Journal Day 27 - Buddha contemplation and the Great Fillipino Blackjack Scam, Phnom Penh.

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Phnom Pehn.

I woke up this morning, opening up my curtains to let in the light to see the locals across the road all out on their balconies looking worriedly down the street. I leaned out of the window and looked down to see a building on fire, black smoke billowing out. After a few minutes 2 fire engines came blaring around the corner trying to get through the chaos of mopeds and tuk-tuks.
Looked pretty bad.

Decided to take it easy this morning and tried uploading some pics on the agonisingly slow Internet in the lobby. At least it's free.

The bag I bought at the longneck village had over the last few days acquired a big rip so I got out my sewing kit and fixed it. Maybe sitting down to repair your kit is a little rite of passage to becoming a proper 'traveller.' But I've only been travelling a month so not to get carried away!

Set out to see around Phnom Penh and worked my Way through markets and riverside to the Royal Palace where I spent a few hours looking the peaceful, quiet grounds of the Royal Palace and the elegant Silver Pagoda (wat Preah Keo), also known as the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha after the small translucent green stone statue sitting high up in it's centre.
It's called the Silver Pagoda because of it's floor, finished with over 5000 silver tiles.
The temple is full of hundreds of buddies of all sizes, sitting, standing, reclining, in all materials. Having been in many temples now I realise that the Buddha form always instils the same feeling in me nomatter where they are situated be it in a palace, atop a mountain, a cave, in a crumbling ancient jungle ruin, or in a new city complex.
I sat down for a bit in the cool shade of the palace grounds and was inspired to write the following poem.........


~Buddha~


Upon your temple sun did set, orange robed and bowing low.
Your subtle smile and gentle hand blessed all around a golden glow.

A silent breeze moved not the stone, the spires nor your heavy door.
But light did dance and slowly fell a leaf of green to silver floor.

Inside I set to gaze upon, from comfort of a kneeling place,
Your slightly open pair of eyes and rounded, balanced, peaceful face.

I did not really understand through your mind what thoughts did flow,
For in your presence peace I found, so more I did not need to know.

all around you statues sit, cross-legged meditating stones,
Or wooden, bronzed, silvered, gold, all silent stories to be told.

We did not speak but thought I felt, A blessing fall upon my head,
Reaching forward to my arm, Around my wrist you tied a thread,

A simple gift of luck bestowed, a gesture small of humankind,
I knew his thoughts that moment were, To keep me safe and sound of mind.





It was after this that a bunch of fillipinos tried to Scam me! But that's another story that I probably shouldn't write here as it's a tad ridiculous.... And embarrassing.......

...So here follows the ridiculous and embarrassing account of how I was nearly scammed by a bunch of Fillippinos (I suppose if I'm writing a proper journal I should really include this so).

So... I walked out of the royal palace complex and Strolled down a large public plaza where I came across a large gathering of women of all ages doing their evening step dance aerobics. I stopped to watch and take done pictures and as I stood there 2 pleasant looking girls about my age walked along and stopped beside me to watch the ladies working out to the crazy music. Smiling, they asked me 'do they do this in your country?' No I replied. This began a long, perfectly pleasant conversation about travelling, Ireland, their homeland in the Phillipines etc.
They (claimed) that they have spent a week in Vietnam and were now stating with their uncle who had moved here 15 years ago and lived very nearby.
The girls, cousins, were very interested that I was from Ireland as their other cousin, (who was in their uncle's house sleeping) was going to Ireland later this year to study nursing.
They chatted more and then the older one suggested that I speak to their cousin quickly about Ireland. 'On the phone?' I asked. 'Yes' replied one. 'Well actually' the other said... 'what are you doing now?' nothing I thought. I had no plans. 'well, would you have 1/2 an hour free to speak to our cousin? Come to our uncles house, it's very close!'
I thought for a while about this and decided that they seemed so normal and friendly, why not?!

So off to uncle's house....

We house was quite close. The uncles house was on the 1st floor and when we entered one of the girls called for their cousin. She wasn't there so they phoned her. It turned out she had to bring the uncles mother-in-law to the hospital.
They apologised and said that as they had brought me, to sit down and they'd bring me some food. And they offered me a drink. 'can of beer, or coke?'... 'coke please' I answered. So I sat for a while and we chatted. All very friendly. Really nice people, these Fillippinos, I stupidly thought.

So out came an omelette, cheese and toast. I made sure they ate some first. They did, so I did. And it was very tasty. Before I had my plate finished another dish of food was brought out, this time a Fillipino delicacy apparently. I made sure they ate these too. They did, so I tried a bit. It was delicious. So out came a can if beer.

As I was eating, home came 'uncle!' a very likeable, friendly man who welcomed me into his home when he saw me, before asking the girls who I was.
He sat down and chatted a little. Where was I from, where were my travels taking me, did I like Phnom Pehn, what did I work at... Etc.

He told me his son was an architect. He'd qualified from his degree and was now working in Singapore during his 'on-job-training' as a draughtsman before going back to train to be a fully qualified architect.
'Ah, would you be able to speak to him for a minute?' he asked as he took out his phone.
I did. He called his son in Singapore. I spoke to him about his job and he asked me questions about the post-grad course and some pretty authentic sounding questions. I tried to give him a bit of advice before the phone cut out. I handed it back to 'uncle.'

So we continued to chat and all the while no sign of the 3rd cousin. So the 'uncle' started telling me about his job in the Phnom Pehn casino. He'd moved from the Philippines 15years ago. He was the floor manager and spent his time split between the casino in Phnom Pehn and one in Ho Chi Mihn.

He explained how it was good work but he hated working so hard to make the casino's rich.

TO BE CONTINUED..... No time at the minute, but don't worry mum, I survived!

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Comments

[Adam]

Photos of the Con Artists
Hi Andrew, this sounds like the same group of Filipino con artists operating in Ho Chi Minh City. I have lots of photos here from the last 3 years. I was curious if you might be able to identify them or would mind leaving a few comments at the blog. I'm hoping to spread the word so we can catch these criminals and make things safer for tourists. http://fisheggtree.blogspot.com/search/label/Filipino Thanks!

[The Bludger]

The Scam - the outcome?
I wish that you finished the info on the scam. I avoided it yesterday as I assumed that anyone that nice would be a scammer, but would like to know what I avoided.