Jan 04th 2009
After our excellent Xmas repast we wend our weary way westwards whence we came i.e. back to the centre of all things Khmer, namely, Phnom Penh, as every journey seems to begin and end here no matter where you want to go. After spending the customary seven+ hours from Sen Monorom and completing an overnighter in PNH we can be seen waiting at the bus station.
As you can see Jan has not really embraced the Khmer culture as yet choosing to maintain her colonial, ‘Barang’ identity, while I have fully embraced our two year residence, in lands foreign, with some vigour.
Although initially by accident, I dropped a packet of turmeric and saffron into the sheets whilst being laundered, I felt this truly was a sign and thus whipped out my travel sewing kit and whizzed up the robe. To accompany said new garb I felt that the golden (greying) locks were not in keeping and thus decided to join the seemingly trendy style which seems a firm favourite with many football ‘stars’. Jan fully approves of the new image, saying “it’s taken years off you!” Mind you I did take off my spectacles for the photograph. What do you think? I can now report that the new attire has several advantages. It is most comfortable, allowing for great circulation of air around the nether regions which is particularly useful in hot climes, encourages diffusion of unwanted gases, enables free entrance to museums, temples and ensures a ready seat on public transport. On the odd occasion people even thrust a few Riel into my hand! (Oh yes and don’t forget, every Buddhist wants to share their rice with me … at any time of day… oh joy).
We catch the 0730hr bus, on time, and venture forth to the seaside destination of Kep, a resort once enjoyed by the rich and famous Khmer ‘jet set’ that is until Pol Pot. It is now a shadow of its former glory with many dilapidated homes and villas. It has the air of a ‘once happening’ place but now it would make a great set for films like ‘The Day after Tomorrow, Dr Who, I am legend (A rip off of the Omega Man with Charlton Heston – they don’t make ‘em like that anymore!). The almost deserted, windowless, decaying, ‘once lived in’, splendour of the accommodation is now houses squatting Khmer families, and their satellite TV dishes! Our stay was relaxing in a decent hotel, it even had running hot water, from a tap, on demand, wow!
On arrival we checked in and promptly went a walk along the coast road to the crab market. However, it’s not a market but a collection of shacks, sorry, restaurants all serving pretty much the same i.e. crab, squid and other general ‘seafoody’ fare. I had the grilled squid and Jan had crab and
citronella (which reminded me of BBQ insect repellent candles burned back in the UK when we had the one occasion in our summer we could cook and eat outside). The photograph shows a boat and the floating baskets of live crab awaiting culinary execution. As is usual Jan had opted for the better deal and the crab was excellent, although the squid wasn’t bad. We eagerly munched through our repast ‘de la mare’ overlooking the crab boats landing their most recent catch and the South China Sea – very nice indeed. This was new year’s eve so we stayed awake as long as we could (until about ten o’clock) and drifted to sleep. I, annoyingly, woke at ten past midnight to then wake Jan and wish her a happy new year – that went down well, great start to 2009!
On another day we went to a largish town called Kompot on a portable vibro-massage-whiplash machine otherwise called a tuk-tuk. It took about fifty minutes to cover the twenty or so kilometres. We disembarked and, as soon after our eyes had stopped independently rotating in their sockets, we did our usual walking tour, found a café founded by EPiC, a disability NGO (non-governmental organisation) and had a very respectable cup of coffee. The whole caboodle was run and all food made by people with various disabilities, a real success story of self sustainability. We contacted another VSO volunteer, Maeread (hope this is the correct spelling, apologies if not), who was working in said town, met up for lunch (at EPiC) and then went back to the market for some fruit and nuts!
As you can see Jan has not really embraced the Khmer culture as yet choosing to maintain her colonial, ‘Barang’ identity, while I have fully embraced our two year residence, in lands foreign, with some vigour.
Although initially by accident, I dropped a packet of turmeric and saffron into the sheets whilst being laundered, I felt this truly was a sign and thus whipped out my travel sewing kit and whizzed up the robe. To accompany said new garb I felt that the golden (greying) locks were not in keeping and thus decided to join the seemingly trendy style which seems a firm favourite with many football ‘stars’. Jan fully approves of the new image, saying “it’s taken years off you!” Mind you I did take off my spectacles for the photograph. What do you think? I can now report that the new attire has several advantages. It is most comfortable, allowing for great circulation of air around the nether regions which is particularly useful in hot climes, encourages diffusion of unwanted gases, enables free entrance to museums, temples and ensures a ready seat on public transport. On the odd occasion people even thrust a few Riel into my hand! (Oh yes and don’t forget, every Buddhist wants to share their rice with me … at any time of day… oh joy).We catch the 0730hr bus, on time, and venture forth to the seaside destination of Kep, a resort once enjoyed by the rich and famous Khmer ‘jet set’ that is until Pol Pot. It is now a shadow of its former glory with many dilapidated homes and villas. It has the air of a ‘once happening’ place but now it would make a great set for films like ‘The Day after Tomorrow, Dr Who, I am legend (A rip off of the Omega Man with Charlton Heston – they don’t make ‘em like that anymore!). The almost deserted, windowless, decaying, ‘once lived in’, splendour of the accommodation is now houses squatting Khmer families, and their satellite TV dishes! Our stay was relaxing in a decent hotel, it even had running hot water, from a tap, on demand, wow!
On arrival we checked in and promptly went a walk along the coast road to the crab market. However, it’s not a market but a collection of shacks, sorry, restaurants all serving pretty much the same i.e. crab, squid and other general ‘seafoody’ fare. I had the grilled squid and Jan had crab and
citronella (which reminded me of BBQ insect repellent candles burned back in the UK when we had the one occasion in our summer we could cook and eat outside). The photograph shows a boat and the floating baskets of live crab awaiting culinary execution. As is usual Jan had opted for the better deal and the crab was excellent, although the squid wasn’t bad. We eagerly munched through our repast ‘de la mare’ overlooking the crab boats landing their most recent catch and the South China Sea – very nice indeed. This was new year’s eve so we stayed awake as long as we could (until about ten o’clock) and drifted to sleep. I, annoyingly, woke at ten past midnight to then wake Jan and wish her a happy new year – that went down well, great start to 2009!On another day we went to a largish town called Kompot on a portable vibro-massage-whiplash machine otherwise called a tuk-tuk. It took about fifty minutes to cover the twenty or so kilometres. We disembarked and, as soon after our eyes had stopped independently rotating in their sockets, we did our usual walking tour, found a café founded by EPiC, a disability NGO (non-governmental organisation) and had a very respectable cup of coffee. The whole caboodle was run and all food made by people with various disabilities, a real success story of self sustainability. We contacted another VSO volunteer, Maeread (hope this is the correct spelling, apologies if not), who was working in said town, met up for lunch (at EPiC) and then went back to the market for some fruit and nuts!
A short boat trip found ourselves on Rabbit Island (although didn’t se
e any!) It was reminiscent of our trip to Malaysia, very ‘Bounty Bar’ advert country (if you recognise this simile you are showing your age – for those who don’t, tough, suffice to say it’s your everyday stereotypical coconut fringed sandy beach). So we lounged about ‘til 1300hrs and then tootled down the beach for lunch – I’m unsure why they didn’t deliver it to our sandy bunker. Guess what, crab and shrimp and again it was very palatable. After sustenance we took further exercise and ambled back to our resting platform and coconut palm hammock. Just as we had settled in it was time to leave. On our j
ourney back we copped for the Khmer power boat champion which, coupled with a very choppy sea, meant that we were soaked on arrival, much to the amusement of all the locals whom I expected to hold up score cards for the most dishevelled ‘Barangs’ – but that would mean some prior planning and organisation, ‘nuf said’.
Our return to PHN by local bus went via every pot hole for the full five hours. We wondered if we might be able to pursue compensation for whiplash but thought better of it as translating whiplash might have been interpreted as seeking some sexual proclivity. We did an overnighter at the programme office and then our transport arrived, only an hour late, but it did arrive and after seven hours back to ‘home’ we were eagerly greeted by Zakki the cat. However, he was merely seeking sustenance but secretly I believe he had missed us (‘cos it makes me feel better!).
e any!) It was reminiscent of our trip to Malaysia, very ‘Bounty Bar’ advert country (if you recognise this simile you are showing your age – for those who don’t, tough, suffice to say it’s your everyday stereotypical coconut fringed sandy beach). So we lounged about ‘til 1300hrs and then tootled down the beach for lunch – I’m unsure why they didn’t deliver it to our sandy bunker. Guess what, crab and shrimp and again it was very palatable. After sustenance we took further exercise and ambled back to our resting platform and coconut palm hammock. Just as we had settled in it was time to leave. On our j
ourney back we copped for the Khmer power boat champion which, coupled with a very choppy sea, meant that we were soaked on arrival, much to the amusement of all the locals whom I expected to hold up score cards for the most dishevelled ‘Barangs’ – but that would mean some prior planning and organisation, ‘nuf said’.Our return to PHN by local bus went via every pot hole for the full five hours. We wondered if we might be able to pursue compensation for whiplash but thought better of it as translating whiplash might have been interpreted as seeking some sexual proclivity. We did an overnighter at the programme office and then our transport arrived, only an hour late, but it did arrive and after seven hours back to ‘home’ we were eagerly greeted by Zakki the cat. However, he was merely seeking sustenance but secretly I believe he had missed us (‘cos it makes me feel better!).
!!A VERY HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW 2009 YEAR TO ALL!!
1 comment:
Great photos of Jan but the viewers/readers would like to see photos of our Keith. Are you really there? Did you stay in the West Midlands?
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