Blogs from Phnom Penh, South, Cambodia, Asia - page 9

After a good night's sleep we got up early as we had until 11.00 a.m. until Makara picked us up to go touring. So, a quick breakfast with Eric Kayser before we hired a TukTuk to take us down to the Mekong River and the Royal Palace on the river bank. The Palace appeared at first glance to be a spectacular monument to conspicuous wealth, privilege, power and a finger up to the masses. Inside, it was a gleaming display of gold, silver and jewels often on the Bhudda's which festooned the halls and rooms of the many buildings. King Sihanouk was (still is?) revered by the people but was actually a corrupt, power hungry, dissolute despot (my take on him) until overthrown by another despot in 1970. Lyn was really feeling the heat so we ... read more

Cambodia, January 2011... read more

After a rather harrowing day yesterday spending about 6 hours at Choeung Ek and S21 and then another 3 or 4 hours writing about it I needed some light relief and some dinner and found both at a corner bar/eatery a couple of blocks from the hotel. Met a young English couple doing the opposite circuit from me through SE Asia. Their enthusiasm for Vietnam was infectious and has me really looking forward to the next few weeks. They have restored my faith in humanity, we'll them and a 12 year old Khmer kid who hustled me into buying a woven bracelet for a buck after opening a can of whoop ass on me at the pool table. John if you're reading this, start your own damned Blog!! And don't forget to send me a link. ... read more

We hired a four seater tuk tuk for half a day, to take us around various sites. The kids made us laugh when they began a period of Royal waves. Our first stop was the grand market which was a huge butter coloured Art Deco ziggurat with rows of canvas covered stalls spinning out of each of the six entrance. Piles of fabrics and clothes, live chickens and lobsters, rows of fake watches and handbags and every sort of exotic fruit and veg. Interwoven in the shops were a complete array of workshops including wig weavers, tailors and nail bars. Cas was in her element and it was clear that some retail therapy was needed. We gave the kids some pocket money and Ed was chuffed with a large G Shock watch. We had to say ... read more

Un peu plus profond en Asie.. C'est à Siem Reap que nous avons trouvé nos deux nouvelles compagnes, Linda & Wizzy. Deux 125cc avec qui nous avons traversé le Cambodge. Elles nous ont amené à la découverte des fabuleux temples d'Angkor, à travers les grandes pleines Cambodgiennes, de la capitales jusqu'aux petits villages, des grandes routes toutes récentes jusqu'aux petits sentiers de terre battus.. Une fois la frontière vietnamienne traversée, nous avons pris la décision de nous séparer pour un petit moment afin de vivre une nouvelle expérience. Vietnam, nous arrivons, seuls, mais toujours autant motivés ! Deeper in Asia.. It is at Siem Reap that we found our two new partners, Linda & Wizzy. Two 125cc which brought us across Cambodia. They brought us discover the famous and wonderful Angkor's temples, through the big Cambodian ... read more