Cambodia January 2007

Cambodia

January 2nd 2007
Well If Laos is the land of Beerlao, as everyone seems to drink the stuff, then Cambodia, is the land of Fresh fruit, cyclo and drivers, motor bikes and of course the grand temples of Ankor Wat, and the land of the Baguette. A legacy that the French left. The baguettes somehow retain their freshness even later in the day and they are everywhere.
Flew into to a town called Siem Riep, the home of Ankor Wat. Found a cool little room one block from this street called Pub Street. Yes as the name suggests, its a street full of bars, that brag happy hours, great food, and traditional Khemer dancing. At night this place comes alive as the street sort of closes, New Orleans style and people wander from Bar to Bar or sit on one of the many balconies in the steet and have gander at all the passes by below. Along with the tourists comes Mobile phone shops, cheap internet access, skype (so you can call home for bugger all), and did I mention cheap beer. So far I have been able to buy a ubiquitous can of the bmber fluid for 40 US cents. I don't get it.
Up early to see the Famous Ankor Wat and surrounding Temples. Fast Eddy, my tut tut driver says he can take me for $4 for the day. Sitting in the back of his tutu tut feeling like Lord Muck heading to the Largest of all temples had some sort of King and Servant feel about it, but all this is lost when you see the size of Ankor Wat and more to the point, how many people are there crawling and taking video and photos from every vantage point. There were heads on them like mice.
As you go to some of the lesser Temples, the crowds thin out and there is a heap of walking and climbing to do. In the end they all started loking the same, except of the last one called Ta Prohm. Thats the one with the tree roots that have started to overhang at the entrances to some of the doorways. This place was ver cool and spooky, as seen on Tom Raider with Lara (hubba Hubba) Croft.

Mobile Phones???

You have got to see this Mobile phone revolution in Cambodia and Laos. They have phone shops next to phone shops all selling the latest Nokia's and Motorolas along with a heap of brands that you have never heard of which I presume come from China and are alot cheaper. Yesterday I saw a girl selling beads on the beach txting an sms while trying to sell stuff. She must have been 13 years old. But the classic was when on a bus for 6 hours in Northern Cambodia and the bus driver was at first on the phone and then he sent an sms while passing a truck on a hill and going around a corner. I am in Sianoukville which is the beach area in Southern Cambodia and the bloke who picked me up from the bus station on his motor bike anawered a call while driving me to the beach. He drove with one hand while somehow holding my pack and was laughing over the phone. You've got to laugh.