BootsnAll Travel Network



Archive for October, 2008

« Home

Relaxed in Phnom

Wednesday, October 15th, 2008

For a small-feeling city of only 2.5 million citizens, Phnom Penh has become one of my favorite places.  I woke up the day after the Killing Fields and S.21 prison/museum knowing that it would be a way better day.  Can only go up from yesterday.  Cambodians are truly the most humble, gracious and happy people I have found on my trip.  They are a lot like the Vietnamese except Vietnam is at a cranking, crazy pace compared to this calm city.  I have never seen people so comfortable on the back of the motodups – small motorbike taxis – no Mom I never take them and I always wear a helmet.  They’re small bikes, but smaller people with four adults sitting comfortably or even two side-saddle girls behind the driver – they face away from each other. 

 

I was astonished to be in the pool at the Kabiki hotel and noticed just bird chirping and very little city noise.  Bangkok’s constant noise is not totally appreciated for its volume until one escapes it.  It is cooler here than Bangkok, but that is splitting hairs.  Main feature of the weather is high humidity and thunderstorms threatening and hitting multiple times per day.  I’m still sweating out of control, but acclimatizing more each day and I am starting to enjoy the heat and water. 

  [read on]

Somber in Phnom

Sunday, October 12th, 2008

Sophan picked me up this morning and we headed to Choeung Ek Memorial or the Killing Fields.  The site is just out of the capital, Phnom Penh, but at 20 kph Sophan took his sweet time getting us there.  Almost all the road surfaces that I have seen are paved and its pretty good pavement so things are light years ahead of much of Africa even here in Cambodia when it comes to infrastructure and transport.  I come to this with an inside-of-Africa mentality and I am once again shaking my head regarding what Africans and non-Africans have managed to do (read: NOT DO!!!!!!) over the past 50 years.  If Sophan can be so slow and not out of the ordinary at least here, what would he drive like around Nairobi?!  Anyway, we finally arrived at what is a rather small site which was disturbing and almost not real.  I thought it was underwhelming.  But that is because it’s a simple place with little humanity… until you get to the pagoda with hundreds of skulls…

 

[read on]

The Beauty of Bangkok

Thursday, October 9th, 2008
I only had a half day yesterday in my favorite city, Bangkok, but I made the most of it.  I was headed to Wat Arun which is a really stunning temple on the "other side" of the river.  I have ... [Continue reading this entry]

One More Time

Thursday, October 9th, 2008
I'm writing from Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  My life has become quite a bit more complicated since leaving Thailand in July, but it will take a bit to explain.  I just left Bangkok - still LOVE that city! - headed for ... [Continue reading this entry]