Kampot, Cambodia
Thursday, February 9, 2006
Sorry folks, it has been a while since we have been somewhere with a good computer source. Not that this place is great, but you take what you can get (that's why Amy has me). So let's see. Four nights in
Sihanoukville on the beach. Quiet little area with a beach on one side of town and then a headland separating it from the other side of town where we were. Day one we wrote to you about already, not much just walking on the beach and enjoying our almost daily sunset libation. On the second day we were going to go on a boat cruise but when I woke up I realized it was Friday and we needed to get our visas for Vietnam. Figuring the consulate would be closed on the weekend we decided this was the day to rent a moto and tool around the town while we sorted out the visa situation. After driving by the consulate three times we finally made it there. That was after we stopped in the police station and asked directions. The police station was a situation in itself considering no one there spoke English
. They just kept pointing us down the hall then another hall until we finally got someone who could point us to the consulate. I had really gone deep enough into the police station for my liking, I think any deeper and we would have found the cells. So we make it into the Vietnamese consulate and while filling out our forms we saw the guy, Ron, who sat in front of us on the flight from Taiwan to
Bangkok. We also shared a cab from the Bangkok airport to the hotel so had spoken with him a bit before. Small hemisphere. He had made the aquaintance of an English bloke who was quite interesting. Shaved head with two braids coming out of the back of his head down to the middle of his back. Topped off with a gold front tooth with a diamond in it, Gordon. So we all sorted out our visas and I couldn't pass up the chance to ask them to dinner. So before Amy knew what had happened, we had plans to have dinner with these two characters at a restaurant which doubles as a reptile zoo, the Snake House. But first we had a couple of hours to kill so we got a massage. Went to the Seeing Hands massage house. This place takes Cambodians who have lost their sight, from landmines or otherwise, and teaches them the art of massage. The only ones in this place who could see were Amy, the lady taking the money and me. The lady said in her excellent broken English, medium or hard? As usual, my mouth opened before my brain engaged in gear and I said hard. After an hour of excruciating pleasure we were done, all for 4 dollars each
. I truly did feel better though. So we waddled to the moto and gingerly put ourselves upon it for our ride through the pothole riddled streets that we have come to recognize as Cambodia. Dodging the cows, people going the wrong way and the other motos who feel it is a good idea to ride with no headlights we made it the mile home safely. Got ready and went to dinner. Some place this snake house. There are glass cages all around the restaurnat holding all manner of snakes, small to large, posinious and otherwise. Not to mention the alligator on a leash right in the middle of the restaurant floor. The glass topped tables that we ate on also had snakes right inside them. Plus Ron and Gordon actually showed up. We had some real laughs that night. They had traveling stories and Gordons were particullary funny with his English accent and way of looking at things. We bid each other farewell and safe travels and rode home. Saturday we just sat on the beach and didn't do much. Amy got a manicure and pedicure from the traveling manicure ladies. I wasn't sold so I spent my dollar on 10 spring rolls ranging in quality from excellent to dubious. What do you expect for 10 cents a go? Found a restaurant that serves Indian food and figuring we should try some before we go to India we went. Didn't know what a thing on the menu was we guessed. Amy went with chicken something and I just closed my eyes and pointed. Beef aloo it is then. Really good meal all in all and the bill with 3 drinks and 2 entrees came to 10 bucks, great
. So then after a short walk the guy who drove us to dinner was waiting down the street for us. Didn't know he would be there but I guess he knows a sucker when he sees one. "Mr Dan, Mr Dan, your moto", you could hear it all up and down the street. He knows where we are going and a fair fare was already negotiated so off we go. Sunday we went to Ream National park. Moderatly interesting but a good way to kill the day for 10 bucks each. We skipped breakfast because it was included but, "breakfast" was a loaf of French bread. I hope the included lunch is better. River boat trip through the mangrove forest and then an hour on an uninhabited island followed by a trek across the jungle to the other side, as our transport boats are now gone. Lunch was better with a piece of fish to go with our loaf of French bread. Pretty cool listening to the jungle on the walk through. So back to home and dinner at the Indian curry pot again because we never know what we are going to get. The man says to us, after we don't get a menu, only meals. I don't know what that means so we readily agree. Again very tasty and filling, for only 5 bucks total we are stuffed. I woke up at 6 am on monday because I found a channel that was carrying the Super Bowl. So I watched the Steelers win while in Shianoukville, Cambodia. Never thought I would watch the big game in Cambodia, but now I have. Then off to
Kampot by taxi. This was a scam though. We had paid for a taxi to share the day before for $4 each and it came to pick us up and then took off
. I thought we might get lucky as we were the only ones in it. But, it pulled into the taxi stand and parked. After a bit I get out to see what is up. I am explained that, "Taxi no full, wait 4 more people". Seeing that this is a standard size compact we realize that this means 4 in the back seat and two in the passenger seat. Having seen this already in many cars I know they arent joking. When he says, "$10 more we go now", we feel this is probably 10 dollars well spent rather than waiting in the blistering Cambodian sun for an indefinate amount of time to cram into a Toyota Camry with 7 people including driver. So off we go. While listening to Whitney Houston at a deafaning volume singing along also. What the hell. We make it to
Kampot. Check in to the guest house for $5 a day and go off to lunch. While at lunch guess who shows up? That's right, Ron and Gordon. They know of a swimming hole down the road so being up for an adventure, as we are, we get on the back of their decrepit motos and head off. Nice spot. Rocks to jump in off of into a cool mountain stream. Time well spent. Plans to have dinner with these chaps again that night. More laughs. Tuesday we went to Bokor hill station. Abandoned French fort which used to have a hotel and casinos on top of the mountain. There was also an abandonded house of the kings. The mountain is about 3500 feet above sea level, which is where we are starting from. It is a hellish 2 hours over broken pavement dirt road in the back of a pick up truck filled with 8 people
. No roof to block the sun, no sides to stop the branches from hitting you and nothing to hold on to. My ass hurts right now as I type, standing up, to you. But we are justly rewarded the views down the sheer cliff to the coastline and jungle below are great. The moss and lichen encrusted hotel has an erie feel as the fog from the coast rolls in through the abandonded, bullet riddled, stone structure. This was one of the last hold out points of the Khmer Rough as they fought the Vietnamese here. It is only about 10 miles from 'Nam. Back down the hill again, I don't even want to talk about it. We were both asleep by 9:30. So here we are today. You thought I would never get here didn't you? We rented a moto and decided to explore on our own. So down the road to the next town,
Kep, we went. About 5 miles outside of town people are flagging us down, practically jumping out in front of us grabbing at our handle bars, trying to get us to stop. We aren't really sure what is going on (one of the hallmarks of being in Asia) but soon are hearded onto a small boat, motorcycle and all. There is 5 motos and 13 people on a boat which looks like it is built for 3 to 4 people. It is like a big row boat. Off we go, to where? Soon it becomes apparent, the bridge is out. It looks like a truck has fallen through the bridge and now the transport is these boats run by enterprising young men. The whole area is a swarm of activity. Some are scavenging the truck for parts, or taking it out of the river piece by piece because of a lack of cranes in the area. Others are busy building a foot bridge. Still others are building a new bridge big enough for motorcycles to cross out of used 55 gallon drums and warped wooden planking. While our guys are ferrying people, machines and beasts across the water. 50 cents later and we were across. Down the road we go. We were looking for some caves we had heard about and thought we were getting close about 30 minutes after our boat adventure
. We were down this dirt road about 3 miles and again are getting flagged down. This time by a 5 year old. He says, "tour giude, tour guide", jumps on the moto with the both of us and starts pointing. At this point in my life it seems reasonable to trust my life with a 5 year old who can't speak English. So lets go. He points and I drive. After winding around some curves and a road that bears a striking resemblance to the one we were on at Bokor he indicates stop. Pointing to a dark hole in the rock he motions for us to follow, we do. It is pitch black in here, we have flashlights, but the kid is still leaving us in the dust. I'm convinced the ninjas are just around the corner but continue on. We pop out into the light and are now surrounded by 5 tour guides whos combined age can't be 30. One little girl grabs Amy's hand and won't let go so I guess we just hired her too. They just show us around these caves which we could never navigate by ourselves and have a grand time. It is really interesting inside these limestone formations with the stlagmites and stlagtites dotting the inside forming all manner of shapes of which the kids seem to know the English names for. Snake, Turtle, Elephant, they have those sorted out. So our enoturage now shows us out, back the way we came. They also know how to say "pay money". So we give them each 1000 riel which amounts to 25 cents a piece. We also have some of the rubber balls left and they each get one. Everyone is happy, especially me since my motorcycle is still there
. Then down the road to
Kep. Kep is known for its crabs and
Kampot is world famous (really) for its black pepper. So we have the local speciality, crabs in black pepper sauce. We sat in hammocks, watching the sea, as they brought us crab until we couldn't eat any more. On the moto and back home. So here we are. We will try to keep in touch more often so you don't have to read so much and I type. We are healthy and well and thinking of you often. One more day here then off to Vietnam on the 10th. Should enter
Chau Doc on that day. From there we don't know but within a week we should be in Saigon. Talk to you soon.
Love,
A n D
Comments
I'm Offended
Dan----YOu trust a five year old you've never met and can't speak English to lead you through a pitch black cave. But, you don't trust me to take you to the grocery store with talking machines. How rude!!!!
I'm glad you two are having a good time....keep up the story telling we love reading them.
Love,
Em and Sal