Cambodia

Well, first off let me apologize for the delay between posts. Hopefully any of you that were on the ledge didnt take the plunge, we'll try to keep your routine the way you like it from here out. But facts are facts: Cambodian internet aint extactly light speed. Neither are the roads, fr that matter. It was a HUGE difference crossing the border from Thailand, like from paved, slightly orderly roads with minimal honking to dirt roads with gaping potholes, no lanes whatsoever, constant honking, and huge trucks piled high with sacks of who knows what, and then 10 people riding on top of the sacks. To put it lightly, its crazy. Also, general nagging from tuk-tuk drivers has quadrupled, and now little kids ask you to buy postcards, books, little dangly things and just abuot anything every five feet. The guilt they lay on you is pretty serious, and they all speak better english than any thai cabbies we met. They will ask your name,m tell you theirs and say they will remember you. Its tough, but so am I . Once across the border, we were wisked into a sketchy waiting area and herded into a "cab"(read: late 80s camry with a broken windshield), and charged 80 bucks for a 3 hour drive over the aforementioned bumpy roads. We made it from Poipet, the hell hole at the border, to Siem Reap, the soon to be sprawling metropolis that is the closest thing to the ancient jungle temples of Angkor Wat. They were in Tomb Raider II and Mortal Kombat, to give you a mental picture (if you like the finer things in life) were built between 900 and 1300 AD, and rise up out of the dense cambodian jungle. Pretty impressive all in all, especially with our trusty guide, Mr. Sokley. He may not be entirely finished with his tour guide training, but what he lacks in fine tuning he makes up for with impeccable comedic timing. Not really, but hes really cool and has single handedly convinced me and Jesss that we should come back to Cambodia once we leave Vietnam.
Well, Amanda, the food isn't incredible but it has its moments, and we havent even eaten frogs, bugs or dogs. They cook stuff inside coconuts and banana leaves, and they dont like things as spicy as the Thais do, but we really feel that it is the food of the land. This morning, for example, we had some tasty noodle soup for breakfast, right on the side of this jungle road, and we added (as is customary) literally leaves found in the jungle. No diarrhea, and really good. Plus, we were the only farang, or Ba-rang here in Cambodia, at the roadside shack/restaurant. We have seen buddhist temples, hindu temples, and Hundu/Buddhist temples, and learned a ton of stories onsabout Vishnu, Shiva, Gala, Indira, and the rest of em. Even got to see more depictions f the Vayarama, the Hindu epic of the king Rama and his bride Sita, who was kidnaped by the evil demon so and so, only to get her back with the help fo the white monkey and all his monkey soldiers. Pretty wild stuff, and all carved into the side of sandstaone and bricks temples built around 1000 years ago, with the help of 40,000 elephants and the unlucky Champa (who lost a war to the Khmer, or Cambodian) slaves.

Other highlights include Khmer traditional massage, more like Khmer Rouge massage if you ask me (google it), and watched these guys make cane sugar. Pretty educational two days, with one more to come with good ole Mr. Sokley. Tomorrow we go to see a floating village and a silk farm, and then fly to Hanoiin the aftrenoon. Hopefully their internet is better, as I need to submit my last two law school apps on line, and I couldnt do it from here. Also, sorry again about the lack of pictures, when i tried to upload them on this computer it (like a lot of thinisg here) didnt work. Hopefully we didnt give you too dark a picture of this beautiful if undeveloped country. The people are beautiful and always smiling, even when you dont buy their random shit outside whatever temple you stop at, and the land itself it jaw dropping. The level of poverty here is staggering, Ive truly never seen anything like it, with most of the rural towns and villages withouth electricity, but no one seems to be complaining. Much the opposite in fact. Buti digress. The land, like i started t say, is beautiful. Lush green jungles and rice fields as far af the eye can see, plowed by water buffalo driven by kindergarten age children, barely clothed and truly happy. Its something that words will not do justice, so hopefully soon Ill get to give you a picture to go along with the descriptions. they are wortha athousand words, you know. So, goodbye from Cambodia for now, and keep the comments comings. Its easier than emailing us and it really makes the blogging part more fun. I lit some inscence in hopes that the damn dodgers keep losing, so that should work out. In the mean time, keep on keepin on, and we'll give you more when we get more.

Dave and Jess ( looking over my shoulder as i type even though its MY turn to blog)