Tea is the stairway to heaven
I am actually a bit closer to heaven, being in the mountains and all, but the altitude and change in temperature has a bit of a downside; it has given me a nasty cold. Bla! I'm sneezing and coughing galore, but it too will pass. I am having a marvelous time anyhow. So far I have been trekking the jungle, visiting tea farms, strawberry farms, honey farms, insect and snake sanctuaries, rose gardens and more. I am staying at a nice place with nightly bonfires and a lot of nice people (but of course Jackson; with the compulsary bed bugs and rats, but they seem to be everywhere). Drinking far to much local rhum and basically enjoying life.
Yesterday it hit me; I really can't avoid it anymore. The longing, the need and the craving for... the beach. Tomorrow I'm off to what seems to be paradise on earth; the Perenhatian Islands. White sand, blue sea (you know the deal) and beautiful snorkelling and sea turtles. I can't wait! Only 15 hours of travelling remains between me and heaven. Don't be surprised if that is my last destinaton before Bangkok. Beach-Baywatch-Bimbo? No, more of a.. Sunrise-Snokelling-Seashell-Chick. That's me in wo days! Tallyhoo!
Now I'm off for some beautiful Indian-Malay food; I can't get enough! Everyday is one for a new favourite dish... mmm
The smell of saffron and durian
Malaysian people roughly consists of three ethnic groups: The Chinese, the Indian and the Malays (who are muslim and in majority). None of these groups are originaly from today's Malaysian territory, eventhough the Malays claim to be; truth is they emigrated from Indonesia.
What makes the everyday stroll down a KL street such an experience is that all of these different culures seems to nurture their own customs like babies. There are beautiful Indian women in colourful saris and bindis walking next to Chinese women, white as milk. Then there are the muslim women who are easily recognized by their veils and colourful clothing. Always matching and with beautiful jewellery decorating their veils, they might actually beat the Indian women in beauty.
Then there is the food and even more so the smell of it. Indian, Chinese and Maly food are all savoury enough to make you druel and the smells are a good indicator of what is in store. To complete the feast of the senses there is music everywhere, mostly Indian pop and muslim chants, mixed with the roars from the cars and busses and the buzz of the people. In KL you don't walk down a streets; you consume it, you see it, you hear it and you smell it, while being pushed around like a rubber duck in the Atlantic ocean.
Despite this, arriving in the capital city wasn't the warmest of welcomings. Greeted by a fierce thunder storm and pooring (!) rain, also being more than an hour late could have brought a smaller traveller down; but not me. No no.
I found myself an excellent, shabby (end of Singaporian splendor) but rather cozy guesthouse filled to the brim with agreable people and spent the evening playing cards and drinking rum. Malay style. Then I went to bed rather content with my day.
I woke up early due to the smell in my room (jasmine incense only help to a certain extent) and exited the guesthouse to make my way to the tallest twin towers in tha world; namely Petrona Towers (in the heart of Kuala Lumpur). I had a well-spent morning quing for two hours to go up the sky bridge (which is only halfway) and stare at the view for three minutes. The first thing I realized while stepping out on the sky bridge was that while I had been quing the beautiful, clear morning had turned into hazy midday. Oh well, what do you do?
The day continued in a better fashion with some Nasi Goreng for lunch and a nice stroll through China Town, Little India and the Central Market. To top it off I made a visit to the National History Museem, which was very interesting indeed. For those of you ho don't know to much about Malaysian history I can inform you that it is rather unfree. Malaysia has been in the possession of the Dutch, the English and the Japaneese before it gained independence in 1957 (how many years ago is that? I'll get back to that later).
In the evening I tagged along to what we thought was a shadow puppet show at the national theater; it turned out to be a tribute to China show. But is was free and goofy and we had a good time giggling at the different flowery dances (performed with ultimate seriousness). Then we took a stroll around the lake next to the theatre and decided to have a go at the "Eye of Malaysia", a huge Paris-wheel celebrating Malaysia's 50 years of nationhood. To make it an evening we drank tea and smoked waterpipe for the rest of the night (for att hedra Linda saklart).
Today I have been utterly Muslim. I have visited the National Mosque and the Museum of Islamic Arts. Quite a fascinating day really and a lot learnt. At the Mosque I got a lecture of Islam and Muslim believes by a very interesting man. When I left he snuck a copy of the holy Qua'aran in my hand and said: "I hope you come back a Muslim." This was not done as an action as religeus fanatism, nor was it in any way unpleasant; it was just a gift from a man who seriously belived and who wanted me to see what he saw.
I also met a very impressive Syrain woman, married to a Malay man and she gave me her view of being a woman and a Muslim. She was a very intellegent, strong and proud woman and in her eyes all the actions of Islam that we find oppressive were really to honour women. It was not in any way a weird angle; I guess what I really learnt today is that it matters more WHO you are looking, than WHAT you are looking at to form conclusions. I think this day was one of those days that needs pondering; maybe i should go get a "tay si kosong" (tea with milk, not so sweet) and do just that.
Some info before I go: Tomorrow i'm probably leaving for the Cameron Highlands (where they make tea!). I have found a very nice English travelling companion (so don't worry dear parents).
Over and out!
Tea and elephants
Fully recovered and with the nose full of polluted motorbike fumes she looked back at her decition to stay in Chiang Mai and she saw that it was good. She had overcome the decease that threatened to bring her down into a well of despare and she had spent her two days of health on a motorbike with a Frenchman called Malik.
It is easy to meet people here. This time all it took was a worried consultation with a trecherous stomach, pondering on what to order for lunch, when Mr Malik stepped in and explained exactly what dish I should endulge in. Following his advice I understood that this was a man who new his Thai dishes and as it turned out he had lived in Chiang Mai for a year. Seeing that I was a natural ambivalent concering food he offered to take me out for the night and so he did. Cruising through the Chiang Mai traffic on the back of a motorbike is an enjoyable experience, be sure, but it got better. Starting the evening with a Thai orange tea at a cosy little riverside cafe we had a nice chat about life, the universe and everything. Continuing to The Drunken Flower (probably the best named bar in the whole of SE Asia) treating our ears to some fine, live music presented to us by an American and an Englis woman in perfect harmony (except for some highly amusing accent differences). Me being on antibiotics exploring the different juices and teas (I love being on penecillin; excellent excuse to trade the beer for a tea) we both had a delightful "white" evening. The evening continued at a very quaint little student hang-out in centre ville; Thais only, and ended at an excellent reggea bar in the turist area, fantastic live music! An evening well spent (and I didn´t have to spend a nickel).
The three days following this evening continued in the same sense. By back of motorbike I saw most of Chiang Mai´s sights, restaurants and bars (still on tea). One highlight was the Thai milkbar we visited, we indulged in an Alaska (a giant ice cream mountain tasting of milk and honey) and a gummy gummy (for anyone who likes gummy bears; my mum would have loved it!). Another peak was the Thai buffe, with a bbq and a steamer in the centre of the table. Picking meat and giant prawns at the 'all you can eat' - counter and "chucking them on the bobby" as the aussies would say. Delicious. We went to a fancy pants hotel but it gave me the creaps so we went for a fruit shake at an Asian restaurant instead. We also went up to the temple on the big hill; very holy and a beautiful view of the city. On the way down we had us some nice ice-cream straight from the dairy factory.
Also we had us a nice little insident at the 'ghost town'; we fell over with the bike (one and only time according to Malik), we were going at around 2,3 km/ hour so we didn't suffer any serious injuries but when we got up the bike wouldn't start. It was about my funniest moment seing Malik being more and more freaked out by the 'ghost town', all along me making scary sounds and then pretending it rained. I guess I'm just plain mean, or maybe a bit of a black witch (would it surprise anybody?).
In my decition to stay in Chiang Mai lay another smaller decition. Being ill had defenitely saved me some cash; laying in my bed only eating some bread doesn't make the coins roll. I decided that since I had a bad time saving it I should have a good time spending it. I should go for a tour and be damned if I shouldn't see some elephants in the go (I've had an embarrassingly small amount of elephants on this trip!).
I was well prepared before the tour, I was set on making the most of it. I have not been on many tours on my jerney (mostly because they are pricy and frankly I don't like them very much) but I must give them one plus; they are truly relaxing- for one day I did not have to use my brain once and I didn't have to make one decition (not even what I wanted for lunch; oh glorious buffe!). So before the bus picked me up at the guesthouse I had relaxed my jaw, dulled my eyes, let my back get crocked and basically threw all will power and independent behaviour out the window. I became a true tourist. It was a nice day but at the end of it I was pretty content with going back to the independent travellers scene. I rode a big elephant (and even got to 'drive' it), I saw an elephant show where the elephants drew paintings and played football (soccer), I went on a raft ride and on an ox cart, I had a poorly made Asian buffe, I went to an orchid farm and a butterfly farm. Good day, glad it's over. Later that evening I went to the night market and that was the end of my stay in Chiang Mai; and in Thailand for that sake, because early Sunday morning I set off for a new adventure. This time Singapore.
Every cloud has a silver lining
I did get my as to the hospital on Monday and took a Malaria test, just to be sure. And I proudly declare: Me not have Malaria! Which effectively points out the other positive angle of this infection; it could be worse (I also took the time too have a doctor look at tha funny bite on my knee and it turns out I don't have ringworm either!).
No Malaria, but rather some Laotian stomach bacteria combined with a neat little flue (curse thau slowboat!).
Today I feel better and I have actually left the hotelroom (great success!). With my two German roomates departing for Sukhothai I stand before the choice of either lingering in Chiang Mai until my flight on Sunday or I might take a bus up to Pai in the afternoon to catch some fresh mountain air and get out of the noisy town. I'll probably flip a coin for it..
Thanks for all your sweet comments by the way, love you for them. Keep em coming!
Fia, det ar helt okej att kommentera kommentarerna och klart du ar valkommen i Bastad. Du kan vara dar hela sommarn om du kanner for det!
Right, and for some requested info: I'm coming home on the morning of the 3rd of June and I'll be in Stockholm for 2 weeks before heading for Bastad to take up my beloved job at ICA (bip.. bip.. bip 46,50 please). Hopefully I'll have plenty of time to meet up with all my lovely friends in Stockholm, och se DIF storspela fran sektion M! Klart vi ska ses Jacob!
Merde! I think I'll grab my bag and take off for Pai.. or? Lucky Bath comes in coins!
PS. Grattis pa fodelsedagen kara, underbara Naomi! Jag avbojer din batklubb men jag pussar dig pa hall! DS.
In the school
In the first class.
Insights
Last Friday I decided to take Houa to the hospital. She is clearly not well, sha has an awful cough and is crazy skinny, she can't eat properly and her skin is some kind of yellowish. I e-mailed for a bit with Naomi's mum (who is a doctor) who gave me a list of different deseeses it could be, anything from malnutrition to HIV, so In thought we'd better have a check at the hospital.
This turned out to be a really interesting experience.
We saw a number of different nurses and doctors who all took one look at her, felt her pulse or checked her ears and then scratched their heads and said hm.. hm.. and then sent her off to somebody else. She ended up being tested for some kind of hear problem where they concluded her heart was fine and then perscribed some medicine for her. I had my doubts about it but we got the medecin and went back.
After a few days I asked Houa how she felt and she said it was much better, which made me very happy of course and we decided to go to the market to buy some more before I left, since she can't afford it on her own. By a chance Kirstie came along to the market and she nows a thing or two about medecine. It turned out the medecine they perscribed for Houa was super strong pain-killers (the stuff you would have to have a perscription for back home), anti depressants and vitamines. No wonder she felt better! They perscribed her to take them three times a day, she must have been walking on clouds.
I guess I was a bit naive to trust the Lao medical system, but the hospital was newly built, with Belgian money and it is very nice and clean and proper. But as always looks can be deceving. I bet they are ok with broken bones and childbirth but anything beyond that is too much of a challenge. Lesson learnt.
The sewing shop is coming nice and slowly, but as with everything in Laos it's one step back, two steps forward. There are so much politics involved in everything! For example we had to change the sign just because the police doesn't like the Lao letters being underneath the English letters. And we can't market it as a Hmong shop because people still think the Hmong are traitors because their involvement with the CIA during the Vietnam War. It takes a long time trying to understand this country and it's complex history. It's both interesting and tirering. But I'm learning!
I had a bit of a change of plans for this weekend. Mr. T asked me and, Kirste and Cameron if we wanted to go with the family to Ponsavan and the Plain of Jars in the east of Laos and we are all going tomorrow. I think it will be very interesting. Plain of Jars is a very important historical site and it is also one of the places where you best can see the destruction caused by the US during the Vietnamese War and the Secret War. Laos is after all the most heavily bombed nation in the world.
After Plain of Jars I'll continue to Luang Phrabang and my adventures up north.
So tonight is my last night and it is sad as always when you're leaving a place you have come to feel at home at. A lot of people to say good bye to and a lot of kisses and farwells. But I feel pretty good about it, I'm ready to set off, to see new places and I really long to be on the move again. Also i long to be egoistic, to care about nothing but myself. During my time here I have really put my heart and mind into things and I feel a bit drained. I don't think I am an awful person for admitting that it will be nice to not give a damn about anybody for a while. Don't get me wrong, I have receaved much more than I've been giving, in tearms of understanding and knowledge and just in my own growth. But I think it will dawn on me when I leave the farm, just how much this place and these people have given me. I will realize the extent of it in time, right now I can;t grasp it. It's too close.
One month and one week left of travelling,
that feels good.
View from the top
Looking out over Phoudindaeng and the Organic Farm while climbing the mountain on our adventurous excursion last week. Just taking a breather...
The story of a charming day
This is the story of what turned out to be the most wonderful birthday.
After the dog eating and the online up dating I had a very pleasant phonecall and talked to my wonderful family for 16 minutes. Cheered up I went for my meeting with Andrea and she gave me a beautiful birthday card and a ring that looked like a flower; very pretty. We had a nice chat and lunch in Vang Vieng 'town'.
I went back to the farm and everyone was so kind and greeted me with buns and mangoes, hugs and flowers. Not too bad.
Time for class and at the end Tia Lee (one of the students in the older group) stands up and wishes me a happy birthday and then the hole class sang for me and Houa gave me the most beautiful flowers (she could seriously work for Lidingo Greenhouse; Lotta are you interested?). I got another bunch of hugs and kisses and was floating on little clouds all the way back to the farm.
Once I got there I found another happy surprise: Mr. Thi had prepared a small birthday feast for me with Laotian fish and vegetables and lettuse. All my friends at the farm joined and we had a wonderful evening.. I even got a bottle of wine (long time no see) from Deon and Nick mmmm.... We played drinking games and enjoyed some music from Rachel (who has the most amazing voice).
It was wicked fun; as Nick would say, and I was so happy to have so many of the people I know from the farm stay to celebrate my birthday with me.
I finally got around to uploading some pictures so please enjoy!
Of course I missed you all so much... but I decided I'm celebrating again when I get home and you are all invited. It will be an evening to remember i promise!
Love you all and think about you all the time!
By the way... I feel much better; if anyone is worried. Next week I have been at the farm a month and I have to do a visa run to Thailand.. I will spend that time thinking about what I will do for the rest of my time here.. but I kind of miss travelling. Right now I think I might stay for another month; to make it two months and then I will spend the next few weeks travelling through northern Laos and Thailand and maybe catch a cheap Air Asia flight to Singapore.. Time will tell... Asia is my playground. I feel good!
Kram och Krokusar
Amazon Sue
An unexpected visitor; and a very poisonous one.. but our own amazon Sue Tchau and her partners in crime Cam and Ni took care of it. Wepons used: Shoes and stones.
My Birthday Party
My amazing friends at the farm threw me a wonderful birthday party. Mr. Thi had us eat wonderful Laotian fish and nudles in letteuse and with that we had a few Beer Lao, one or to Lao Bia and a descent amount of Hibeerscus (Beer Lao + Hibiscus tea; a farm special). It was a lovely evening that I wont forget for as long as I live. There was live music from Rachel-with-the-wonderful-voice and Korean and Laotian drinking games (0-0-7-Bah!) and a lot of laughs!
Happy Birthday!
The older kid's class on my birthday. they were wonderful and gave me flowers and sang happy birthday. I couldn't ask for a better present!
Motorcycle diaries
They were spent on a motorcycle tour across the hilly landscape of Da Lat. But to begin from the beginning:
Ones upon a time there were three tired travellers who didn't want to hear the alarm clock going off at 7.30. Regretting that they ever heard the word motorcycle they rose and had a truly Vietnamese breakfast (consisting of nudle soup and French bread).
At 8.30 they heard the humming of three motorcycles in the distance and rose to great the approching caravan. The travellers noticed that all three of the men who climbed off their Hondas each had a sign saying Easy Rider. One of the travellers took this as a good omen.
My guide, Thiet, turned out to be a true diamond in the ruff. His skin is leather-like after 15 years as an Easy Rider; earning his money showing tourists the Da Lat landscape and agricultural past and present. When he started his business in 1992 there were 500 tourist per year in the hole of Vietnam. Today the figure approches a millon. Good for business, no doubt, but Thiet is concerned for all the new hotels being built in Da Lat. The land is getting very valuable, forcing the locals to move out of the city center. During the first part of our jerney he points out all the new hotels; naming the price per square meter.
Our first stop is at the Dragon Pagoda and Thiet changes subject; telling us about the Chinese influense in Vietnamese history and showing us a prayer bell. Locals attach their prayers on the inside of the bell and twice a day one of the munks ring it; sending the prayers to Buddha, "by bell-mail, Buddha doesn't have an e-mail adress", Thiet explains, winking at us.
Our jerney continues through breathtaking landscapes. We climb to higher altitudes and gaze over the fields below; green in all it's prosperity. The climate is temperate here and the soil rich; allowing for the peasants to harvest three times a year. Using old agricultural techniques, no machines needed, they change crops so not to exhaust the land. As fertilizer they use only natural substanses and all the fields are family owned and prospering. By the road we see new, beautiful houses; all belonging to local farmers who has made their money from hard work; growing vegetables, flowers and coffee. Often combined with the sustaining of silk worms, mushroom farming and noodle making. Throughout our tour we visit flower fields, coffee plantations, mushroom farms, noodle making factories, silk factories, fruit plantations and more; all owned and worked by local people. Appart from the occational propaganda along the road there is no sign of Vietnam being a communist country, all is family owned and either sold at the local market or transported to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.
One of the most rewarding sites of our tour is at the blacksmith's house. He makes knives and tools for the minority people living in the area. They come to him with pieces of metal they have found. Mostly old bomb shells and war material and he turns them in to agricultural tools. This activity slowly cleaning the land from the memories of the past wars. Thiet shows us different fragments of metal, explaining which are French and which are American. Doing this he turns to Andrew (who is from the US) and sais; " We don't mind the Amercans, we are not angry; but the French, they treated us badly. I was only inside my mother when the French were here but my father hated the French and he was a good man."
We stop for lunch at the beautiful Elephant Waterfall. Thiet explains that it is called so because it looks like an elephant. But after an hour walking around, looking at it from different angles we still can't see it. Concluding that the eventuall elephant ressemblance probably only is wishfull thinking; elephants being a sacred animal, we sit down for lunch. The exercise really helped for working up an apetite and we fully enjoy the local delicases with which we are presented. Gladly paying the humble sum of 20.000 dong for it (1euro, 10kr).
The day continues with more breathtaking landscape and visits to local farms and factories. When finally we say good bye to the Easy Riders we feel we have been shown a glimps of something truly Vietnamese and we all agree that this is a fantastic country and that the 16 dollars we spent on this tour was worth every penny.
Still weary with the expressions of the day we head off to the local market to see the end of the chain. There we bargain with the locals and end up bying strawberries, passionfruit, dried apricots and bananas for the next day's travelling. Also bying some souvenirs from home; coffee and artichoke tea (sounds weird but tastes heavenly).
Regrettfully jossan and I left for Nha Trang today, leaving Andrew behind to catch up with us tomorrow, when we will probably head off for Hoi An. Tonight Jossan and I though we would dance the night away at the Sailing Club...
Adios!
Cow's tail and the end of the earth
After a few lovely days in ho Chi Minh City we are back on the road again. This time heading for the small village of Da Lat in the central highlands of Vietnam.
Both Jossan and I regrett leaving but we both think we will return to Saigon one day. The town is such an agreable mix of east and west. It is local but yet cosmopolitan. On your way to the food market you will pass both modern shopping centers as well as women vending noodle soup on the pavement. You have to keep your eyes open though or you'll defenitelly be run over by a scooter pretty soon. And you will hear it honking all the way to heaven (or wherever you are heading).
We ended our time in Saigon well. Meeting up with two of Andrews Vietnamese friends for dinner. They took us to a local restaurant where we sat on the pavement enjoying local delicases such as snakehead fish, frog, scallops (snail?), cow's tail and mangosteen. I am proud to inform you that i tried it all and my verdict is positive although I didn't really like the cow's tail and the frogs were a bit bony. We had a lovely time though over a bottle or two of Saigon beer and when it was time to move on none of us felt like going home. Instead we headed for the infamous club, Apocalyps Now, I'm sure some of you have heard of it. Dancing the night away and spying on old western men enjoying the company of not-so-old and not-so-western girls we had a really good time.
Didn't feel as good getting up at 6.30 thic morning to catch the bus for Da Lat. But what do you do?
Da Lat seams like an amazing place though. Situated at quite a high altitude the air is temperate and fresh and the pine forrests and spectacular hilly views makes this place quite a paradise. In the mouth of Vietnamese people this place is called the land of eternal spring and the flowers and coffe fields does not object to that name. Tomorrow we are going on a motorbike tour across the countryside. Hopefully it will be a blast.
Miss and think of you... Today I've been away exactly one month. It feels longer and shorter...
New horizons; back in vietnam
Our last day in Sihanoukville was as lovely as the rest. We met up with Andrew again (third time already, Koh Pahn Ngan and Bangkok) and also we met Matt and Brendan with whom we had spent a few great nights with at Koh San Road and we had a blast; eventhough we were a little sad our new friends Gary and Dave left that day for Kampot. Everyone is so nice here! Friends everywhere, you just have to get to know them.
We left for Phnom Penh on Saturday and spent the night there. Having a really good time with Andrew, Matt, Brendan and a Dutch guy (who we met at the bus) named Richard (though everyone called him Christian) playing Jenga, pool and dart at a game pub in the backpacker's quarter. We went to bed at 2.30.
The bus for Ho Chi Minh left at 6.30 the following morning. We felt really eager to get going (not) but we had only ourselves to blame so we didn't complain (much). The first busride was a good three hours. After which we took the slowboat down the Mekong River. Absolutely wonderful! We lay on the roof of the boat watching the villages pass by close to the river bank. The area is fertile and cultivated and the banks are covered with ricepaddies and fields.
We changed boats at the boarder and the landskape did too. The stilt houses of Cambodia turned to the floating houses of Vietnam, the landskape became even more lush and the people put on the classic cone hats. We felt equally good.
But all good things must come to an end and we found ours at Chau Doc. Here our boat ride ended. After much barganing we found a fairly prized bus to Ho Chi Minh City. We were told that it would take us four hours to get to the city. It did not. One thing they had forgot to mention was that the road was under construction which ment we had to use the old dirt roads for most of the jerney. 7 hours later we arrived, with soar legs and arms and heads. Everytime I managed to fall asleep my head hit the window with a force which was enough to keep me awake; and making me dread sleep. Getting off that bus was enough to make me laugh. Good thing we had good travelling companions! It was the three of us (Andrew is coming along for Vietnam), a dutch guy and two hysterically funny Britts (we are still debating if they were a couple or if he was gay, hard to tell) and we played games for most of the trip; which all in all lasted 17 hours.
Today has been a really bad day. I don't feel like going into detail but the sum of it was: The ATM retained my credit card and I spent the hole day getting it back, which I eventually did; just to find out my Swedish bank wont unlock my account. Meaning it's useless. Lucky I have a back-up. Tomorrow will be a better day, and hopefully tonight will make up for it. We are meating up with a friend of Andrew's, a Vietnamese girl who'll hopefully show us the hot spots of Saigon nightlife.
Until next time,
be safe and don't eat yellow snow.
Miss you and love you
MickanPickan
The Raul Wallenberg Scholarship
Officially I can't say anything for a couple of hours still, but I don't care I'm going to say it anyways: I got the scholarship! Linda and Inger (my old teacher) are going to accept it today, in my absens.
For those of you who haven't got a clue of what I am talking about, I'll fill you in.
Raul Wallenberg was a Swedish "war"hero in WWII. He rescued jews by giving them fake passports to Sweden and he is a national hero; since he was basically the only one doing anything worth mentioning during that war. This scholarship I got is an award for a deed or a project done in his spirit. And it is of course a really big honor to get it (also it involves quite a lot of money). I got it for a project I did last year, namely an inspiration day for everybody in my school concering global work, social work, volontary work and solidarity.
I can't believe I got it!
I know exactly what to do with the money. Trinity Collage here i come!
Woho!
And thank you Linda for fixing everything with the ceremony, I owe you one! And Happy Birthday to you aswell my wonderfull sister!
Hello teacher!
This also gave me the opportunity to go exploring a bit on my own, when I wasn't nursing her back to health that is. I had quite a good day, enjoying the khmer cuisin and catching a dance show with the legendary Apsara dancers. Interesting really.
When I got back to check on Jossan (sleeping like a baby) I got talking to our tuck tuck driver from the other day, Long. He asked me if I wanted to go to a Cambodian night club, and not wanting to face an evening sitting reading in the corridor (so not to disturb Jossan) I said yes.
Cambodian dance music rocks! I had a good time meeting up with a lot of people, interesting as I was; at least two and a half meters taller than the tallest Cambodian.
Well we decided to stay another day in Siem Reap so that Jossan could rest for a little longer and maybe bribe her stomach back to health with some whiskey. As we were walking along the road we were approached by two Cambodian guys in school uniforms. They told us about their school, the Siem Reap School for Children in Poverty, and asked us if we wanted to make a contribution. This all sounded very interesting so we asked if we could come with and see the school. Of course we could! So we went there and talked to Mr Director, a very sympathetic young monk, and made our contribution. He then asked us if we wanted to come back that evening, and look in when they held English classes.
This is why we found ourselves outside the small school, bulit entirely with sticks and banana leafs, yesterday evening. Along came Mr Monk and he pointed at one of the four classrooms and said: "There is you class. Teach!" A bit surprised we obeyed and entering the room we were greated by a chorous of voices shouting: "Good evening teacher! How do you do! Good luck to you!" The rest is history but we held two classes and got a wonderful respons. A bit of an experience!
Today we finally made our way to el capital, Phnom Pehn. Piece of cake busride, only seven hours.
Lihaii! Hakon tom tom.
Angkor Wat
It took about 20 min to load but here it is: Sunrise over Angkor Wat...
Dry throat and draught of words at Angkor
First day (yesterday) we rented bicykles and spent nine hours biking aroun the vast landskape and the amazingly structured temple remains. We began with Angkor Wat (of course), then went on to Angkor Thom and Bayon. Exploring, taking pictures and marvelling. I think we went around at least 50 km that day, in 35 degrees. We were quite content sitting down with a boittle of water and some pineapple watching the sunset over Angkor Wat.
When we came home there was a powercut. No running water. No fan. Mucho smell!
Today we had talked o a tuck tuck driver, Long, and he picked us up at 5 o'clock this morning to take us to see he sunrise over Angkor Wat. There are no words. I'll show you the pictures, that's all I can do. Then we went around a good few temples comfortably leaned back in the tuck tuck. Amongst others we saw the Tomb Raider temple; where Angelina Jolie kills some bad guys as Laura Croft. Wicked.
The downside to the temples are the kids. There are dussins and dussins of kids trying to vend you stuff, and you simply can't buy from everyone! It takes a bit of the fun out of the temples seing them strod around there yelling "Lady, lady, buy postcard!" The thing is, over here this is no humbug, they do need the money. I buy something from one of them everyday. One thing. I's better they sell than they begg I reason. Also I try to talk to them a lot, practising their English will take them further than selling 10 bracelets for one dollar. They are all charming when you get them talking!
Gotta go. Jossan is hungry.
Adios och pa aterseende!
Puss and kiss
Lighting incense the beaten track
Ok, so this is the deal. Me and my surrogat mother Jossan ( as Jackson so truly(?) put it, haha) have moved on from the colorful Siam to the culural Cambodia. One thing we have thoroughly discovered though is that Cambodia is not very good at electricity. Our guesthouse have been powerless for almost two days now, hoirrible nights without a fan (but we are survivors), therefor I intend to write a few short letters to avoid that really enoying feeling you get when suddenly you stare at a black screen, where two seconds ago were some 20min of hard work.
Thank you for all your sympaties concerning my very dramatic food poisining, by the way. It has been requested for me to tell you the villain in the drama, but it's no that exciting really. Water. Never trust a guesthouse keeper who shws you a very fancy water purifyer "Imported from Canada." "Everyone drinks." Blah!
So, to begin from the beginning. Our last day in Thailand we spent on the culural track. We took he train from Bangkok to Ayutthaya. The former capital of Siam, situated only 1,5 hours north of Bangkok. We had a rather curious episode at the station when they tried to charge us 630 bath for a one-way ticket. No, no, no, we exclaimed, we want the cheap one. Ah, you want the 11.20 train not 10.50? 30 bath then please. We left the ticket salesman gloomy eyed, just tried to sell us tickets for x20 the prise.
In Ayutthaya we rented bicykles and went around sightsee the various old temples. Really nice. Very Thailand and a bit of the beaten track. We took the nicest little ferry/ raft and the people were charming. Warmly recomended if the opportunity ever crosses your path. We also visited a few Wats. I have taken as a habit to light incense for one of you in every wat I visit. Since there has been a few I guess a few oif you can count on a bit of good luck in the near future.
The night we spent at Thanon Koh San, that street, I can't tell you because it is different every night. We made quite a few friends there anyways. We went to bed at 4.30; and woke at 5.45 (both AM) well prepared for the jerney to Cambodia.