Siem Reap 2

Judy. We didn’t come to Siem Reap for Angkor Wat.  Oh, it’s one of those bucket list items we wanted to experience, but we came because a friend told us it was a neat town.

From my former post, you know that I think it IS a really neat town, and far more complex than I originally thought. There is so much construction going on, beautiful new hotels and shops right next to dirt-poor homes and outdoor restaurants.  The city is very much dependent on tourism, and Angkor Wat is the main draw. The Night Market is close behind.

We “did” Angkor Wat on a day when the weather was hot and humid. Our tuk-tuk driver started with the smaller temples early in the morning when it was cool, and we really enjoyed wandering around those. They were somewhat crowded, but not bad. By the time we reached the three “biggies”: Bayon, Angor Thom, and Angkor Wat, there were traffic jams and hundreds of people, and the temperature was high. So, we did enjoy the temples (it helped that we went to the museum the day before to get an understanding of what was there), and were amazed at the engineering (how many slaves died to make those gorgeous things?), but we did not last the whole day. Having said that, I DO recommend that you put it on your bucket list. It is amazing, and, after all, a World Heritage Site.

We also took a recommended boat trip to the stilt/floating houses—all of them built on stilts during this, the dry season, but with water at their doorstep during the monsoons. Again, the engineering is something else, as is the ingenuity of the people who live there. We were uncomfortable when our tour guide stepped into living spaces to show us cookstoves, babies in hammocks, and other such daily life scenes. “See the residents in their natural habitat!”

I guess they understand, but Ted and I felt more comfortable staying in the street, watching the kids play. It was definitely a tour of the third world. The whole tour was third world. The poor wooden boat edged its way through shallow water carrying eight of us tourists and the guide. At one point, the driver came back and was trying to wire the intercom. I find fewer of these OSHA violations scare me—what does that mean?

We did have a lovely ride onto Lake Tonle Sap and a stop at a floating restaurant. The best part of the tour for us was meeting others in our group.  Zhenke, a Chinese IT specialist from Singapore, had some really interesting takes on the world, and told us about how when he began school, he had no running water or regular electricity, and how, when it came, it changed his life. With a Master’s Degree from a University in Manchester, England, and a job with a British bank, I’d say it did change his life. Really enjoyed talking to him.

Andrej, Monica, and their daughter Gabi, who is nine, were the others we talked to. We were so pleased that they take Gabi with them—she’s been to ten countries already! It was great to watch them find teachable moments, and we got to help her practice her English, which was quite good. Some deeper conversations with Andrej as well. And we were pleased when Gabi asked if she could have her photo made with us.

That night we went to Phare Circus Cambodia, another NGO that like Life Project Cambodia, helps not only children, but their families as well. In this case, the kids come to play, to participate in the arts as a release and a healing, and many become involved in the performance aspects: music, acrobatics, physical storytelling, slapstick, etc. Some go on to take part in the circus performances, which are much like the Cirque shows. About 1200 are enrolled in the program, and about 125 perform in the eight circus troupes. They’re pretty darned amazing. You can check out the info at www.pharecircus.org.

In the last couple of days, two of the Cambodians we had gotten to know felt comfortable enough with us to open up about their frustration with their government and the corruption.  They gave specific examples, but what saddened us most was the sense of hopelessness.  There’s an election coming up, but they felt nothing would change. Sounds vaguely familiar. When we asked about all the construction, we were told it’s being done by other countries—China and Thailand, mostly.

On the last morning at breakfast, our waitress, Pheap, told us, without any regret, that she, who is married with a 5-year-old daughter and a baby on the way, is helping to support her brother so he can finish college and become a teacher. She told us her dream had been to finish university, but she quit to help her brother, who would finish soon. Then she’d begin to help her little sister.

The whole staff at Villa Siem Reap really became important to us—Pheap, as well as the manager Phally and the receptionist Bun Rath. They were always asking about what we had done and what we enjoyed, making recommendations and booking for us. I know that’s their job, but they made us feel like they cared. I’m a sentimental old thing but still, to my surprise, I found myself tearing up as we left. I definitely want to return to Siem Reap. I wonder what changes will have happened when I do.

By the way, Ted asked me to remind you that if you want to know where in the world we are, click on the “Where are we now?” button on the right side of the home page.