My favorite topic, shopping! Shopping here is a unique experience, at that. Most of us have been to Dominican Republic, the Caribbean, Hawaii, some resort where you may find many vendors bargaining their way to a sale. The starting price is never the final price, right? Then you enter stores and the price on the sales ticket is the price you get... you would probably get a silly look if you tried to ask for something at a lesser price.
Here, things are a bit different. Where E Roth lives in the city, Phenom Penh, the "Russian Market" is right across the street. Possibly the largest market I have seen , until they took us to another and another and, then again, another market!
Before I get ahead of myself, let me start by explaining that many of the clothes you wear are made here in Cambodia. Lacoste, abercrombie, hollister, ralph lauren, north face and tommy hilfiger...just to name a few..... Because the clothing is produced here, it is also extremely inexpensive as well.
Inexpensive... a subjective term I suppose. Allow me to put this into perspective for you.... North Face backpack in America $80- $120....in Cambodia $18 (before the bargain) then we pay $10-$12! Abercrombie women tee's only $3, Armani Exchange $5..... amazing considering the price we pay for these name brands back in the states.
The Russian Market so large, you could get lost inside (and I speak from experience). They sell seasonal clothing, luggage, backpacks, winter jackets, food, fresh fish, fruits, vegetables.....souvenirs and household items. Whatever your heart desires, you will most likely find here.
You may be asking why seasonal clothing is sold here. It is hot all year round being only 10 degrees above the equator. This may be sold for the foreigners, but the locals are mostly dressed in pants, sweaters, blouses, long sleeves. This is for protection from the sun, but the coverings also keep them cool.... looking at them, they don't really sweat either...(no worries, Bong and I sweat enough for the whole country)
So, back to shopping..... we had the opportunity to shop at a few malls in the city as well. One of which was equivalent to a massive multi leveled flea market of all new items....The other 2 were equal to that of what we would find in the states....clean, organized, easy to window shop. Do not be fulled by the appearance, though. This, too, is just another opportunity to bargain and buy name brand items at an American affordable price! Here, Bong was able to purchase a Versace long sleeved shirt for $15 USD!
One observation I made was the majority of the clothing (mostly all) is made for very small individuals. I think there is a height and weight restriction to be a citizen of Cambodia! Rare to find someone over 5'10 or greater than 130lbs.
I might be classified as an obese woman here :)
My experience shopping in Cambodia has been hot, exciting, and adventurous.....you really never know what you will find!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Takeo
Ahhh....so long since I have updated you on our journey... for this I apologize... I must also add this blog may have many of errors, but I write with exhaustion weighing me down... I can't keep up with the excitement here! haha... I hope you enjoy :)
Takeo..... the province in which Bong was born.
Our journey began mid-day heading over from Phenom Penh to Takeo to meet many of Bong's aunts, uncles, and cousins. We set out on the hot road for our 3 hour ride. Bong and I sit in the bed of the truck with 3 of his cousins. Along the way we stop for some snacks.... you know, the usual.....beetles, field insects, ants, frogs. Needless to say, I skipped out :) Bong, on the other hand, scarfed down 2 frogs as if it might have been an oreo blizzard from Dairy Queen! (that pig)
We arrive to their home located way out in the countryside. I had the opportunity to meet some fantastic people. While only few speak good English, they all made a point to welcome me and allow me to feel as if I were at my own home. The one thing that stood out to me so clearly, was how genuinely happy these people are. They laugh, chat, and all help one another with a smile. The child of one, is the child of all. The respect between family members in built into the language, but is also very obvious to me (even though I don't fully comprehend what is being said).
Before we left on our journey to Cambodia, Daniel (our brother in law) said something very important to us. He said something along the lines of how amazing the experience for him was because you actually get to be part of their living. You get to experience their everyday life. I know I have said this often in other blogs, but seeing this and being apart of their lives has opened my eyes to a world outside of my own. Being able to share in the everyday living of Bong's family has been an amazing experience that I only wish everyone could have.
Bong and I are dropped off at a nearby guest house... I awake in the morning with so many mosquito bites that one might confuse me with an actual mosquito bite....I do not lie. We are picked up early in the morning and head back to their home. The ENTIRE family piles into one van and we head off to the beach. The thing about going anywhere that is not in the city is that it requires hours of transportation. I found when you ask, "is it far?"....you often get a response that follows this... "no, not far...maybe 2 hours".
Along the way, we stop at a nearby market and pick up crab, fish, many of foods made of coconut and insects. They cook what we buy and then head about half an hour down the road to the beach. We set up on a high planked wooden sitting area where mats are placed and the feast is laid out to be eaten. An interesting thing about meals here in Cambodia is that you don't get an individual meal placed in front of you. Everyone gets a dish filled with rice and then you pick from each plate....often just eating off of the shared plate. Even the way they eat represents the unity between family.
While Reaksmey warned me that bikini's are not worn out here, I wore one just in case :) Although, it was unecessary...to show respect, I wore Bong's shorts and a tee shirt. We played in the water for a long while and then lay out to dry. As Bong and I were sitting, a beautiful Cambodian woman asked to take a photo with me. She explained in Khmar that I was a beautiful American girl (Bong translated this for me). Clearly, she has not seen too many American's :)
After leaving the beach, Bong requested we drive to the place he was born (Guri Wung). Drive. Yes. This place, we might have flown to in the states. You see, there was no real road. It was a dirt path and was "not too far". Ah, yes.... a mere 2 more hours more in the car. I really can not complain though. Along the way, Bong's oldest aunt, Om Ra, asked me to take her ring. She took it off her hand and asked that I wear it. A family heirloom, I felt so honored and accepted. As we arrive to the place, there are stories exchanged about the happy day in which Sokchan was born. He was delivered by a midwife from the village in his parent's hut. The area in which he was born is still very underdeveloped. To me, it felt as if we drove back even further in time from where we had started....but a peaceful place. It was a place a simplicity and hard work. A place of natural beauty. In fact, the reason this place is named Guri Wung is because it is surrounded by mountains forming its circular topography.
After visiting Bong's birthplace, we stopped and visited another cousin. There are no street signs, as I'm sure I do not need to point out, and direction is based on the mountains. Every time we go somewhere, it always amazes me as to how they know which way to travel.
We arrive home late that night....enjoy another night of food, laughter, and family stories (Bong and E Roth translating for me). We meet a few more family members and then head off to the guest house for our second night in Takeo.
The following day we witnessed the family business which is a printing shop. They put together ID's, Licenses, make copies and invitations. Sean coached a cousin as to how he might expand his business into opening an internet shop and spoke to him about computer information.
This journey was filled with history, emotion and excitement! It was very enjoyable to see where my husband comes from and I felt so privileged to share in the intimate family moments with his relatives.
Takeo..... the province in which Bong was born.
Our journey began mid-day heading over from Phenom Penh to Takeo to meet many of Bong's aunts, uncles, and cousins. We set out on the hot road for our 3 hour ride. Bong and I sit in the bed of the truck with 3 of his cousins. Along the way we stop for some snacks.... you know, the usual.....beetles, field insects, ants, frogs. Needless to say, I skipped out :) Bong, on the other hand, scarfed down 2 frogs as if it might have been an oreo blizzard from Dairy Queen! (that pig)
We arrive to their home located way out in the countryside. I had the opportunity to meet some fantastic people. While only few speak good English, they all made a point to welcome me and allow me to feel as if I were at my own home. The one thing that stood out to me so clearly, was how genuinely happy these people are. They laugh, chat, and all help one another with a smile. The child of one, is the child of all. The respect between family members in built into the language, but is also very obvious to me (even though I don't fully comprehend what is being said).
Before we left on our journey to Cambodia, Daniel (our brother in law) said something very important to us. He said something along the lines of how amazing the experience for him was because you actually get to be part of their living. You get to experience their everyday life. I know I have said this often in other blogs, but seeing this and being apart of their lives has opened my eyes to a world outside of my own. Being able to share in the everyday living of Bong's family has been an amazing experience that I only wish everyone could have.
Bong and I are dropped off at a nearby guest house... I awake in the morning with so many mosquito bites that one might confuse me with an actual mosquito bite....I do not lie. We are picked up early in the morning and head back to their home. The ENTIRE family piles into one van and we head off to the beach. The thing about going anywhere that is not in the city is that it requires hours of transportation. I found when you ask, "is it far?"....you often get a response that follows this... "no, not far...maybe 2 hours".
Along the way, we stop at a nearby market and pick up crab, fish, many of foods made of coconut and insects. They cook what we buy and then head about half an hour down the road to the beach. We set up on a high planked wooden sitting area where mats are placed and the feast is laid out to be eaten. An interesting thing about meals here in Cambodia is that you don't get an individual meal placed in front of you. Everyone gets a dish filled with rice and then you pick from each plate....often just eating off of the shared plate. Even the way they eat represents the unity between family.
While Reaksmey warned me that bikini's are not worn out here, I wore one just in case :) Although, it was unecessary...to show respect, I wore Bong's shorts and a tee shirt. We played in the water for a long while and then lay out to dry. As Bong and I were sitting, a beautiful Cambodian woman asked to take a photo with me. She explained in Khmar that I was a beautiful American girl (Bong translated this for me). Clearly, she has not seen too many American's :)
After leaving the beach, Bong requested we drive to the place he was born (Guri Wung). Drive. Yes. This place, we might have flown to in the states. You see, there was no real road. It was a dirt path and was "not too far". Ah, yes.... a mere 2 more hours more in the car. I really can not complain though. Along the way, Bong's oldest aunt, Om Ra, asked me to take her ring. She took it off her hand and asked that I wear it. A family heirloom, I felt so honored and accepted. As we arrive to the place, there are stories exchanged about the happy day in which Sokchan was born. He was delivered by a midwife from the village in his parent's hut. The area in which he was born is still very underdeveloped. To me, it felt as if we drove back even further in time from where we had started....but a peaceful place. It was a place a simplicity and hard work. A place of natural beauty. In fact, the reason this place is named Guri Wung is because it is surrounded by mountains forming its circular topography.
After visiting Bong's birthplace, we stopped and visited another cousin. There are no street signs, as I'm sure I do not need to point out, and direction is based on the mountains. Every time we go somewhere, it always amazes me as to how they know which way to travel.
We arrive home late that night....enjoy another night of food, laughter, and family stories (Bong and E Roth translating for me). We meet a few more family members and then head off to the guest house for our second night in Takeo.
The following day we witnessed the family business which is a printing shop. They put together ID's, Licenses, make copies and invitations. Sean coached a cousin as to how he might expand his business into opening an internet shop and spoke to him about computer information.
This journey was filled with history, emotion and excitement! It was very enjoyable to see where my husband comes from and I felt so privileged to share in the intimate family moments with his relatives.
Monday, January 11, 2010
A Way of Life
Let me be real with you for just one moment. This might be the most important blog you read throughout our stories and travels….and I hope if you read any blog in its entirety, it is this one.
I have spoken a lot about the beauty of this country, but not much about their way of life. It is 3:45 am in the morning here and I am not quite sure when I will post this blog due to the lack of internet access, but while today was filled with adventure, fun, and laughter..I am choosing to write about something more meaningful here….the way of life in Cambodia through my eyes.
I have had the great honor and privilege to travel to this land and stay in hotels and guest houses thus far….but more importantly I have been granted to opportunity to sit and eat, laugh, and enjoy the company of Bong’s aunts, uncles, and cousins. Through these very real visits, my eyes have been open to an everyday world outside of my own.
Life is hard here. A flushing toilette is a luxury found only in an Americanized/European styles hotel. Toilette paper is scarce (to be honest, I haven’t found it in any home or public rest area yet. We have the luxury of sitting on a seat while urinating….here, you stand to urinate over a bowl and pour stored water into it when completed.
We shower in luxury as well. Most homes have a shower stall, bath tub…some combined and other separate. While we house shop in the states, a tub is often sought after…..after all, don’t we deserve to relax after a hard day of work with candles, bubbles, and possibly a glass of wine? Right. Here, if you are lucky enough to have the money, you might have a spray house that sits in the bathroom in which you spray yourself to clean…but don’t forget to close the toilette seat….that’s right, it is simply all one small enclosed area.
I don’t say this in a judgmental manner; I say this in hopes of opening minds to see how fortunate we are. I have always thought of myself as an appreciative person, but now I am ashamed of all the amenities I have taken for granted…
Traveling as a child, my parents would bring me on cruises, road trips, and flying was just another means of transportation to a faraway place. Here, you pile on a moped, or in the back of a truck with the rest of the family and begin your hours on the road to visit family or the beach, perhaps. I must warn you, though…. You look around and many are wearing masks due to the obscene amount of dust flying about…and the roads are not the roads we know back home. Think about how many times you have complained about that pot hole you ran over…. Well, let me share with you, at times the whole road feels like a pothole.
Driving to auntie’s house at home, you may stop for dairy queen along the way….If you are Sean, possibly a Starbuck’s. Here, you stop for cooked insects and frogs….
Sean and I laughed last night before heading to bed because of a comment I made. I said, “I feel like I have been here for a month and it’s only been 3 days!” My laughter was taken over by a feeling a shamefulness. How dare I take for granted everything I have been given in my life….my education, the ease of taking [Excedrine] because my head is hurting; how dare I ever again complain that my feet hurt after a hard day of work. How dare I complain that my car or house is ever too hot; how dare I complain about needing new sneakers, a massage, or anything of that nature.
I dread going home, heading back to work….entering a room to give a patient their pills and hearing them say “my water needs ice”, “my pillow case hasn’t been changed and it is noon”, “I need to slipper socks”. All very common complaints I am preparing myself to hear.
Poverty is something I thought existed in the “ghetto”, the poor sections of the city…..but it actually exists in an entire country. The middle class is still less than our lowest poverty level.
As many of you know, Sean and I live in downtown New Haven. We also have our gorgeous Bella who we walk frequently….because of this we have had the opportunity to get to know some of the less fortunate in our area. One homeless man, who Sean and I speak with often, once asked Sean to check his balance on his phone. Balance? How can a homeless man have a balance of any sorts? Well, in the US, not all of our shelters are free. Our government gives these people a daily allowance. When they go to the shelter, they give their number and it is deducted from their account. This balance comes from that paycheck you work for. So, what is my point of this? If you don’t have shelter or your farm has failed and you lose your land (and your hut), then so be it… there are no food stamps, no homeless shelters… it is what it is.
Sean’s cousin who attends college for civil engineering here ($500 a month---which is extremely expensive), was explaining that after high school, two of her best friends were married off. One of whom was married off to a 35 y/o man overseas. I asked if she would also have an arranged marriage. She explained, “I can pick my husband, but it is a 50/50 thing with my parents. They must also like him. What happened to my friends, my mother said is very, very bad”. You see, the girl who was married off overseas to this very rich man has parents who are receiving money here. We call this a mail order bride. She explained to us that some 18 year olds marry men who are 40 or 50 years old. I can see all your faces now, some sad…some disgusted…and some throwing out their moral judgments perhaps. Let us just stop for a moment and sit to appreciate the freedom that is given to us….the freedom that we have as American’s. The freedom that we were lucky enough to be granted…the freedom our forefathers fought for us to have.
Something interesting to note is that E Roth , at the age of 17, also left Cambodia with her sister (Sean’s mother) to a refugee camp in Thailand, a very dangerous and life threatening escape. Every night she had a dream of her mother asking her to go back to Cambodia and complete her studies. Because of the reoccurring dreams, E Roth returned to Cambodia. The people of this land have hope that one day it will become prosperous again. Cambodia was set back many of years following the war. Travelling through this country sometimes feels as if I am walking through the past….but a past filled with love, laughter, and hopeful faces.
I have spoken a lot about the beauty of this country, but not much about their way of life. It is 3:45 am in the morning here and I am not quite sure when I will post this blog due to the lack of internet access, but while today was filled with adventure, fun, and laughter..I am choosing to write about something more meaningful here….the way of life in Cambodia through my eyes.
I have had the great honor and privilege to travel to this land and stay in hotels and guest houses thus far….but more importantly I have been granted to opportunity to sit and eat, laugh, and enjoy the company of Bong’s aunts, uncles, and cousins. Through these very real visits, my eyes have been open to an everyday world outside of my own.
Life is hard here. A flushing toilette is a luxury found only in an Americanized/European styles hotel. Toilette paper is scarce (to be honest, I haven’t found it in any home or public rest area yet. We have the luxury of sitting on a seat while urinating….here, you stand to urinate over a bowl and pour stored water into it when completed.
We shower in luxury as well. Most homes have a shower stall, bath tub…some combined and other separate. While we house shop in the states, a tub is often sought after…..after all, don’t we deserve to relax after a hard day of work with candles, bubbles, and possibly a glass of wine? Right. Here, if you are lucky enough to have the money, you might have a spray house that sits in the bathroom in which you spray yourself to clean…but don’t forget to close the toilette seat….that’s right, it is simply all one small enclosed area.
I don’t say this in a judgmental manner; I say this in hopes of opening minds to see how fortunate we are. I have always thought of myself as an appreciative person, but now I am ashamed of all the amenities I have taken for granted…
Traveling as a child, my parents would bring me on cruises, road trips, and flying was just another means of transportation to a faraway place. Here, you pile on a moped, or in the back of a truck with the rest of the family and begin your hours on the road to visit family or the beach, perhaps. I must warn you, though…. You look around and many are wearing masks due to the obscene amount of dust flying about…and the roads are not the roads we know back home. Think about how many times you have complained about that pot hole you ran over…. Well, let me share with you, at times the whole road feels like a pothole.
Driving to auntie’s house at home, you may stop for dairy queen along the way….If you are Sean, possibly a Starbuck’s. Here, you stop for cooked insects and frogs….
Sean and I laughed last night before heading to bed because of a comment I made. I said, “I feel like I have been here for a month and it’s only been 3 days!” My laughter was taken over by a feeling a shamefulness. How dare I take for granted everything I have been given in my life….my education, the ease of taking [Excedrine] because my head is hurting; how dare I ever again complain that my feet hurt after a hard day of work. How dare I complain that my car or house is ever too hot; how dare I complain about needing new sneakers, a massage, or anything of that nature.
I dread going home, heading back to work….entering a room to give a patient their pills and hearing them say “my water needs ice”, “my pillow case hasn’t been changed and it is noon”, “I need to slipper socks”. All very common complaints I am preparing myself to hear.
Poverty is something I thought existed in the “ghetto”, the poor sections of the city…..but it actually exists in an entire country. The middle class is still less than our lowest poverty level.
As many of you know, Sean and I live in downtown New Haven. We also have our gorgeous Bella who we walk frequently….because of this we have had the opportunity to get to know some of the less fortunate in our area. One homeless man, who Sean and I speak with often, once asked Sean to check his balance on his phone. Balance? How can a homeless man have a balance of any sorts? Well, in the US, not all of our shelters are free. Our government gives these people a daily allowance. When they go to the shelter, they give their number and it is deducted from their account. This balance comes from that paycheck you work for. So, what is my point of this? If you don’t have shelter or your farm has failed and you lose your land (and your hut), then so be it… there are no food stamps, no homeless shelters… it is what it is.
Sean’s cousin who attends college for civil engineering here ($500 a month---which is extremely expensive), was explaining that after high school, two of her best friends were married off. One of whom was married off to a 35 y/o man overseas. I asked if she would also have an arranged marriage. She explained, “I can pick my husband, but it is a 50/50 thing with my parents. They must also like him. What happened to my friends, my mother said is very, very bad”. You see, the girl who was married off overseas to this very rich man has parents who are receiving money here. We call this a mail order bride. She explained to us that some 18 year olds marry men who are 40 or 50 years old. I can see all your faces now, some sad…some disgusted…and some throwing out their moral judgments perhaps. Let us just stop for a moment and sit to appreciate the freedom that is given to us….the freedom that we have as American’s. The freedom that we were lucky enough to be granted…the freedom our forefathers fought for us to have.
Something interesting to note is that E Roth , at the age of 17, also left Cambodia with her sister (Sean’s mother) to a refugee camp in Thailand, a very dangerous and life threatening escape. Every night she had a dream of her mother asking her to go back to Cambodia and complete her studies. Because of the reoccurring dreams, E Roth returned to Cambodia. The people of this land have hope that one day it will become prosperous again. Cambodia was set back many of years following the war. Travelling through this country sometimes feels as if I am walking through the past….but a past filled with love, laughter, and hopeful faces.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
culture shock
[images to be added at a later date when we can find higher speed Internet]
Thursday was a day filled with adventure, culture shock, and more beauty of this country. We awoke quite early, ate breakfast, and headed out before 8am with Boo and E to see more temples, Phnom Kulen, and complete some shopping.
The one thing I left out of the previous post was was the level of poverty throughout. Yes, this is a 3rd world country, but I guess even though you read about it, see pictures, and hear stories...you never can fully understand it until you experience it. This has been one of the greatest experiences I have had to date. It has opened my eyes to something outside of my little world. It has allowed me to appreciate the opportunities that have been granted to me. We had so many children , as young as 2 years old, begging while dirty from head to toe, there were tons of poor starving puppies roaming everywhere, huts throughout that make up the villages where the men and women work their farm to maintain their living.... if the child is lucky enough to not have to work the farm, then they are able to attend the village school which takes place from 7a-11a. School is a privilege here...meaning, that child is walking, riding a bike or moped to reach their education.
I must add, also, that there are no rules of the road. There are no stop lights, stop signs that are not followed, and no speed limit. The road is really a free for all... survival of the fittest. I have seen ox/ cows pulling wagons, mopeds, bicycles, cars, and farm equipment going every which direction. There are pick up trucks stacked with crops, people, and animals. There are vans crammed with individuals inside and on the top. The mopeds carry a family of 4 with an infant riding on the lap of their mother. Some roads are paved, but the majority I have ridden on thus far have been dirt only. At times, I thought we were playing a game of chicken, but it is merely the way the road system works...honking, flashing of headlights, and prayer.
Now let me tell you a little about our day! We started off by going to view more of the temples. Then headed to Phnom Kulen. We drove up this mountain which took a little over half an hour. Upon reaching the top, we parked and began our hike even further around the mountain. We were able to hike to the largest Buddha which required us to remove our shoes and climb the many more stairs. An interesting fact about this mountain is that it was once under water! To see the size of the mountain and stone and hear the history is just beyond belief. I must tell you, this is true because while hiking through you will stumble upon many seashells!
Many hours were spent hiking the mountain and we then hiked to a different spot where we spotted the most breathtaking waterfall. The most wonderful thing about this journey is that it is not touristy at all. This mountain is not known to the tourists, in fact it is known as a sacred area in which no one is allowed to lie. There are many areas to pray with the monks and Buddha's. There are many who travel from Thailand to pray on this sacred mountain.
Another interesting fact is that upon driving up this mountain you will see random areas in which soldiers live in their man made hut. This is their way of protecting the land so it is not stolen from any other bordering country (Thailand, Vietnam, Laos).
This mountain is so sacred and blessed, that many of the visitors are from Thailand. They come to pray and rub the Buddha for good luck.
We concluded our day by visiting a few more temples. One which was used for the fighting of elephants and had a mythical story associated with it. There was a giant creature/human who had 12 daughters in which he built 12 temples in their honor. Ironically, the story ends with him eating all 12...hmmm....
See you again sooooon!!! (I promise to write about today soon!)
Joom Reab Suor
Joom Reab Suor!?So, our trip to Cambodia..... our short 2 hour flight from Malaysia to Cambodia landed us in a beautiful country filled with more history than my ignorant mind could have imagined.
As we arrive in Siem Reap, Bong and I get in line to receive our Visa.... Bong was born in Cambodia, so for him it is free. "Free" meaning he does not have to pay the $20 fee that I do, but a donation to the pocket of the man issuing him the visa is required. A $20 donation.
We then turn to the immigration line. The man gets very excited to see a Cambodian native. He starts speaking secretively and excitedly, leaning over the counter to be close to Bong. Of course, Bong plays dumb......It is then explained to me for the first time, the corruption that takes place in Cambodia, corruption that I see and is explained to me by family thoughout our journey. The government official was asking for money.
As we exit the immigration line, we are greeted by E and Boo (Aunt and Uncle). They are as excited to see Bong as we to see them. We pile in the truck and head off to Siem Reap. We are driven to our hotel which costs a mere $20 a night. We drop our luggage, shower, change and head out to see this beautiful city.We first head to Angkor Wat. I was unaware until this adventure, that Angkor Wat is made up of over 1,000 temples. Anglor Wat was built for the king during the 12th century for the purpose of prayer. Words and photos could never give justice to the beauty and architectural excellence that make up these temples. The craft was completed by hand and the detail is more intricate than anything I have seen before.
After the hours of walking through many different temples and climbing over 10,000 stairs, sweating off 10 pounds and convinced I might be loosing a lower limb, we head to Bakhent Mountain to watch the sunset. Many will be surprised at the fact that I have not yet started to complain (out loud). We hike the mountain and reach the top.... I felt as if I accomplished the most amazing hike ever attempted... but I must explain, this, too, was followed with the steepest set of stone stairs I had seen yet that day (which doesn't sound like much unless you know thae stairs of Angkor Wat).
I climb the stairs...ok, well I sort of crawled up them....but made it to the top safely and contemplated how I might make it down. I allowed Bong to take another 500 photos and then we started our hike down. Despite the pain and suffering I was forced to endure, it was the most GORGEOUS sunset I had ever seen in my life. The sky became shades of blue, yellow, orange, violet... colors I did not know the sky could become. It was a beauty that words could never quite explain....a vision that a picture could never quite capture.
After returning to the hotel, I immediately passed out with a terrible migraine! Bong kindly went looking for my Excedrine Extra Strength, but to our surprise it was no longer there. You see, these medicines we take for granted and when we landed from Malaysia, my bag was the slightest bit unzippered. I thought nothing of it until this moment. Only my 2 ziplock bags remain, empty of my excedrine, lactaid pills, and tylenol. I am too tired to even care. Might I just add, I have yet to complain out loud! :)
Bong enjoys a nice dinner out, while I fall sweetly into a sound sleep in bed. Just to add a quick note here-->the beds are not what we are used to home in the states. Don't set that picture in your mind where I am so very comfortable on my feather plush mattress! I am actually laying on the equivalent to a car seat. After the walking and climbing from the day, you could have put my on concrete and it would have felt like heaven, though!
I have to add, I wish this was something that everyone could see. It is a beauty that just can not be explained by words. Nothing I write could ever give justice to the amazing sites that have been seen.
Malaysia- the unexpected visit
[images to be added at a later date when we can find higher speed internet]
Hello again!
Bong (how I refer to sean in Cambodian-respectful way of saying husband) and I apologize for not posting soon... we have been beyond busy, have had no sleep, and no internet access....although, I must admit even with internet access I would have been way to busy to write.
So, I write from E Roth's home with internet Sean mysteriously found... (a little luck from Bong's Budah purchase)
A little catch up---> Malaysia.... Korean Air was very kind to us and put us up in a VERY nice hotel in Malaysia (Pan Pacific)... I even ate American food for dinner (wasn't feeling the adventure with only 2 hours of sleep) Anyway, Bong and I did not want our trip to Malaysia to go wasted. We tried to take a train into the city to see the 2 largest buildings in the world and sight see around, but unfortunately the train stopped running at 1am and this would force us to take a cab back to the hotel, risky and expensive.
We decide at 2:30 am (after our forever long dinner because time is NOT of the essence in Malaysia) to head to bed and awake at 5am to catch the first train (Kalia Express). Why so early you may wonder? Well, our flight was scheduled for 11am and for us, time was of the essence!
Bong and I hop aboard our train where only one other woman sits. Bong, being the talker he is, quickly makes friends with Delilah. She was born and raised in Malaysia, but received her MBA from Ohio State University. Conversation made our half hour train ride seem like all of 5 minutes.
Our new Muslim friend was more of an inspiration than anything to me and Bong. You see, Delilah is a cancer survivor. She received medication that many of us take for granted... a type of drug therapy that I work with on a day to day basis.... a drug therapy that is not readily available to those who reside outside of the US.
Delilah receives chemotherapy.... a therapy regimen that she had to be interviewed and chosen to receive. Chemotherapy agents in Malaysia are brought in from the US. They are given to only those who "pass" this interview. In other words, if you don't fit the criteria, you die.
Delilah is nothing short of a strong woman. She also has one of the kindest hearts. She was not scheduled to work until 9am and decided to take us on a tour of Malaysia. She brought us from train to subway (which is not underground) and also funded half our way! You see, in Malaysia the ATM machines don't actually start working until the bank begins operating... to us, this seemed unusual.
Our tour was sweet, informational, and heart touching. This is something I wish for our family to experience.
As we arrive back to the airport, we are of course late for our check in (supposed to be 2 hours prior to departure)...oh, but no worries! Our flight is delayed once again :)
So, don't think I didn't leave Malaysia without trying true Malaysian food... I did. This food also followed me to Cambodia... Yes, without further explanation, I am positive you can imagine my discomfort. Poor Bong.
See you from Cambodia!!
Fun Fact: Interesting to note, Delilah loves American Football (Ohio State, that is).
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Cambodia, here we come...maybe?
Courtesy of Nicholas Carrano, Sokchan and I arrived at JFK nice and early this past January 4th (our first married Monday!)...
We awaited anxiously infront of a "Korean Air" sign...first two in line, ready for our 12:40pm flight to Korea.. The desk opens an hour later (now 9am) and we are told our flight has been delayed over 3 hours. Apparently, it snows in Korea (a shock to me...), but nothing can bring down these newleyweds! We check our bags and venture over to gate #3....these extra hours allow us time to admire all our wedding photos and DVD's, we munch over that scrumptious JFK food and enjoy our first set of travels as a married couple!
"Korean Air now boarding fligh 082 to Seoul, Korea" is announced over the loud speaker.... we wait off to the side as boarding starts...first class, morning calm, and finally economy! We board our plane, get settled into our assigned seats, set up our pillows and give eachother a gentle little kiss....on our way to Korea...never once thinking how we might be getting to Cambodia since our connecting flight will have come and gone by the time we arrive... Oh well, as long as we have eachother and our good conversation, we will be all set!
Yes, good conversation...about that... I set up my personal television and begin my search through the movie/ t.v. sitcomes available... I look over to Sean, and he is fast asleep...
I start my movie "Love Happens" and am watching intently as my husband sleeps. About an hour into the movie, I realize we are still grounded... That's right, we haven't even left yet...
I try to nudge Sokchan, but there was no waking him! 6:30pm and we finally take off...apparently, we were 7th in line.
Aside from the delayed travels, I must say that Korean Air was great to fly... of course after I realized the arm rest went up, I made myself a little bed on Sokchan's lap and was fast asleep...and only woke up for lunch and dinner... I could have actually slept through that too, except Sokchan needed his tray table extended outward and my head took up too much space :)
So, we arrive in Korea and are directed to a line mixed with nationalities and attitudes.
The sweet American woman behind us did not close her mouth once and I truly believe that in her mind she was the only one being put out...and they must have done this on purpose. Afterall, her business meetings were much more important than anything anyone else could possibly be doing.
As Sokchan and I approach the desk, they ask our destination, and they kindly ask us to sit.... We find outselves with 3 other travelers who were possible 3 of the most interesting people I have met thus far.
One gentleman was a pilot who works for Orbis... He was on his way to Singapore to pick up a newly built plane with a brand new surgical suite. He was then going to be flying it to the Phillipines. The company he works for is made up of flight crew, doctors, and nurses... They fly for 1-2 years and provide medical care to poverished areas. Through conversation, we learned not only the best travel places, the need to carry a copy of our passport, but also volunteer opportunity and work opportunity for me to provide nursing care to those in need.
He gave me his card and some additional information....and I have a new friend!
Our other sitting partner was a travel bee, ironically from Newport! He also traveled a lot on business... He was just fresh from a divorce and heading back to Shanghai.... he left us with words of wisdom "whatever you do, don't ignore your partner"... I guess the years of his lonely travels caught up to his marriage.
The third stranded traveler was trying to reach Brisbane, Australia... in time for her luggage and boyfriend! She and Sokchan exchanged some IPhone recommendations and that was that.
After about 3/4 of the waiting passengers had left, my husband and I remain.... sitting, chatting, laughing, and waiting.
A sweet Korean lady asks for our passports and tries to arrange a flight out to Cambodia for January 6th. It's now about midnight on January 5th....all those who once shared a hope of flying out to their destintion some time soon, have come and gone... Sokchan and I sit alone with all of our new Korean Air friends. The nice lady rejoins us by explaining the one flight that goes to Siem Reap is overbooked and we have no hope of getting on that fight. "Ok, not a big deal" Sokchan states so nicely, "We can fly into Phenom Penh"... sounds like a great idea, right?
Would be, except that flight is also overbooked...
Our nice Korean friends explains we will be spending the night in Korea... take a flight to Malaysia...spend a night there.. and then fly to Cambodia... Landing January 7th at noon...
Well, besides the loss of 2 full sightseeing days, this trip has still been enjoyable. Not to mention, now we get to sleep in a bed and shower! We just need our luggage... I don't want to bore you too much with the details... so, I will just say...we didn't actually leave the airport until 1:30am!
As we were leaving, we ran into a nice couple from Boston who was also on their way to Cambodia! They would be flying into Phenom Penh... although, they were being rerouted to Hong Kong due to overbooked flights. We exchanged travel itineraries...and I was comforted by the fact they were winging it just as much as us... that's right, no hotel reservations or travel confirmations.... Our new friends would be traveling to Laos as we would be going to Vietnam!
While not to drag on too much with our first 2 days of travels, I must just say since I have been in Korea, I ate nothing too much out of the ordinary (can't say the same for my husband) but I did try Aloe juice which was fantastic... it actually tasted similar to watermelon juice.
Well, enjoy our uploaded photos.. I apologize for my many spelling errors and hope you stop by again to read more of our travels...
Freezing from Korea!
The Choun's!
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