Temples, monks, weddings, marathons and monkeys

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Firstly for anyone that read my previous blog about the spill I had on the bike, I’d love to tell you that I’m all well and healed, but the reality is that one week on, my shoulder joint it still bruised and sore but it is improving, but my right foot is not so good. It remains a little swollen and very painful, but there is no bruising or obvious signs of impact, so I have no idea what is wrong with it. Hmmm, have I been to the doctor yet? Well, no, I haven’t, as I keep thinking it will be better “tomorrow”. I caught up with Sara last night and she suggested that there could be a small bone that is fractured, so once she’s left SR, I just may drag myself to the hospital for some xrays (oh, she’s studied as a doctor back home, though is more into paediatrics than the orthopaedic field, but I respect her opinion). Again, will keep you posted......



Ok, so the tumble was Wednesday, and I stayed home from school on Thursday and Friday....I really was not able to go, so had a couple of very lazy days....it’s amazing how easy it is to chill out and do nothing for a few days......but I also felt somewhat frustrated at my lack of ability to get out and do things considering my time here is relatively short.



Saturday I went for a 3 hour walk.......sure my foot was very uncomfortable, but I can’t be cooped up for days on end – it really does my head in. So it was fantastic to be out and about and just being part of SR, and seeing it from a slow pace...instead of just passing things on the way to somewhere..... There is so much beauty in SR, which is in direct contrast with the poverty and hardship that you also see everywhere. The bridges over the river really add character and charm to the area......it’s so beautiful at night....there are colourful lights dripping from the trees, “floating” on the river, and highlighting the bridges........it’s like Christmas all-year round down there.



Sunday was a big day.....Alan was back from Oz and I no longer felt so tied to the guest house, so decided it was about time to re-visit the temples (first time was 3 years ago). I tentatively got on the bike and peddled out to Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, and took quite a few hours wandering around them, seeing the things I remembered from last time, but also taking time to really explore without the pressure of keeping up with a group etc. It was also awesome to experiment with my cameras and to try to get as many interesting photos at possible... I was really fortunate that day, in that it was also the day for the running of the 16^th Angkor Wat half marathon. I arrived not long after they’d finished so the temple was buzzing thanks to hundreds of extra ‘marathon’ visitors and I got to chatting to some girls that had just done their first ½ marathon – they were very excited and it reminded me of the time I did my one and only ½ marathon . There were also three wedding parties at the temple for their wedding portraits. Over here it’s considered good luck to have your photo taken with a white person on your wedding day, so the couples were very pleased when people asked to join in on the photo sessions. I managed to get a few really great photos, so will include them with this blog.... I found it interesting that two of the brides wore a typically western white dress, yet one bride wore a stunning blue traditional Khmer outfit. Her groom wore a matching suit...it was great, though to be honest, can’t imagine too many guys that I know, wearing a matching, bright blue, embroidered suit for their weddings......



When I was here last time, I asked a monk at one of the temples, if I could take his photo. He turned me down, which has created a bit of an obsession within me, whereby I now “sneak” photos of monks whenever I can........I thought that they would all say no, hence the clandestine photos whenever possible. This trip though, I’ve realised that monks have arrived in the 21^st century.....they text, they email, they use mobile phones all the time........and they take photos of each other like regular tourists.......but I still have my obsession of taking photos of them whenever I can. Luckily for me, there were monks visiting the temples on Sunday (playing tourists just like me) and I managed to get a few really good photos of them.......oh bless you my large camera lens....



All in all, it was a great day on Sunday.....saw lots, met some great people, got some good exercise riding about 30kms on the bike, plus walking up and down and through the temples (Angkor Wat is huge)....and took some great photos....I was very tired, sore, and happy when I got back home..



Monday I went back to school and enjoyed being back with the kids. My experience in this school is far different to that of the one in PP.....I had more responsibility in PP, I had to prepare and give my lessons and ensure that they were beneficial etc.....here I’m very much just acting as a teacher’s aide, and it’s fine but I’m not getting as much of a sense of achievement as I did in PP. The kids have also been very slow to accept me – I guess it’s because I am the first volunteer they’ve ever had, so I they probably don’t fully understand where I fit in. It’s been a good lesson for me in patience and just going with the flow ......and I’ve got used to it, thankfully. As of today, the kids seem to have fully accepted me and as soon as I arrived at school involved me in a game of Frisbee until the lessons started. Throughout the afternoon, they were calling me and asking for help, which is the first time they’re really done that.......so it was great. I really hope that the school patrons embrace the idea of having volunteers, as they’ve said to me many times now that they really appreciate me being there and giving them moral support, as they’re really exhausted from carrying so much of the load.



Another highlight of my week is the return to SR of my lovely friend Sara....we really connected in PP and had a great time together in Sihanoukville and also here in PP when I first arrived. She’s been doing some trekking and visiting the eastern side of Cambodia, and is back here for a final farewell prior to heading back to Belgium. Sadly she leaves tomorrow, and I will miss her SO much. We’ve had a great time catching up, having dinners; talking for hours on life, it’s complexities and also about the sense of deep satisfaction you get riding a bicycle in the insane traffic; we’ve also been doing some touristy shopping for gifts etc.......man, she’s great at bargaining !! First thing tomorrow we’re having our last pedicure together – it’s become somewhat of a tradition for us....then perhaps having a final coconut shake, and then we will do our best to have a farewell without tears. She currently has plans to be in South America for the first three months of 2012, but if that doesn’t happen, we will catch up in Paris in January......that would be awesome. Sara is one of the people that I will always be glad that I was lucky enough to meet........she’s a great lady.



Very soon it will be my time to pack my bags and leave Cambodia.......in fact, two weeks today I’ll be on a plane to Europe.....WOW.......I’ve been here nearly three months, I cannot believe it’s gone so fast.....I’ve done so much, yet there is still so much to do. I feel a part of this country, I feel at home here. I also find so much of the life here is confronting, challenging, yet I feel that in some small way I’m helping to make it a better place and I’m so very grateful for the opportunity. I’ve seen so much, met some incredible people, laughed lots, cried sometimes, and loved every minute..........and I’ve grown so much and it’s all good.



Ok, that’s it for me..........haved posted plenty of photos (77) with this blog, as I know that lots of people prefer them over words......my apologies that they're not titled or in any particular order...



Hope you’re all having fun leading up to Christmas.......please take care on the roads, drink responsibly, and have a great time with friends and family etc. Hugs from a very non-Christmassy environment....

Rob

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