 |
| Phenom Phen Central Market |
As I arrived in Phenom Phen I was apprehensive. I had to fill out three mini forms on the airplane ride from Bangkok: Customs, Arrival form, and Visa application. The poor woman next to me spoke minimal English and all the forms were only in Khmer and English. Together with miming and looking at my forms we managed to fill out our forms. Not that they really looked at it. They took my Visa application and my passport and waved me to another line. I was apprehensive but went to the other line.. which was really just a crowd waiting for their passport with the visa. So we waited and they would call out your name. Or attempt to call out the foreign names you would walk up, give them $20 and they would return your passport. I believe my name was pronounced Patricka. So I grabbed my passport and walked through customs. I was supposed to scan my fingerprints.. but they didn't make me. So I walked out. I had cleverly arranged to have a pick up from the airport. The capital city of Phenom Phen has a problem of Tuk-tuk drivers who don't actually know the city. Get lost and over charge you. So a woman was waiting with a sign that said my name. I pointed at myself and we set off. She walked me and her sweet little daughter purposefully through the parking lot and to the tuk-tuk drivers outside. After yelling at one for a while we got in. The guy kept talking to her, asking for directions. We kept making eye contact and smiling. Honestly for a capital city I was impressed with how small it was and how untouristy it was. At least the areas I stayed. It was pretty much small shanty things mixed with some old buildings. The Central market was quite nice. The food at the night market was all fried, all delicious and all cheap. I met some nice people and we agreed to go to the Killing fields the next day. Gang and his friends were to join us.. but woke up too late!
 |
| Women age 18-24 killed at the killing fields |
Words cannot describe what a somber day I had! We visited S21, a prison where they tortured "spies", forcing them to confess. The S21 prison used to be a school. They left the barbed wire up on one of the buildings. It was so quiet, every once in a while you would hear people talking but they would quickly be hushed by the atmosphere. I ran into Matthew here and was grateful for the hug. My sunglasses hiding the tears welling up. If I thought that was bad then we went to the Killing Fields. This place was such a nice quiet field with a tower in the middle. The tower is full of people they removed from mass graves. IT is built to so people will never forget. As you walk the audio guide details bits and pieces of the horrors suffered by the people there. Whole families were executed down to the babies. But the executioners didn't want to waste bullets so they used whatever was handing. Palm fronds to cut throats, machetes, hammers. The babies they just beat to death against a tree. It was a somber day, if not for David, Helen and Malta I don't think I would have made it. These three people made me able to suffer the pain of the killing fields. And arise from the flames a phoenix guarded by the knowledge that this shit happens.
Siem Reap was my next stop. An easy 6 hour bus ride to a swanky built up town. The famous Wats have built up this town. It is nicer than the capitol (in my opinion). But leave the city and you see poverty. Everywhere. The next morning I biked to Angkor Wat for Sunrise. We left at 4:30am. The bike ride was wonderful, but sneaking into Angkor Wat before the sun had finished rising was brilliant. We were the only people there. It was fantastic, but after a while the temples start to look the same. "Same Same but Different" as they say. I took a break to depress myself still further by learning about the landmines in Cambodia. That was a sobering moment. I bought a $10 thing of soap to give some money to the cause. I think I want to learn more about Cambodia and see what I can do to make a difference. Siem Reap was awesome because I ran into so many world teachers. Through out my 3 days there I met: Geoff, Lisa Shen, Emily, Nora, Andy, Laura, Joo-ik, and Garrick. It was awesome!
Then came (hands down) my least favorite part. The bus ride from Siem Reap to Bangkok. We started an hour late from Siem Reap. And bused with two breaks to the border. Then they gave us all stickers and we walked to Departures. Stood in a long line in the hot sun, telling people we did not want them to carry our suitcases. Then we showed them our departure card, had them take our fingerprints, they stamped my passport and sent me to the next line. I hike with others from our bus to yet another long line. Where we filled out an arrival card and waited in line to have someone stamp our passport again. The whole process took about 2 and half hours. Then we walked out and the Thai side of our bus company took those of us who were headed to Bangkok, gave us new stickers and loaded us (standing) in the back of a truck with railings. We were taken to a "bus stop" Where many vans were waiting. You had to sorta push your way in. There were 13 people, 1 driver and all our luggage. Then we drove at breakneck speeds, passing (recklessly) to Bangkok. To get caught in the biggest traffic jam ever!! But finally we made it to Bangkok. Tonight I leave by train for Laos. I hope the border isn't terrible.
No comments:
Post a Comment