yesterday I'm sure will not be necessary background ;).
Another early morning here. I had the same breakfast that I have had for the past 3 days - rice with BBQ pork some green tomato, pickled cumcumber and soup. Very tasty.
My driver (that sounds awfully posh) picked me up at 7 and I went back to Angkor Wat and Bayon which I have already visited. Angkor Wat is really lovely and I highly highly recommend coming in the low season, even though it is hot it is infinitely better having not so many poeple. Angkor Wat has parts that hardly anyone seems to pass through.. I left Bayon after not very long however because there were too many people - relatively speaking.
There are guide books hawked around the temples including all the SE Asia lonely planet books and an excellent guide to the temples. While I was at Bayon today someone pointed out the author of the temple guide to me. I was quite impressed and thought for a moment I could turn mine into an autographed copy. I overheard him saying (not really grumbling) to the people with him that his book was now pirated and being sold for 5$ all over the city.... I decided against asking him...
Cambodians are much more tolerant than Thais of 'foreign behaviours'in the temples. There are picture signs asking people to wear sleeved shirts but the majority of foreign (at least white) tourists are dressed more for the beach than a temple and no one is asked to put on more clothes. Additionally there are a active shrines inside a number of the temples - small grotto like areas. There seems to be no taboo on photgraphing people who are praying or the shrine where people are praying.
Today in my travels I met several monks. I dont know much about the situation of monks in Cambodia - I tried asking one monk but although his english was OK to ask how many brothers and sisters I have and how old I am it was not enough to explain much about monastic customs. Never mind. It seems though that like Thailand, a lot of people join because they are too poor. The monks all said that they mostly learn Pali - not really a valuable life skill. Pali is the language of old buddhist scripts. I guess an equivilent would be teaching poor children only Latin pre-Vatican II. I guess they are not necessarily looking to make them employable.
One of the monks was teaching English voluntarily. His English was ok, ok enough to be teaching people who know nothing about English anyway. He had a school and was trying to stock it with materials. I guess he was genuine though I didn't like his vibe - he was disappointed with my contribution... It doesnt really frustrate me that people equate foreign with rich, because from their perspective it's true. Having shoes and new clothes is enough to make a person rich....
Tomorrow I am going to Anlong Veng - it is about 3-4 hours north of here - on the way to Prasat Preah Vihear - the contested border temple. It is easily the most off the beaten track traveling I have done by myself (Madeline and my trip to the wilds of Vietnam was comprable but this time I am doing it by public transport, by myself, speaking no Khmer in a very untouristed area.
The motor bike driver knew where to get a bus ticket for AV - only one company goes there and the tourist info office knew nothing about it...
So tomorrow will be intrepid traveling.
I am not sure if I will stay in AV tomorrow night or a bit closer to PPV.
I will walk carefully - the trip to the landmine museum yesterday I'm sure will not be necessary background ;).
2 comments:
Thanks for the birthday message- I can't believe 1) you remember and 2) even though travelling took the time to send a message.
The Miyagi bicycle story had me chuckling :)
Overall, do you feel safe travelling alone there? I felt safe in Thailand, very easy to get from point A to B as a tourist- how does it compare? You mentioned that part of the reason you headed out to Cambodia was to prep for the summer class you will be teaching. Did you, have you been reading any books along the way that you can recommend?
I didn't realize that most of the temples in the complex were Hindu in origin- it is all interesting. Curious about how the transition went towards Buddhism.
Really do believe that the next place you should visit next is India- if I can imagine anyone soaking up the history, the food, the people it would be you.
:)
From what I can tell travel here is very safe. Getting from point A to B is easy if A and B are established points. eg Battambang to Siem Riep or Phnmom Penh. Today's travel I am bracing myself for. The lonely planet which I bought from a hawker yesterday has nothing about the route other than - you're in for a sore bum on a motor bike....
I bought Sihanouk's unauthorised biography last night which is interesting. If you know nothing about Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge watching the Killing fields would be my first suggestion. It's an excellent movie based on the life of Dith Pran - the Cambodian co-correspondent for the NY Times.
The actor who plays him, Haign Ngor was also a survivor of the KR and wrote his account of it. It's an excellent read. Surviving the Cambodian Killing fields.
I just finished reading First they Killed my father which is also not bad. I gave it to one of my students who has an interest in such history and she was amazed by it - Thai students have minimal knowledge of KR era in Cambodia.
For the history of the Khmers vs the Thais vs the Cham (who are in modern day VN) I have yet to find a good book.
I do want to go to India - I am starting to know enough people in India to make a trip very worthwhile :)
Post a Comment