Temples, Monkeys, Beaches, Bracelet Girls, and a Proper Cambodian Wedding.

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Paradise with a few minor annoyances

Walking from my beauty sleep at about 9 30 am I firgured I have lots of time before the 10 30 bus. Get up pack then order some food. 5 minutes later a tuk tuk driver shows saying he'll take us to the bus and it actually leaves and 9:45, but the guy from the hostel knows I haven't eaten and talks to the guy in Khmer, then looks back at me (standing looking between the two of them completely lost) and tells me this is his friend and I have time to eat. So I think sweet get to eating, half way through breakfast the guy jumps up explaining we need to go NOW. So I drop my fork and gather my stuff up and off we go! Once at the bus stop ready to go our driver tells us we have missed the bus by 20 minutes and the next one isn't till 12 45. So leaving our bags there, I took this chance to explore Phnom Pehn a little bit. Walking down the shady streets drinking in the beautiful french influenced Cambodian architecture, waving away the neverending stream of tuk tuk drivers offering to show you the city. Wandering over to the river watching the Cambodians fishing and the boats trudging through the unrelenting water. During our stroll through town we come across a famous temple, with elephant rides out front and are unable to turn down the sights.

Walking up the steep stairs littered with beggars missing limbs on each side we are stopped by a girl who can't be older than 6 selling water and fruit, and a young boy who must be her brother trying to sell us birds to release for good luck, saying the money will help feed her. We buy mango and help out the beggars but pass on the birds. Once on the otherside all I can see is monkeys!! Loads of them, after going snap happy with them we decided to meander down the back way through the monkey infested forest and down to the park. Half way down the steep stairs a monkey comes from nowhere and tries to nick Adrians water bottle, sending him running half the hillside bush to get away and me straight back up the stairs, having had some expeirence with monkies before I do not want to piss them off. Once down to safety monkey-bite free we head back to the bus stop to waste time having a drink at the bar across.


Adrian leaves me figuring he would go and sort out the bags so I could finish my drink, so I am just sitting there enjoying people watching in this busy little side street. Watching people come and go, yell and smile it is really beautiful! I also notice more monkeys playing about in the decks on the apartments atop top bus depot. I am so absorbed with this that I don't notice what is going on behind me until I hear the store owners all jump up and scream. Thinking to myself okay if Cambodian people are scared this can't be good. So I jump up and look behind me to find a mother monkey and her little one latched on her back. Immediately the baby hops off and starts heading for my feet, I hop on a chair and it runs back to the mom. The owner then grabs some of her food, and starts feeding the little creature, all the while constantly looking at me repeating "No problem, no problem". I take it as a sign and hurrily head across the street.

After a 4 and some odd hour bus ride the beach is in view. After quickly sorting out a place to sleep we headed down to the beach to find some food. After settling on a 3 dollar BBQ with waterfront seating, and I mean water front seating, as my feet were getting tickled by the waves. Once sat down and ordering I was thinking that I hit the jackpot with this spot, only to have my bubble burst by a gang of 5 bracelet girls. With spiel going soemething like this girl: "Awww you very pretty, whats your favorite colour?" Me:"I am not interested in a bracelet." Girl: "No it friendship bracelet, it free" Me: lauging "Okay" girl then makes bracelet for me and ties it to my ankle then hand me her selection of knick knacks and bracelets and tells my "öoooh for you special price we friends" Me "No no bracelets" Girl: "Why you go and be mean, I nice we friends!"You buy bracelet" And this continues on as you can imagine until eventually you crumble and buy a bracelet.. And of course one is never enought so they try and get you to by two or get your name on one. I settle in and buy one from the girl next to me who has given me the free one. Firguring I have done my deed and they will go now. I could not be more wrong, as now I am swarmed by the rest of them being yelled at "Wht you buy from her and not me?" and being made to promise (pinky swear) to by fruit off of certain ones the next morning. Leaving the resturant slightly annoyed with Cambodia and almost ready for bed. We walk back towards the guest house and I notice what looks to be a night market and we decide to check it out before retiring for the night.

Once across the street we notice music, and see it is a wedding. As we come around the entrance of the wedding this young Cambodian guy grabs me and tells me to come and dance and enjoy the wedding! I immediately think YES! I look over at Adrian who is giving me a look like hell no, but head on in anyway. Once inside we are whisked on the dance floor, with every one trying to show us how to dance proper Cambodian style. Then one of the family members grabs us and sits us down with his wife and children, throwing beer in front of us and introducing up to everyone! After aproximately 30 second I am whisked off to the dancefloor again, leaving Adrian trying to keep up "Cambodian stlye drinking" which apparently means everytime someone new walks up you all cheers and down your beer, only to have it immeditatly refilled, waiting for the next person. My face aching from smiling non stop, the night comes to a close and we try to explain how grateful we are to the family. Once outside we are bidding our farewells when this crazy outgoing Cambodian chick who had been living in England tells us we must come to this proper Camodian club with the wedding party. We look at each other both knowing the right choice is to go home to bed but also knowing that this is a once in a lifetime offer. So we hope on a motorbike paid for by the family and off we go. Once inside we a struck with fake smoke, laser light flashing every which ways, and blaring music most of which is a mix between English and Khmer all of which very dancable. Next thing you know we are rocking it out on the dance floor in a sea of Cambodian people. All of this in flip flops and shorts, while everyone else is in Sundays best. The table was full of beers and the moment you emptied your glass it would magically get full again. Oh and I can't forget the dramatic live singing intermissions, where everyone stops dancing and on stage comes the singers. One at a time singing with passion and bubbles floating from the ceiling, ending with a group of four girls on stage all dancing and singing. It was amazing! Ended up calling it a night around 1 am and found out way back to the guest house.

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