The Fifth Sense....and My Favorite Travel Thing

So much for anyone guessing (and even fewer even attempting) the mystery of my sensory piece from last week. Admittedly it was beyond obtuse in the sound articulation, not even choosing onomatopoetic representations but at least make a guess! Anyway....the answer was that I was swimming. The clop clop were my flip flops and the first two sounds were other swimmers doing laps. The "wallop" that became "chop" was a guy doing the butterfly and the sound transition was from my perspective above the water and then later in the water. And the harmony was our three strokes together, slowly breaking down to just my own stroke as the other swimmers exited the pool. The blanket of breeze was the initial jump into the water slowly transitioning into warm tickles as I started my laps. Read it again and see if you "see" it now!

For this week's class I have to turn in my next piece to be workshopped. It's still in development (I'm having a tough time) so I'm sharing my homework for the week instead. The genesis was an in-class writing assignment about our favorite item from our travels. Here you go!

An artist from the Artisans D'Angkor

 My Favorite Travel Thing
There’s no denying it’s bright – subtlety not its strong suit. The first hostess to greet your eye in my room, if the sun is shining just right, its luster is luxurious. And I love it. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Imagine flying over an expanse of green, luscious fields covered in water, interrupted only by rivers, wooden and tin huts on stilts and an occasional dirt or rudimentary paved road. No factories, not even any farm equipment...just water buffalo. This was the sight we saw as we circled over Siem Reap, Cambodia. One of the most beautiful sights....no pollution whatsoever for there is nothing to pollute the apparently untouched landscape.

One of our many stops on our trip to Cambodia in 2007 was Artisans d’Angkor, a professional training school founded to help the youth of Cambodia rediscover their artisanal heritage lost during years of war, genocide and poverty. I’d been to similar textile factories in other countries from Africa to South America, but this one compelled me more than the rest. Perhaps the empathetic connection with the country I developed in the weeks I was there was partially a factor.

Cambodia is the poorest country I’ve ever experienced (the average annual salary is $300 per year, but most people make much less than that.) There are few paved roads, or cars for that matter, ramshackle dwellings, and little to no public infrastructure.  Growing up 15 miles from the Tijuana, Mexico border, we spent many weekends in the slums on charity expeditions building houses, playing with children, painting over graffiti. So the lack of plumbing, overabundance of garbage strewn everywhere and squalid living conditions weren’t new to me. What was new was the caliber of people. Despite having next to nothing, the Cambodians were the nicest people I have ever encountered – gracious, interesting, kind; they almost seemed oblivious to their condition relative to the rest of the world. Maybe ignorance truly is bliss? Given the devastation they endured under the Khmer Rouge it was hard to fathom.

At the factory we had a private tour of the silk making process from silk worms to final product. The time, excruciating detail, hours of work and collaborative effort of many that went into the gorgeous pieces was overwhelming. Each piece was flawless and spectacular. Throughout our tour we had met the artisans creating these works of art, learning their stories and how each piece came to fruition. At the end of our tour we perused the boutique showcasing scarves, purses, ties, blankets, and other crafts made on site.

Perusing the shop a brightly colored throw caught my eye.  Shades of orange, pink, yellow, red & white carefully constructed into a gorgeous 7 x 10 foot blanket. I asked about the price – “It is $250 American dollars” the response. “But who made it and how long did it take to weave?” I replied. The object of my affection took two women three months to weave. In awe of an obvious conflict of time and effort versus price I immediately replied, “Sold.” With it I took home three complimentary pillows in reds, greens and yellows. These works of art adorn my bed, always impressing visitors to my apartment. The first thing I share is their origin and labor intensive history. For a country lacking infrastructure, education and resources and having suffered the unspeakable devastation of decades of young people, the products of their human capital speak volumes of the ornate culture, history and tenacity that make Cambodia such a captivating country to experience.

**I don't have a great shot of my purchases but will add one soon!

February 22, 2006: Cambodia

Imagine flying over an expanse of green, luscious fields covered in water, interrupted only by rivers, wooden and tin huts on stilts and an occasional dirt or rudimentary paved road. No factories, not even any farm equipment...just water buffalo. This was the sight we saw as we circled over Siem Reap, Cambodia. One of the most beautiful sites....no pollution whatsoever for there is nothing to pollute the apparently untouched landscape.

We landed in Siem Reap and were all a bit unsure what to make of our new surroundings. The group we were with for this pre-cruise trip consisted of six people. My parents and I, a couple (Jeremy and Rosemary) from Sussex, England, and one single lady, Ms. Mary Margaret Carroll from Tucson, AZ. To give you a perspective on the demographic of the group, my dad was the third youngest of the group! But these people were the most ENTERTAINING bunch I've ever been with ...I laughed the entire time! First of all...Ms. Mary Margaret....well, she's an 86 year old woman who is my new idol. I was smart-assed by her more than I think I will ever be capable of smart-assing! Appropriately, she goes by "Marty" and has almost her entire life, but it's just ironic that her given name sounds more like a nun when she's so un-nunish! Jeremy and Rosemary are almost as entertaining....love the Brits!

Back to the trip....we were picked up by our guide and brought to our hotel, The Raffles Grand d'Ankor. The hotel was built back in the 1920's and retains the same architecture and charm of a hotel of that decade (although remodeled and with AC). It was like stepping back in time. Apparently Jackie Kennedy was one of the first visitors of this hotel, and I can understand why. Our first evening was just a relaxing one...we explored the grounds and the spa. All of us ended up getting massages....an 85 minute massage was only $50! And it was fabulous as you can imagine.

The Cambodian people were the nicest people I have ever met. And this is shocking considering that this is the poorest country I have ever seen. An average annual salary is $300 per year, but most people make much less than that. However, everyone was wonderful and so nice and beyond accommodating.

We spent three days touring the temples of Ankor, which were fascinating. We learned all about the Hindu and Buddhist influences and walked through countless temples and tombs. I'm sorry to say it, but if you've seen "Tomb Raider", this is really what it's like. Temples out in the jungle built centuries ago with amazing designs and even more fascinating how they were constructed. Blocks of sandstone carried by elephants and men for 100's of miles to build these enormous temples surrounded by moats and huge walls.

The Cambodian cuisine was equally as wonderful....tandoori and curry foods, Ankor beer, (we even had lunch in the Ankor cafe, sipping Ankor beers, in front of Ankor Wat, in the Ankor region). One evening we had a Cambodian barbecue....outside with all sorts of regional foods and then traditional dancing by the local Cambodian people. It was fascinating. The only caveat to the trip was the heat and humidity....we showered some days four times because we would just be sitting there at a temple sopping wet. 90 degrees and I swear 300% humidity! I'm almost getting used to it at this point! 

From Siem Reap we traveled by plan to Phom Penh....a much more industrialized city. There were actual car lanes and a few street lights (lacking in Siem Reap). No McD's, Starbucks, etc. anywhere as there is in Singapore, Taiwan. They do have a Lucky Burger though....we didn't try our luck. Here we visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. This was the site of one of the prisons used during the Khmer Rouge. It was a devastating experience to see what a group of people could do to their own people....pictures of the women, men and very, very young children, even babies that were killed because they were thought to be "spies" were shown along with many other things that I won't go into. Talking to our guides about this time period was very interesting and eye-opening. I had read a few books about survivors of this genocide, but to hear it first hand is so much more blatantly real.  

Last night we were taken from our hotel by "cyclo" to a restaurant on the Mekong River. A Cyclo is like a rickshaw, but a little seat that you sit on and a person behind you on a bike that is touring you around. My cyclo was PINK! Torrey...you'd be jealous. It was fabulous! Most people in Cambodia don't have cars (too costly) but drive motos. And you don't have to have a license. Imagine the chaos! It was a bit frightening, but very entertaining watching our six cyclos (Marty leading the way) maneuvering through the roads....there is no "right of way" or "signaling"...it's very similar to Boston driving...if you don't look at the oncoming driver, they hopefully won't hit you! 

All in all...one of the most fantastic countries I have ever visited. A place I would suggest for a honeymoon to anyone our age...relaxing but still with a lot of culture to experience. Despite the poverty, both my dad and I agree that this country is up and coming. Worth a look if you are considering investing in Southeast Asia. We are back in Singapore today and get on the boat tomorrow afternoon, but we will return to the south of Cambodia (Shihanoukville) this weekend to go to a beach resort on the Thai Sea...crystal blue waters and everything and then on to Vietnam. 

Till then...