Into the Fog – Cambodia blog entry #12

As we neared the top of Bokor Mountain, a large sculpture pierced the fog. Our driver pulled the car over and we disembarked. My inclination was to climb the stairs in front of me and see what that statue was, but K motioned us to go the other way and cross the road. 

Here we found the ruin of the Old Royal Residence, also called Damnak Sla Khmao or Black Palace. It was built of brick and black wood in 1936 as King Sihanouk’s summer residence, where he and other royals could escape from the summer heat. 

Walking around it and inside of it, I thought it was mighty small for a “palace” – one large sitting or gathering room with a bedroom off to each side. 

A tiled bathroom was attached to each bedroom.   

Outside, I could imagine the views on a sunny day, but all I got that day was a wet face.

It looked like there was a kitchen of sorts just on the outside as well. In its day, there may have been more to the building, but time and the elements were not its friend. Also, from research on the internet, I’m sure there were more buildings nearby, creating a true king’s compound. 

As we walked back up the path, a serious rain shower pelted us and the wind attacked our umbrellas. Hippo remained strong and faithful. Best six bucks ever spent and no one would ever mistake me for someone else. 

We shuffled across the road and up the steps to the stature. Yeay Mao or Lok Yeay Mao is an ancient mythical heroine and a divinity in the local popular form of Buddhism in Cambodia. She is recognized mainly as the guardian of coastal provinces of the country. 

The construction of the Lok Yeay Mao statue started in February 2010 and was completed in May 2012. The statue was built of cement, 95 feet tall and 26 feet wide, and sits on the high ground near a cliff on Bokor Mountain. Because of the seasonal rains and winds, she needs to be repaired every two to three years to maintain her shape and color. 

The wind was really picking up by then and the temperature was dropping. We couldn’t wait to get back into our waiting car and continue driving further up the road as the fog enveloped everything. Thicker than pea soup, thicker than my lumpy Thanksgiving gravy.

We came up to a fork in the road, and K announced that there was a fancy resort on that corner. We saw nothing but clouds and gave him a hard time, accusing him of making stuff up.

So, he responded by telling us there was an elephant! And we countered with, no there was a dinosaur. It looked like a scene from Jurassic Park, the continuing rolling fog – anything could be lurking out there. All we needed was dramatic music in the background.

My pictures just didn’t capture the mood. At our next stop, however, I think my camera caught the ambience admirably. 

So Much for an Inspirational Sunday Post - Cambodia blog post #11

 

I hate doing this; I always try to post an inspirational blog on Sundays. But I just counted, and I possibly have another 24 stories to tell you about our trip to Cambodia. Posting on just Wednesdays and Fridays, that would take me into the new year, and none of us wants that!

So here I am, Sunday morning, inspiring you with the beautiful riverfront walk in Kampot.  

The river’s name is Preaek Tuek Chhu. Further downstream, according to Google Maps, its name is Prek Kampong Kandal. I thought maybe Kandal translated to river, but it really means Central in English. Tonle is river, and we’ll get to that another time (around post #23!). 

Along the riverwalk, a seahorse sculpture stands tall, spraying water from its mouth. It’s said to be a symbol of Kampot’s spirit – its relaxed atmosphere, fascinating history, and beautiful natural surroundings. 

Less than 2,000 feet away, where the Praek Tuek Chhu River meets up with another one, a large modern clock tower is located on Traeuy Kaoh Island. It was only just unveiled on August 22nd of this year and is Cambodia’s tallest and largest clock tower, standing at 115 feet high, with a clock face nearly 33 feet in diameter. 

The sun was out and the reflection on the river was beautiful. 

Across the river, we could see our elevated destination for the morning. Bokor Mountain rose majestically into the clear blue sky. It would be a great day and unusually sunny up there, even though K said it was always foggy and rainy this time of year. But we assured him that, because we were making the drive up the mountain with him, the weather would be stellar.   

A Toyota highlander with a driver arrived. We piled in and started our trek up Bokor Mountain. As we slowly climbed, navigating one switchback after another, clouds started moving in. Followed by the fog, followed by an oppressive fog and drizzle.

We stopped at a waterfall alongside the road.

And a few times for monkey photo ops. Little beggars just like – I almost wrote 'home' – but I mean Kenya.

As we continued to ascend the mountain, the fog and rain worsened and the wind picked up. Oh, we prayed, “it’s going to be clear on top of the mountain”.

So much for this being an inspirational post . . . Check back on Wednesday to see how this turned out for us. 

Being Goofy in Kampot - Cambodia blog entry #10

Wednesday, I took you on a tour of some of the sites in Kep, along the Gulf of Thailand. Today, I’ll introduce you to Kampot, which is a few miles inland. Wikipedia says that the population is 49,600, but it didn’t feel that big to us. 

It’s an adorable town along the Preaek Tuek Chhu River, with many old French colonial buildings which have been converted into guesthouses, bars or restaurants. 

Among other things, the town is known for its durian fruit. But I kept referring to the statue of one in the roundabout near our hotel as a pineapple. 

After checking into our hotel, D and I set out on a mission. Between leaving the house in the morning, riding the tuk tuk, then switching to the minivan, I lost my umbrella somewhere. We were told there was a great possibility of rain the next day, so I thought I better buy one, somehow, somewhere.

We left the hotel and walked the two blocks to the night market, which like other markets in Cambodia, sold anything and everything. Inside were even several kids’ amusement rides. 

We wandered around a bit. None of the sales persons knew much English, but D had brought her umbrella to show them what we were looking for. The first one we found was a long Mr. French umbrella. It might be handy if I needed a cane, but would be cumbersome when not in use. The vendor dug around and found a collapsible one, but it still wasn't short enough to fit in my purse.  

I kept wandering and found some kids’ umbrellas in several different colors. When I asked the woman to see them, she just opened the pink one which would not be the one I would pick. But when I saw it, I fell in love. It had an adorable hippo in the jungle on it, and for six US dollars I couldn’t pass it up.

I was so happy. I’ve never even owned my own umbrella. I basically hate them and think they are highly overrated and don’t even protect you from the rain that well. But there I was, the proud owner of Hippo. 

Our hotel for the two nights we were in town was called the Neakru guesthouse.  Our room on the second floor was large and clean, with a large window overlooking the city and a balcony just outside our room. 

The beds were comfy. 

And the bathroom was – shall I say – adequate. There was a leak in the ceiling above the toilet which made relieving oneself disconcerting.

I woke up in the middle of the night and had to go to the bathroom. I lay in bed for the longest time trying to figure out what was in the room which I could use to protect my head from the dripping ceiling. My vinyl folder holding my trip paperwork? Did they have a tray under the ice bucket like many hotels have?

Think, Chris, think! 

Duh! There was Hippo sitting so happily in the corner, waiting faithfully to be put to work! 

I was so proud of myself and so relieved – and dry – when I crawled back into bed.

Kep, Crabs and other things - Cambodia blog entry #9

 

Along the Gulf of Thailand and less than twenty miles to the Vietnam border is the quaint town of Kep, Cambodia. It is the capital of Kep Province in southern Cambodia, has a population of 35,990, and is 107 miles south of Phnom Pehn. 

Before the time of the Khmer Rouge in the late 1970s, Kep was a mansion-lined beach resort town that the French from Phnom Penh would escape to on the weekends. During the war, the mansions were pillaged or destroyed. There are still many that remain today, a ghostly reminder of the past. 

After the fall of the Khmer Rouge, Kep became a seafood hot spot, mostly known for their crabs. 

Also available to buy in the seafood market is durian, known as “the king of fruit.” Durian has a spiny, thick husk ranging in color from dull green to yellow-brown. Its edible interior is a soft, custard-like pulp that can be white or yellow. But it is best known for its nasty odor, described as smelling like sulfide, blue cheese, or even sweaty gym socks. 

Our guide K bought one and cut it open. I didn’t think it smelled that bad - just kinda funky - but I still wasn’t willing to try it after all the horror stories I had heard. The other woman with us, Helen, tentatively took a bite. The look on her face was precious. She totally kept it together but handed the rest of it off to him, saying in a reserved tone, “that's was enough. I'm done”.  Then she scrambled for a mint in her bag. 

K next bought some tiny squids and waited for the vendor to fry them. He chowed down on them with glee. I would've tried a bite, claiming earlier that I would eat anything that was cooked done, except I couldn't picture biting a leg off the baby. If someone had a scissors, maybe I would have snipped off a leg - would only be like a baby green bean - but no, not chewing off an appendage. 

We wandered down to the end of the pier and the pounding waves reminded me so much of Lake Superior, even though it was warmer than Michigan’s UP. I was so content. 

From there it was a short drive to Kep Beach. We walked in the sand and got our feet wet in the waves. I was still content, even though my feet were damp and sandy the rest of the day, and I was as unphotogenic as ever.

The White Lady statue sits at the end of a pier waiting for her husband – a fisherman – to return from the sea. She is a symbol of unconditional love and patience. 

The Kep Crab statue is not a random crab – he is a blue swimmer crab. Surely, any crab aficionado would see that right away.

Last along the beach was the Lady and Fish statue, of which I could find no information online. Which is a shame as she is beautiful. 

All in all, a very good afternoon. 

Know that God has it under control

God says, “Be still and know that I am God. I will be praised in all the nations. I will be praised throughout the earth.” (Psalm 46:10, International Children’s Bible)

I’ve been trying to share as much of my trip to Cambodia as I can, including here on my Sunday morning post. But I had a really stressful week. Besides the support from my dear husband, I kept hearing God’s voice, “Be still and know that I am God. Be still and know that I have this under control, turn your troubles over to Me and relax.”

I looked up Psalm 46:10 in lots of different versions of the Bible and they all used the exact same words. Except the Message version, which gave us other words of hope.

Attention, all! See the marvels of God! He plants flowers and trees all over the earth, bans war from pole to pole, breaks all the weapons across his knee. “Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.” (Psalm 46:8-10, The Message Bible)

Hope you had a good week and that this coming week is even better for you.

Laughter at La Plantation - Cambodia blog entry #8

 After the last few very heavy posts, I thought I should add some levity to your Friday. 

Our first Wednesday in Cambodia, back on September 18 (how was that over a month ago!), we hopped in a van for the ride to Kampot and Kep. I’ll share more on those two cute little towns later, but I thought I’d start off that area of the country with our tour of La Plantation Pepper Farm.  

Built by a French couple in 2013, La Plantation employs over a hundred locals year-round and an additional 150 during harvest. They provide their employees with three meals a day, medical coverage, and a pension, as well as schooling for the children of the workers. 

And a beautiful place to work.

Our guide told us lots of other details but I was zoning out by then. Pepper growth and production sounds fascinating, but it had already been a long day and I really wanted to take a nap.  

But after hearing all about the Kampot pepper, we walked to the next pepper field – black pepper, I think it was. 

You had to jump or take a long stride across a ditch to get to it so I think only four or so from our group of 16 went across. D was one of them. One of the guys on that side suddenly slipped in the mud by the plants and fell down. Most of us giggled but the woman next to me knew him. And really started to guffaw. Which of course fed my inappropriate chuckles. 

Then out of nowhere, D sneezed. Enough heads turned her way that she had to respond with “it's just the pepper”. Which just about put me - and everyone else - on the ground in peals of laughter. 

We finished the tour and headed in for the pepper tasting. D and I really weren't interested but K talked us into. Naturally, the silliness continued. At one point, D took a peppercorn she didn't want and started to throw it out the window behind her, then realized that the window wasn't open. We lost it and poor K had to walk away, shaking his head, probably thinking, crazy American WOMEN!

It felt so good to just laugh and be silly after the couple of taxing days we’d had. There would be more silliness in the coming days.