Thursday 11 July 2013

To Battambang and back

From Siem Reap we headed northish to Battambang (pronounced battambong). I thought it would be far nicer to take the boat which takes between 6-8 hours and is said to be the best boat trip in Cambodia.
First we took a small bus, then a second bus down a dirt track to the boat mooring in a small shallow waterway. About half way there two Germans on the bus realised they had left their passports at their hotel! The whole bus groaned. The rest of the way the driver was on the phone. We thought he was trying to help them but we later found out he was just doing his own thing! The two Germans were not getting on the boat.
The waterways are clogged with a thick floating weed which meant we would battle through then backup to free the prop.



Yes we are on a boat. We then passed through many floating villages.



Some people from these would be ferried out to join our boat. Some with crates of eels and stuff for market. One woman had a small bag of tiny chicks which cheeped the whole way.



This family are coming out to get on board.
We also had a kitten stow away who was under the floor boards and meowing a lot. When we stopped at a small floating store, the boatman lifted the floor and rescued the kitten who was promptly unceremoniously plopped on the floating platform. Guess they now have another cat!



Here is our boat, moored and a kitten rescue underway.
The boat had hard wooden seats and limited space. It also took over 8 hours. Not a trip I will repeat but definitely an adventure, especially as the afternoon downpour started.
We alighted off the bow onto a set of metal stairs which was also a challenge.

Once in Battambang we did the touristy stuff such as the bamboo train.






We had our own carriage( if you can call it that) but were told the one ahead had broken down and we would pick up two people. No problem. Would you believe it was the two German boys! Obviously got their passports and caught the bus. Took about 6 hours, with air con and a comfy seat.
As there is only a single track when a train comes the other way,the one with less passengers gets off the track.



It was good fun except all the bugs in our teeth.
Our tour continued to some temple ruins.



With a lot of stairs.



These two boys came up with me fanning me the whole way for a dollar.



I left Sue at the bottom for the next temple as it was even higher and in this heat is hard work.
Half way up a strange little man called me over and for a dollar loaned me his torch to go in the cave.



What was I thinking!!
I can tell you there is nothing in this cave except bats and tree roots coming down and freaking me out touching my hair. It requires you to bend over to get through. It's a long cave and at the end! Nothing! Great use of a buck.
I continued up to a higher temple where I was chased by a monkey. Missed seeing the stone carving cause all the monkeys were stalking me. I chose a different path back and ended up bushwhacking. Not something you do in a high land mine area. Had to battle through the locals burning leaf litter to finally arrive back safely.
Ok! That was interesting.
Battambang was interesting cause there are no tourists, you are just in Cambodia, seeing the real place as people go about their lives. Did find a great pizza place run by a Frenchman and a wonderful cafe called gecko that is set up to train locals then have them take over the business. Great food. Best we've had. The market was interesting.



Dried Fish anyone?
Or how about some eggs?



We have returned to Phnom Penn now and home to chilly Melbourne tomorrow.
I'll be bringing home a container of hair gel, what do you think of the name?



I'll have a neater top with that then!

Uke complete me!

Location:Preah Ang Yukanthor (St: 19),Phnom Penh,Cambodia

Wednesday 10 July 2013

PAGE

Life and Hope are involved in more than just providing food and homes for the underprivileged.
They also have an extensive sewing school where girls learn how to be very skilled seamstresses, they also assist young people with gaining education and a number of other projects.
One on these is PAGE ( project advancing girls education). Y Nol had taken us to meet the 25 young women who live here when we were with him but we returned for another day to assist with some tree planting.



New soil had been purchased by the Fef's ( Sue's school friend and her family) fundraising activity in Elwood and Sue's work colleague Ing had also made a generous donation to Sue which we are happy to say went toward some of the plants. The plants chosen will provide fruit,shelter and some are just nice to have around.
All of the girls got involved with the planting which involved collecting some good soil and digging holes.





Then about 50 small fruit trees and shade plants went in.



The girls were so into the activity that it was hard to help.




Here is their resident cat Simba hitching a ride.
After all the activity the girls insisted we stay for lunch. The generosity in this country from people that have nothing is quite humbling.



Here are most of the girls along with Pip,Gemma and Sally.

Soon our time in Siem Reap was at an end and we bid farewell to our Aussie friends and all our new friends too. ( Sue is now Facebook friends with our guide from the temple tour). We will return soon and maybe help teach English at the school.
It was time to take the boat ride to Battambang. I'll save that and some of our adventures for the next blog. The miniseries for this trip is nearly at an end.

Uke complete me!

Location:Battambang,Cambodia

Monday 8 July 2013

Some big temple thing!

Finally we got around to going to visit Angkor Wat as well as a few others. We decided a guide was probably a good idea as well as a tuk tuk for the day. Very happy we had both.
Our day started very early for a 5 am pickup in order to watch the sun rise over Angkor Wat. Unfortunately this is not the best time of year for those spectacular sun rises but it was really cool to go, along with about 1000 others.



There was no chance of getting near the reflection pool, that photo would have to wait.
We then left Angkor Wat to the masses and went for breakfast at a little shop. A young girl trying to tell postcards asked where we were from. When we replied Australia she promptly rattled off the prime minister ( had to update her to Kevin) the leader of the opposition, Tony Abbott, our population etc. All very robotic until she said; "Julia Gillard, she a ranga!" Funny!
Had the strongest iced coffee I've ever had. The spoon almost stood up.



After breakfast we did The entrance gates to Angkor Thom and Bayon Temple with all the carved faces.






Both amazing places and our guide knew how to avoid the crowds and show us some special things.
Then it was onto Ta Phrom (tomb raider) temple. You could almost smell Angelina running around shooting at stuff.
Our guide pointed out a carving of great interest. Keep in mind these were done around 1100 AD.



Can you see the dinosaur? What gives with that? Even our guide had no answer there.
Here are a few special tree photos from Ta Phrom.












Cool hey! It's no wonder it was used as a movie set. It feels like there would still be so many hidden entrances and treasures. Here is one more that our guide pointed out.


And of course here is the obligatory Angkor Wat, reflection pool image.



just to finish my temples blog, here is a sneaky image I captured of a monk. I stalked him a bit but the orange is such a lovely contrast to the stone.



uke complete me!

Location:Battambang,Cambodia

Sunday 7 July 2013

Temples,tuk tuks and quad bikes!

So most people associate Cambodia with that huge temple know as Angkor Wat. Allegedly it's magnificent and a must see. But you know me, I like to see and do other things not just the touristy stuff.
Our accommodation was able to book us on the sunset quad bike tour so off we go.
When we arrive we got a two minute intro on the bike and asked if we needed any further training. Then the only other advice we got was, in Australia you drive on left, here on right. Stay in middle and move over for truck!!!
So we just rode straight out of the gate onto the roads toward the open country but not before we got our helmets and face masks.



Off we went. The guide rode an off road solo while we two followed behind. I was behind Sue and I can tell you those quad bikes kick up a lot of dust.



We got off the main roads and travelled through small villages and rice fields, very nice scenery with all the children waving. You just had to dodge the patches of buffalo poop.
We visited a lovely monastery and met with some cheeky locals.



Like our wheels?



Meet the local poopers.
Our guide made us stop and pose for a puddle. Sue thought he said go easy through it for the photo.



I thought he said to go fast.



Now I had the water to mix with the dust. Lovely. So after hanging in the rice fields for a bit we headed back. Was a great afternoon and at $28 each you really can't complain about that.
Tomorrow it's off to visit some temple around here they all keep talking about!

Uke complete me!

Location:Siem Reap

Friday 5 July 2013

Peace home complete and blessed

Fortunately for us mouse of the peace home was already completed when we arrived. So once the floors were nailed down and the walls up there was not much more to be done.
These are the two boys who's home it will now be. They are so cute. When we arrived each day they quickly ran up to welcome us and sompiahed as did their parents.



Their mum was always smiling at us. She is aware we were her sponsors but at the same time we felt so humbled to be a part of their community and their home.

Once the house is complete the family do not live in it until it has been blessed by the Buddhist monks. We also paid for a sack of rice, some other cooking stuff, Mosquito nets, some floor matting and blankets and cushions and a bicycle(the monks may have paid for the bike )to be blessed and given to the family. All these items except the bike are placed in front of the monks and the family sit beyond it for the blessing.



Sue and I were invited to take an josh stick each and spend a minute of two in silence reflecting on the good we had done, had done for our ancestors and for others. How we have made good for ourselves and so on. Everyone else sat in silence. There are many people behind and to the side of us.
The blessing then began with the monks reminding the family that in receiving this they are to follow the five rules.
No gambling
No drinking
No smoking
The children must go to school
There will be no domestic violence.
I believe that was what he explained to us. They will continue to receive support from the monks as long as the family is good.
After the talking the monks went into musical prayer that went for some time. Lovely to be a part of and both Sue and I got emotional. Only problem was we had to be seated with our feet not pointed at the monks and in a deep sompai for the duration. Not a position I can easily do and the sweat poured off. Much to the amusement of the girls to my left. They took great delight in watching it drip from my nose.
We were then invited to place all the items in the arms of the family and I tied a piece of blessed string around the fathers wrist.



Here we are after the blessing with the extended family.



And here is the direct family. I really hope they enjoy the new home. By the way the monk in this photo plans to be a boxer once he finishes being a monk.



Here is there old one. Looks like a shelter from survivor.
After this we visited the children again and went to look at a few homes already built with the family growing crops. Any extra is taken to market.



If I have inspired anyone to do this I can put you in touch with Y Nol. There are many other projects too. We visited PAGE which is a centre for girls as well as an extensive sewing school set up in Siem Reap. I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to know you are really helping someone, actually meeting them not just sending money so some CEO can get rich. We plan to return and maybe do a spell in the language school teaching English.
Next blog, quad bikes through the rice fields.

uke complete me!

Location:20 osaphear,Siemreab,Cambodia

Wednesday 3 July 2013

Peace home

For the past few days sue and I have been out in the community about 10 kilometres out of Siem Reap. As I mentioned prior for less money than my bike cost we sponsored a house to be built for a family with nothing.
The local Buddhist monks work tirelessly to help those in need with monthly food supplies and support. There is no centre link out here so if you have nothing you literally have nothing. Your children don't go to school,you survive day to day with malnourishment a serious problem. You cannot work as you have no way to get there and in many cases what little you have is lost by the gambling habit of the fathers. Alcohol and gambling are a major issue. This leads to a loss and anger which also leads to domestic violence as well as child exploitation to obtain money.
The monks work to help the families by providing food and putting in wells for water. If a family is proven to be good with no drinking,smoking,gambling or domestic violence then a better home is built for them, a bicycle given and the children sponsored to go to school so there will be a brighter future. Fathers farm the land around there homes to provide for their family. If the rules are broken then the family may lose the house or food supplies are stopped. It's harsh reality folks.
So our friends Pip and Michael have been here a couple of times, they sponsored a home last year and put us in touch with Y Nol, the Buddhist monk who works at the Life and Hope Association. And after much email chatter, here we are.
We were picked up at 7:30 and driven out on the bumpiest road imaginable to the peace home.
For 5 days a large group had been erecting it so all the frame and roof was up,just the floor to nail down and the walls to go up.



So with small hatchets we assisted in nailing down the floor boards.



That's Y Nol next to me. He is lovely. Did you know under the outer robes is another layer which includes a couple of pen pockets, mobile phone pocket and a large pouch for carrying wallet etc. At one time we were talking about how his name was spent and he turned around and goes 'Y Nol, that's how I spell it on Facebook!!! What tha!
Here's a couple more photos of the house and Susie hammering nails. When ever you bent a nail or hit your thumb you couldn't do the usual swear words, there's monks present, so I grunted a bit and Sue adopted the term, 'aw rats'. Y Nol would giggle every time.






Walls thatched and ready to go up.


Walls up. To make a window, they just saw a hole in the wall and wire on a smaller thatched cover,a wooden prop holds it open.


These guys were putting the roofing on. OH&S anyone!





For lunch we headed off to the local children's centre, where around 40 children live and are supported. Some are orphans, some given up by their families cause they can support them, some have only a mother or father and sadly some have HIV. They are the most beautiful children and everyone of them came to us individually,sompiahed and said hello. They also prostrated to the monks.
You just wanted to take them all home but also realised they were here, in there home, and being supported to go to school and have a future.



We had lunch with them in the mess room, I just didn't photograph them as I felt it was rude.
A number of the children then headed off to afternoon school.



Like children the world over, they were late for the bus!
Tomorrows blog we return to the peace home for the blessing. Spend time with the family and feel the emotions of giving.

Uke complete me!

Location:20 osaphear,Siemreab,Cambodia