|
|
|
CAMBODIA
Written by Van Fujimoto In the summer of 2006 I visited several countries in Southeast Asia. Cambodia was the highlight of my trip and I spent several weeks there. I went with my friend Sam and his family. Sam is originally from Cambodia. Here I share my memorable experience in the Kingdom of Cambodia. The Road to Phnom PhenPhnom Phen is the capitol of Cambodia and home to Phnom Phen International Airport. The roads are dusty and hot. The city is packed with motorcycles, bikes, and autos. The red dust is scattered everywhere by motorists. Phnom Phen is not exactly modern but there are many industrious individuals operating all kinds of businesses. The city is crowded however I did not see many tourists. Angkor Wat is the main attraction and most tourists fly directly in and out of Siem Reap. Regrettably we did not do much exploring of Phnom Phen. The same day we arrived we sped off to Battambang in a relative's van. Highway 5 stretches into northern Cambodia along the Tonle Sap lake/river. The road is well paved and even has a center divider. Everyone uses the same road: autos, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, and oxen. All of the homes along this stretch are on 6 to 8 stilts. There appeared to be plenty of potential for seasonal floods. The most basic houses are made entirely from wood and dried thatch material. Others are made from concrete and have corrugated metal or ceramic roofs. Most of these homes, even the most modest huts, have a large antenna fixed on a long bamboo pole. Homes that don't have electricity operate their tv from generators or super sized auto batteries. The landscape is dotted with hi-rise radio towers, temples, and muddy water. Street vendors peddle local refreshments to travelers. This scene is repeated through Kampong Chhnang, Pursal, and Battambang -- all connected through highway 5. Rural Battambang: Another Place, Another TimeWhen my friend Sam asked me if I wanted to travel to Cambodia and stay with his family I jumped at the opportunity. But I have to admit I got more than I bargained for. Sam's family house is in the countryside near Battambang and they live a very traditional lifestyle. Water is fetched from giant pots that store rain water. You have to go the outhouse to relieve yourself and you use rainwater to bath yourself using a bowl. There are plenty of insects. The area is hot, humid, and there is no wind. A visitor must take care to drink and brush with bottled water and avoid ice. In the evening the frogs inhabit the outhouse since it is moist. Rain water is collected from the roofs via a rubber tube that empties into several huge water pots. When there is no rain the community well is used. The water is used for bathing, cleaning clothes, but not for drinking. This visit was a reunion for Sam's family. All of the nearby relatives and neighbors showed up to join the excitement. Everyone was friendly, polite, and was delighted to host far away guests. The family network is alive and well in rural Battambang. Relatives live next by and the people are very close nit. I wanted to get out and see more of Battambang. In particular I wanted to explore former Khmer Rouge sites. Upon mentioning this to my friend, Sam told me shhhh and not to mention that word. That very night his Dad had a nightmare, and it sounded like he was pleading for his life. The next night his sister had a vocal nightmare and had to be wakened. I took all this as an omen to leave things alone. We did however visit some interesting local wats (temples) and markets. There are hardly any visible tourists in this part of Cambodia. For one thing it is remote. Another thing is the roads to distant attractions are not good. We visited one local wat late in the afternoon and the guest book showed that only one Finnish individual had come by. At a second wat we climbed up several hundred stairs to find a Cambodian flag and spectacular view of the Battambang countryside. Even here there were only some local kids playing. Much of the daily activity revolves around eating. People in the area get up early with the roosters and start the chores of cleaning and cooking. The meals are cooked by wood fires. Typically there is rice, an small amount of meats (especially fish), vegetables, and sauces. Bottled water is served, and fruits are the dessert. There is no junk food or sodas in sight. Fish is plentiful in Cambodia because they grow easily in fish ponds, rice fields, rivers, and lakes. If you go to the local market you can buy various snacks including fruits, popcorn, and insects. I didn't care for the beetles, but the toasted crickets were delicious. Much like potato chips. Cambodian folks are charming. The crowd I was with seemed genuinely happy and kept asking me in basic English if I liked Cambodia and if I was happy. Other polite conversation included questions about Hawaii, what I wanted to see in Cambodia, and if I was interested in marrying a Cambodian women. People were always kind to offer a seat, bottled water, or fruits. The kids like to offer you fragrant flower blossoms. One morning I woke up early with the roosters. Everyone uses fire to cook and you can smell it in the air. The house is near a temple so in the quite morning you can hear the hypnotic chanting. Crickets and frogs are still chirping and the oxen owners are herding their oxen to the fields. One of the aunts was hand washing clothes with rain water. Despite the erosion of traditional Asian culture and lifestyles by western values, this area remains preserved in time. Siem Reap: Home of Ankor WatWe drove to Siem Reap from Battambang via Sisophon. From Sisophon the road is dusty and in miserable condition. During rainfall the roads are surely impassible. Our vehicle had enough punishment and blew a flat tire. Fortunately the driver had a spare tire but his wrench didn't work. We had to wait for the driver to get a new one via motorcycle ride. Meanwhile we inspected some local cricket traps. The word is out that Angkor Wat is safe to visit again. Siem Reap is booming. Most tourists fly in due to road conditions. Three story luxury hotels are going up everywhere. They boast satellite TV, fine dining, swimming pool, etc. We in our thrifty ways got a good deal at a low budget hotel for $5/night. It even had air conditioning ($5 extra). There is a Khmer cultural village that has a modest entrance fee where you can see the history of Cambodia as well as famous (wax) figures, Cambodian house architecture, and various cultural shows. I think this is very interesting thing for tourists to see. Curiously nearly all of the attendees are Khmer. We saw two performances then a flash rainstorm (monsoon?) shut down the village.
The temples of Siem Reap are truly one of a kind, ancient, and beautifully carved. Tourists must get buy either a one day pass ($20) or three day pass ($40). The latter is recommended. Angkor Thom is a favorite wat because it has massive head carvings carved from groups of boulders. I admired the carvings very much. The heads are beautifully sculptured and resemble a stone puzzle. Ankor Thom is a favorite wat because it has massive head carvings carved from groups of boulders. I enjoyed the carvings very much. The heads are beautifully sculptured and resemble a stone puzzle. Ta Prohm is another famous temple. There are trees with massive roots that are growing over the walls, entrances, and carvings. There are a lot of people taking pictures here with the roots. This temple is straight out of a jungle adventure movie. The Banteay Srei temple has a lot of apsaras (as the other temples) and other ornate carvings, especially the entrance-way roofs. There are also some very ornate towers. In my opinion one day is not enough. You need two, and preferably three days to explore the many temples, eat meals, and pick up souvenirs. If you want to get souvenirs there are vendors at most of the temples. You can buy temple specific memorabilia (including small to huge apsaras), beautiful silks, t-shirts, caps, etc. I like to buy post card sets that show all of the different temples, plus I got a wonderful photo picture book with temple history for only $5. According to Sam there used to be a lot of land mind victims and poor people begging at the temples. These folks have been systematically removed to an outlying area so tourists don't see them. The fact is, many tourists familiarize themselves with Cambodia before making their trip. They want to learn more about the hardships the people have endured. For example many tourists will travel to Khmer Rouge sites, land mine museums, and handicap rehabilitation facilities. Poipet: Border town to ThailandAfter traveling westward through Cambodia on highway 5, one eventually reaches Sisophon. The road from here to Poipet at the Thailand border is rough. There is a flurry of activity once you reach Poipet. Tour busses deposit their passengers on one end. Passengers then walk several hundred yards to the other side. There is a gigantic tourist resort structure that is a joint venture between Cambodia and Thailand. You must pass a metal detector to get inside. Inside there is a casino, several restaurants, and a luxury hotel. In contrast to this modern setting, locals try to earn a living by manually hauling travelers luggage in old fashion wood carts. Street vendors peddle refreshments, and little children escort you under umbrellas hoping you will give leave them a tip. At the final crossing there are blind and handicapped folks begging for change. [**June 2007 Update: The new roads to Siem Reap from Sisophon and Poipet are completed. Now you can smoothly drive/bus to Siem Reap from Thailand or from Battambang / Phnom Phen. VF] Kampot: South CambodiaOn our final days we drove several hours south of Phnom Phen. I wasn't sure where we were going but went along with the gang. We stopped at several vendors to pick up local refreshments. Soon the road started became very windy as we entered a forest. We finally arrived at our destination: a recreation area along the Teuk Chhou river. I did not understand why we drove so far in the heat to see a river but I would soon learn. We rented a modest covered wood deck to get shelter from the sun. Immediately after seating a cluster of women rushed up. They had baskets of fresh durian fruit. Sam explained that this was the durian capital of Cambodia. Family members engaged in the fine art of durian inspection, sampling, and selection. Cambodians are very choosy about their durians! There seemed to be a lot of negotiation going on regarding the quality, size, and price of the fruit. With all the importance placed on this much feared fruit, I had to try some. The taste was not bad. Kind of like fishy liquor. I just had a taste but the feast lasted over an hour. After eating we went swimming in the river. The current was dangerously swift. But local kids no older than 10 rode the current on the back of their hands. They were natural swimmers and had no fear of the river. They would enter the river at the top, ride the current, then energetically exit just before the rocky rapids. They were having such a good time and fun to watch. ThoughtsI feel very privileged visiting Cambodia and it's genuine people. It was a fascinating trip. It's not exactly a luxury family vacation but great if you are adventurous, hardy, and want to visit a country and people who are still very traditional. This country has only recently been rediscovered by travelers. At some point change is going to start taking place. If you want to see traditional Cambodia now is a good time to go. Cambodia is a very poor country. The people have struggled through tremendous hardship over the years. Many parts of the country are off limits to farming because of landmines and unexploded munitions. Cambodia has the highest percentage of handicapped victims due to landmines and American cluster bombs. There are many ways to help. There are many reputable charitable organizations. Volunteer vacation programs are becoming very popular and numerous. You can even sponsor a child (or two). I believe in providing relief for immediate needs, and more importantly providing long lasting solutions that will provide benefit far into the future. At the end of each year I consistently give to at least three organizations that I research. They must have worldwide reach and share my mission of providing both short and long term solutions. My latest picks: The ideas and opinions expressed here are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent those of CCH. Any inquiries or comments about the article should be directed to the author. |
About Us | Site Map | Privacy Policy | Contact Us |
