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Published: February 22nd 2008
Hellooo Everyone. After a week of bacteria-ridden stomach sickness (for Aaron), confined 10 feet between the bathroom and bedroom, we were eagerly awaiting a change. We spent 4 days of nothingness in Battanmbang, Cambodia. This the second largest city, located in the northeast corner of the country.
This was an interesting city for several reasons.
1. It isn't a popular tourist destination at all, but it is a popular place for Christian missionary work. They go into the country and try their best to spread the word to the locals, whilst building drinking water wells and emulating other deeds of the world's most famous carpenter. I wish we could have watched them give a presentation. Who is this Jesus guy? I imagine the locals think it is a strange concept. Really determined people though, I appreciate their willingness to attempt to spread what they believe in.
2. I was in a convenient store and noticed two guys dressed in slacks, a white short sleeve shirt, a tie, and the easily recognizable name tag. They couldn't be Mormans could they? Sure enough, they were. They were on their 2 year mission, alone in Cambodia without translators. They go into
Bangkok's finest
Kao San Road. What exactly is the ratio of foreigners to Thais? Crazy street!the country and speak to the locals. They hinted that through some kind of divine intervention, fluency in Cambodian had been reached after 6 months. Hmmmm. They invited us to go with them the next day to watch them preach to the locals. Sadly, we had to leave the next day, so we declined. Gotta admire the determination! I wonder, what is it about this city that attracted various missionaries through its gates?
3. The land mine density in this area is 5 times more than the national average. 1 in 260 people is an amputee. Even now, 30 people die per month from land mines. The danger of being a farmer here is exponentially higher than, say, a Nebraskan farmer, whose greatest fear is a nasty rascal of a possum at the end of the pipe.
During our time in Cambodia, we came across many amputee bands, playing at tourist spots for hours on end. We were much more willing to give to these buskers than to beggars. There music was fresh and rymthmic, sounding a little African at times. Really cool stuff.
4. In the 1970s, the KR retreated to this area, so it was
King's Sister
The King ofThailand's sister died a month ago. There were various pictures of here around the city commemorating her life known to be very dangerous in the past. The government army still has skirmishes with this rogue group. They are still present, though their presence is dwindling and less influencial. Just recently, one of the generals responsible for killing thousands and thousands of people in a Phnom Phen prison camp was discovered near here. He was found working a field, employed by a Christian NGO. What irony.
5. Angelina Jolie's Cambodian house is in a small village near here. She has built hospitals and schools in the area, and also bought thousands of acres of forest in an attempt to preserve at least some from logging. She is so many peoples' savior here.
When most other people in the world ignore their struggles, some enlightened few come to the rescue.
On to Bangkok!
Thailand was a whole-nother world. Immediately after the border crossing, the man-made scenery changed. Buses were newer, roads were paved, buildings were clean, lights were lit. Maybe it is a little like coming from a remote crossing in Mexico to the states. It was easy to see how much poorer Cambodia was 😞
Our sense weren't quite prepared for what lay ahead
Dredlocks
For those who aren't patient enough to grow their own of us in Bangkok. We were dropped off on the most famous of foreigner streets, Kao San Road, sort of a decompression zone for weary travelers who have been traveling without familiar conveniences. I feel as though one could walk down the short road 100 times and still find something interesting to write home about. Within 5 minutes I heard 50 languages, saw loads of tired leathery skinned hippies, loads of wanna be hippies, grey haired men looking for Asian love, gender confused men, gender confused men who looked like women, gender concious men who dress up as women, men who have completely transformed to something else, and local women looking for all of the above. I tell ya, an interesting place.
We simply took pleasure walking up and down the street, people watching and looking for adam's apples amongst provocatively dressed women...er...men. It isn't intuitive for a midwesterner to describe other men as dressing provocatively is it? Not the most culturally enriching of spent days, but nonetheless entertaining.
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