A culinary journey in Bangkok
Already back in Geneva I feel like going back in my thoughts and feelings to share an exclusive culinary day in Bangkok with you!
The breakfast started with a Sweet and Sour with porc and rice. For good health this was accompanied with a fresh orange juice from arround the next corner. Later in the afternoon there was a Saté Chicken smiling at us, including a delicious sauce and some vegetables! Walking and walking (and some shopping by the way) we got hungry again and we discoverred some fresh pineapple (yes, we learnt a lot from Dr. Isaac: For some basic health there is not much that goes above a good portion of Vitamines). Another highlight was Mr. Bun doing fresh Bun's, directly from the oven. Then 50 m next to Mr. Bun some fried bird's eggs looked at us, and we had them served with fresh raw cabbage. All this was not enough when we saw some delicious sushis! We could not resist on these sushis, we made our first choice a few minutes a second one. Wow,all of these things a real "delicatesse"!
By the way, yesterday I had a Raclette at a very good friend's place. It was different but it was at least as good as the mini delicatesse in Bangkok with one main difference: The moment I ate I was sure to be back in Switzerland again! :-)
Monday, October 23, 2006
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Ernste Gesichter am Hafen
At seven AM on 15 October I was supposed to leave Shianoukville for Bangkok! Arriving on time at the bus station there were different excuses: The bus is broken and there are no other (even though the parking was full of these little mini buses). Second, they received a call that some ferry is not running today, therefore there is no bus leaving. Whatever the case, I accepted: I will not go by bus to Bangkok today. No problem because:
I did not even have to think about the next alternative, because people had suddenly a strong interest in selling a boat ticket (to the Thai boarder with connection to Phnom Penh), especially the guy I paid for the bus ride. I insisted on getting my 27USD back (I know this is incredibly expensive for here and made me think about the lesson about monopoly and price discrimination I had last year in Economics). Always saying I can choose wheather I will have the money back or the boat ticket (15USD) with the return, suddenly he did no have the 27 USD. I insisted, showed him that I will not play his game and received my money back. My nose told me that something is wrong about these 15USD. First: This price can not be affored by locals and second: Everybody wants to sell you this ticket - I mean that was not normal!
With hard negotiation with my driver which I almost left because he wanted to charge me with an incredible fee to go to the harbour I was back on the motorbike taxi. By the way the driver, that obviously gets commissions from the hotel and booking stores when delivering tourists, was already upset because I did not buy the ticket at the hotel. Therefore, instead of bringing me to the harbour he stopped at another place - again boat ticket for 15(!)USD. The slogan again. Boat ticket here, best for you, best for you, buy boat ticket here. Getting-angry-Andrea insisted on going to the harbour, where I finally arrived. The boat was leaving at mid-day - plenty of time to do some research about THE and THEIR prices....
I was at the harbour restaurant where suddenly a man came out from the middle of nowhere, putting the boat ticket in front of me: 15USD! I was not in a hurry and did not pay. 10 minutes later my motorbike driver came back (and I was already thinking that I got rid of him), telling me that I have to pay now (I think he just wanted to get some commission from the ticket seller in buying a local ticket, reselling me at another price and getting the difference)! I did not pay the ticket, felt in the meantime strange, because people down the harbour were not smiling anymore. Serious faces and no answer on a friendly Sus-e-dei. Was I insisting to much, was I looking to much for something they do not want me to know? I knew I was alone, and I had to be careful. I was then very glad when a police officer came along and I had a chat with him. In fact, Cambodian people pay 8USD for the boat trip and all foreigners pay 15. Many locals buy local ticket and resell them to tourists. There is only one company serving to the Thai-border and therefore the price is set for foreigners... fix without any negotiation, expect when insisting and spending 3 hours like Andreaschli was doing, always smiling and friendly. Finally I got the ticket for 13USD, not much less, and honestly I do not care a lot about these two dollars, but it is the principle I do not agree in having a special (and what a special) price for foreigners, trying to cheat them, trying to grap their money in the pockets with hiding the real price..... Not with me!
Finally I arrived in Bangkok at midnight. What a journey!
At seven AM on 15 October I was supposed to leave Shianoukville for Bangkok! Arriving on time at the bus station there were different excuses: The bus is broken and there are no other (even though the parking was full of these little mini buses). Second, they received a call that some ferry is not running today, therefore there is no bus leaving. Whatever the case, I accepted: I will not go by bus to Bangkok today. No problem because:
I did not even have to think about the next alternative, because people had suddenly a strong interest in selling a boat ticket (to the Thai boarder with connection to Phnom Penh), especially the guy I paid for the bus ride. I insisted on getting my 27USD back (I know this is incredibly expensive for here and made me think about the lesson about monopoly and price discrimination I had last year in Economics). Always saying I can choose wheather I will have the money back or the boat ticket (15USD) with the return, suddenly he did no have the 27 USD. I insisted, showed him that I will not play his game and received my money back. My nose told me that something is wrong about these 15USD. First: This price can not be affored by locals and second: Everybody wants to sell you this ticket - I mean that was not normal!
With hard negotiation with my driver which I almost left because he wanted to charge me with an incredible fee to go to the harbour I was back on the motorbike taxi. By the way the driver, that obviously gets commissions from the hotel and booking stores when delivering tourists, was already upset because I did not buy the ticket at the hotel. Therefore, instead of bringing me to the harbour he stopped at another place - again boat ticket for 15(!)USD. The slogan again. Boat ticket here, best for you, best for you, buy boat ticket here. Getting-angry-Andrea insisted on going to the harbour, where I finally arrived. The boat was leaving at mid-day - plenty of time to do some research about THE and THEIR prices....
I was at the harbour restaurant where suddenly a man came out from the middle of nowhere, putting the boat ticket in front of me: 15USD! I was not in a hurry and did not pay. 10 minutes later my motorbike driver came back (and I was already thinking that I got rid of him), telling me that I have to pay now (I think he just wanted to get some commission from the ticket seller in buying a local ticket, reselling me at another price and getting the difference)! I did not pay the ticket, felt in the meantime strange, because people down the harbour were not smiling anymore. Serious faces and no answer on a friendly Sus-e-dei. Was I insisting to much, was I looking to much for something they do not want me to know? I knew I was alone, and I had to be careful. I was then very glad when a police officer came along and I had a chat with him. In fact, Cambodian people pay 8USD for the boat trip and all foreigners pay 15. Many locals buy local ticket and resell them to tourists. There is only one company serving to the Thai-border and therefore the price is set for foreigners... fix without any negotiation, expect when insisting and spending 3 hours like Andreaschli was doing, always smiling and friendly. Finally I got the ticket for 13USD, not much less, and honestly I do not care a lot about these two dollars, but it is the principle I do not agree in having a special (and what a special) price for foreigners, trying to cheat them, trying to grap their money in the pockets with hiding the real price..... Not with me!
Finally I arrived in Bangkok at midnight. What a journey!
Reprise
For all those that were wondering what happened with the Bloog-writing Andrea, here I am back with some pictures and some nice stories from the South of Cambodia and now back in the famous shopping paradise of Bangkok!
First I scroll back to 12 October - my birthday. All our buses (Jan to Bangkok and Simon to Laos) left in the morning and at noon I was on the beach. Tired, I just wanted to sleep on the beach and listen to the sound of the waves. What a wish ! I chose exactly the beach with most of tourists and most of sellers. All kind of stuff was sold, and I did not find the peace I wanted for my birthday. In reality I was disappointed about the busy place. However I met some Australians and went for an evening drink with them. There again, it was not of my full satisfaction. Western held Pubs and bars, western music and no local people made me more feeling like being in Mallorca than in Cambodia. In the same time I realized that there are many kind of tourists and "selon le cas" the country is seen completely different. I can just talk about really friendly and helpful people, beautiful places where you actually can see the simplicity of the locals lifestyle which allows you to live the country the way it is today and with some interest in history also to understand it. Other tourists do not even seek for such experience and are then annoyed to have begging kids at the more touristic places - and for sure also the only places they would go to.
I decided though to spend the next day with my rented bicycle and went on discovering-Andrea tour! What a wonderful hilly region. I stopped at the market to get some picknick that never arrived because I more or less shared it with some kids on the way to the beach! I had my noodle soup for breakfast, as I got used to like it here in Cambodia. Then I visited the market. I like walking through these places, even when there may not be the expected fresh and frutty jucy smell someone would expect! It was rather thick and stinky (depends on the area, like for example the seafood place...) air, however, I see the market as the heart of the communitys life. People interact, they trade, they get what they need to live... all this gives you a real impression.
In the afternoon I found finally the beach I was looking for: White sand, some palm trees, a little bamboo restaurant serving some soft drinks and NO people. I was reading my book quietly slept in between and went swimming in the wonderful sea. Really nice.
The third day I went with Billy (New Zealand) and Yaniv (Israel) for another motorbike tour! Seems as if I attract people with the same feeling for adventure... and here we go, bikeriding-Andrea is back on the scene, at least for one day!
For all those that were wondering what happened with the Bloog-writing Andrea, here I am back with some pictures and some nice stories from the South of Cambodia and now back in the famous shopping paradise of Bangkok!
First I scroll back to 12 October - my birthday. All our buses (Jan to Bangkok and Simon to Laos) left in the morning and at noon I was on the beach. Tired, I just wanted to sleep on the beach and listen to the sound of the waves. What a wish ! I chose exactly the beach with most of tourists and most of sellers. All kind of stuff was sold, and I did not find the peace I wanted for my birthday. In reality I was disappointed about the busy place. However I met some Australians and went for an evening drink with them. There again, it was not of my full satisfaction. Western held Pubs and bars, western music and no local people made me more feeling like being in Mallorca than in Cambodia. In the same time I realized that there are many kind of tourists and "selon le cas" the country is seen completely different. I can just talk about really friendly and helpful people, beautiful places where you actually can see the simplicity of the locals lifestyle which allows you to live the country the way it is today and with some interest in history also to understand it. Other tourists do not even seek for such experience and are then annoyed to have begging kids at the more touristic places - and for sure also the only places they would go to.
I decided though to spend the next day with my rented bicycle and went on discovering-Andrea tour! What a wonderful hilly region. I stopped at the market to get some picknick that never arrived because I more or less shared it with some kids on the way to the beach! I had my noodle soup for breakfast, as I got used to like it here in Cambodia. Then I visited the market. I like walking through these places, even when there may not be the expected fresh and frutty jucy smell someone would expect! It was rather thick and stinky (depends on the area, like for example the seafood place...) air, however, I see the market as the heart of the communitys life. People interact, they trade, they get what they need to live... all this gives you a real impression.
In the afternoon I found finally the beach I was looking for: White sand, some palm trees, a little bamboo restaurant serving some soft drinks and NO people. I was reading my book quietly slept in between and went swimming in the wonderful sea. Really nice.
The third day I went with Billy (New Zealand) and Yaniv (Israel) for another motorbike tour! Seems as if I attract people with the same feeling for adventure... and here we go, bikeriding-Andrea is back on the scene, at least for one day!
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
A day of help
Der heutige tag begann nicht viel anders als der gestrige: Mit warten. Nur mit dem unterschied, dass heute der Dr. Isaac in seinem tuktuk tatsaechlich gekommen ist um uns abzuholen. Wir gingen in die naehe vom bahnhof um einige kranken leuten mit den wichtigsten medikamenten zu versorgen. Die meisten leiden an den folgen von unterernaehrung und zu wenig fluessigkeit. Tuberkulose und Lungenentzuendung waren keine seltenheit.
Am Nachmittag ging es dann in den marche russe und ich wurde ueberwaeltigt von den vielen dingen die mich inspirierten. Mehrmals musste ich mich beruhigen um nicht zu viel zu shoppen. Das einte oder andere hab ich aber trotzdem gekauft und bin ganz stolz darauf.
Am fruehen abend ging es dann endlich in eines der beiden Kinderspitaeler von Beat Richner um den famoesen don du sag = blutspende zu taetigen. Es ging etwas rudimentaerer zu und her als in der schweiz, aber mein blut fliess mit der gleichen "bonne volonte" wie im hopital universitaire a Geneve. Dank dieser blutspende bin ich nun ebenfalls besitzerin eines blutspendet t-shirts. Juhuuu!
Die zeit hier in phnom penh scheint langsam ein ende zu nehmen, sowie die reise mit Jan und Simon. Voraussichtlich uebermorgen wird Jan nach Bangkok gehen, Simon zieht es nach Laos und ich werde mir einige erholsame stunden/Tage am meer im sueden von Kambodscha goennen, bevor es dann selbst nach Bangkok geht.
Der heutige tag begann nicht viel anders als der gestrige: Mit warten. Nur mit dem unterschied, dass heute der Dr. Isaac in seinem tuktuk tatsaechlich gekommen ist um uns abzuholen. Wir gingen in die naehe vom bahnhof um einige kranken leuten mit den wichtigsten medikamenten zu versorgen. Die meisten leiden an den folgen von unterernaehrung und zu wenig fluessigkeit. Tuberkulose und Lungenentzuendung waren keine seltenheit.
Am Nachmittag ging es dann in den marche russe und ich wurde ueberwaeltigt von den vielen dingen die mich inspirierten. Mehrmals musste ich mich beruhigen um nicht zu viel zu shoppen. Das einte oder andere hab ich aber trotzdem gekauft und bin ganz stolz darauf.
Am fruehen abend ging es dann endlich in eines der beiden Kinderspitaeler von Beat Richner um den famoesen don du sag = blutspende zu taetigen. Es ging etwas rudimentaerer zu und her als in der schweiz, aber mein blut fliess mit der gleichen "bonne volonte" wie im hopital universitaire a Geneve. Dank dieser blutspende bin ich nun ebenfalls besitzerin eines blutspendet t-shirts. Juhuuu!
Die zeit hier in phnom penh scheint langsam ein ende zu nehmen, sowie die reise mit Jan und Simon. Voraussichtlich uebermorgen wird Jan nach Bangkok gehen, Simon zieht es nach Laos und ich werde mir einige erholsame stunden/Tage am meer im sueden von Kambodscha goennen, bevor es dann selbst nach Bangkok geht.
Monday, October 09, 2006
De retour in Phnom Penh!
Here we go, yesterday at 6PM we arrived back again from our 15 day trip around the Tonle Sap Lake. We made 1137.1 km with our bikes on national roads in excellent shape, bumpy roads for the fun, wet roads to realize that we are in the rainy season and finally indundated roads we could hardly drive on, mais on l a fais quand meme!
Passing over the bridge in Phnom Penh I knew that a unique adventure will take an end but not so with what I saw through my eyes. Images will last that is for sure. Before falling asleep I review what I experienced just little time before, I will repass my moments of "bonheur total" I passed with locals, with the scenery and Simon and Jan.
The last three days were rather quiet and we took the time to come back to Phnom Penh. We visited a floating village on the Tonle Sap lake. People live there literally on the water and it is surprising to see how you can get organized without any ground under your feet. There were some small boats serving as little shops, pigs growing in a bamboo cage, collected wood nicely arranged on some trees and finally all the houses on some wooden posts.
We spent one night in Kompong Thom from where we visited some pre-Angkorian temples close by. The following day we went to Kompong Cham and had the change to see their water festival which included some fireworks and many many people on the riverside.
From Kompong Cham back to Phnom Penh it was a big bit of a bumpy road along the Mekong. For one more last time we saw locals stopping their work to see who is passing by. For one more time I saw the surprising reaction of women seing a girl driving a heavy motorbike, for one more time there was a wonderful bumpy road decorated with small bridges, bamboo houses and some marvellous looks on the Mekong River. AND, FOR ONE MORE LAST TIME I HAD SO MUCH DUST IN THE MOUTH, IN MY EYES AND THE NOISE, in short: Everywhere the wind passes by: All over, exactly!
At the end of the day the rain was cleaning our faces and a fresh wind welcomed us for our arrival in Phnom Penh. Wet all over and with swollen hands we arrived in Phnom Penh, and here you go with final picture of THE adventure motorbike tour!
Happy to arrive without any accident, sad to see the adventure to take and end but looking forward to experience other moments at other places in this wonderful country I fell quickly asleep yesterday in the evening.
Here we go, yesterday at 6PM we arrived back again from our 15 day trip around the Tonle Sap Lake. We made 1137.1 km with our bikes on national roads in excellent shape, bumpy roads for the fun, wet roads to realize that we are in the rainy season and finally indundated roads we could hardly drive on, mais on l a fais quand meme!
Passing over the bridge in Phnom Penh I knew that a unique adventure will take an end but not so with what I saw through my eyes. Images will last that is for sure. Before falling asleep I review what I experienced just little time before, I will repass my moments of "bonheur total" I passed with locals, with the scenery and Simon and Jan.
The last three days were rather quiet and we took the time to come back to Phnom Penh. We visited a floating village on the Tonle Sap lake. People live there literally on the water and it is surprising to see how you can get organized without any ground under your feet. There were some small boats serving as little shops, pigs growing in a bamboo cage, collected wood nicely arranged on some trees and finally all the houses on some wooden posts.
We spent one night in Kompong Thom from where we visited some pre-Angkorian temples close by. The following day we went to Kompong Cham and had the change to see their water festival which included some fireworks and many many people on the riverside.
From Kompong Cham back to Phnom Penh it was a big bit of a bumpy road along the Mekong. For one more last time we saw locals stopping their work to see who is passing by. For one more time I saw the surprising reaction of women seing a girl driving a heavy motorbike, for one more time there was a wonderful bumpy road decorated with small bridges, bamboo houses and some marvellous looks on the Mekong River. AND, FOR ONE MORE LAST TIME I HAD SO MUCH DUST IN THE MOUTH, IN MY EYES AND THE NOISE, in short: Everywhere the wind passes by: All over, exactly!
At the end of the day the rain was cleaning our faces and a fresh wind welcomed us for our arrival in Phnom Penh. Wet all over and with swollen hands we arrived in Phnom Penh, and here you go with final picture of THE adventure motorbike tour!
Happy to arrive without any accident, sad to see the adventure to take and end but looking forward to experience other moments at other places in this wonderful country I fell quickly asleep yesterday in the evening.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Siem Reap - rapidos
It is the second day already we are in Siem Reap, a very fast growing city thanks to tourism. It is the later one that shows the first effects ond a community, not only positive.
Prices are higher for nothing. Suddenly the Internet cost almost 1 Dollar per hour, the bottle of water no longer the very attractive 500 riel. They charge the double. Than of course, there are children selling all kind of things in the street or just simply asking for money. Welcome in the world of mass tourism, the moment to look for another place.
However the reason we came here is worth it: The temples of Angkor just a little bit Norht of Siem Reap. There again, they are squeezing the tourists! Yesterday they did not want to let us in with our own motorbikes. They oblige all tourists to take a tuk tuk for about 10USD or rent bikes from the hotel. We were a little bit irritated (just to use correct words) and visited then instead the miniature Angkor Wat temple...
Today we took our chance to see the real ones. We got up at 4:45AM. We rushed with our rented bicycles to the entry, paying, control, riding, control and again control...- it was not that close and easy to get there (thanks to exhausting protocol) as I thought. Finally we arrived in the Angkor Wat temple and the sun was raising. We took our picture as all tourists did and began our 12h visit in the area.
Me personally I had to hide myself to liberate my stomach from its unwelcome activity in the morning. Jan and Simon were encouraging me to drink at least some water (because I really did not feel like) and bread every five minutes- trying to give me the lost force back. In the meantime I am feeling already much better and very looking forward for a long and good night!
We visited the three main places, we tried to avoid the Japanese and Chinese tourist group that fled in regularly. We tried to speak our 5 words khmer to appease the kids selling postcards, towels etc.
To conclude, the temples were really impressive, amazing the extent and the precision of the buildings. However, the effect of this extraordinary heritage shows rather negative consequences on the local society and the image many tourist get from Cambodia. Because the image you see here in Siem Reap does not correcpond to the Cambodia I saw the last two weeks ago!
For these reasons we decided not to support any longer this arrangement in Siem Reap and to visit some other temples in the countryside with our bikes. We will leave Siem Reap tomorrow for a city close by that will serve as basis to visit some smaller and less known temples. Than I would really like to see a Floating Village on the Tonle Sap Lake (unfortunately we did no have time to do so on the way to Pursat) before we will return to Phnom Penh arround 8 October.
It is the second day already we are in Siem Reap, a very fast growing city thanks to tourism. It is the later one that shows the first effects ond a community, not only positive.
Prices are higher for nothing. Suddenly the Internet cost almost 1 Dollar per hour, the bottle of water no longer the very attractive 500 riel. They charge the double. Than of course, there are children selling all kind of things in the street or just simply asking for money. Welcome in the world of mass tourism, the moment to look for another place.
However the reason we came here is worth it: The temples of Angkor just a little bit Norht of Siem Reap. There again, they are squeezing the tourists! Yesterday they did not want to let us in with our own motorbikes. They oblige all tourists to take a tuk tuk for about 10USD or rent bikes from the hotel. We were a little bit irritated (just to use correct words) and visited then instead the miniature Angkor Wat temple...
Today we took our chance to see the real ones. We got up at 4:45AM. We rushed with our rented bicycles to the entry, paying, control, riding, control and again control...- it was not that close and easy to get there (thanks to exhausting protocol) as I thought. Finally we arrived in the Angkor Wat temple and the sun was raising. We took our picture as all tourists did and began our 12h visit in the area.
Me personally I had to hide myself to liberate my stomach from its unwelcome activity in the morning. Jan and Simon were encouraging me to drink at least some water (because I really did not feel like) and bread every five minutes- trying to give me the lost force back. In the meantime I am feeling already much better and very looking forward for a long and good night!
We visited the three main places, we tried to avoid the Japanese and Chinese tourist group that fled in regularly. We tried to speak our 5 words khmer to appease the kids selling postcards, towels etc.
To conclude, the temples were really impressive, amazing the extent and the precision of the buildings. However, the effect of this extraordinary heritage shows rather negative consequences on the local society and the image many tourist get from Cambodia. Because the image you see here in Siem Reap does not correcpond to the Cambodia I saw the last two weeks ago!
For these reasons we decided not to support any longer this arrangement in Siem Reap and to visit some other temples in the countryside with our bikes. We will leave Siem Reap tomorrow for a city close by that will serve as basis to visit some smaller and less known temples. Than I would really like to see a Floating Village on the Tonle Sap Lake (unfortunately we did no have time to do so on the way to Pursat) before we will return to Phnom Penh arround 8 October.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Diverse
For the ones that prefer reading some news in French, you will find below the Blog from Jan:
www.mcjanus.blogspot.com
Simon gave me some pictures. There are some stuffed frogs and grilled eggs to see. mmmhhh believe me!
For the ones that prefer reading some news in French, you will find below the Blog from Jan:
www.mcjanus.blogspot.com
Simon gave me some pictures. There are some stuffed frogs and grilled eggs to see. mmmhhh believe me!
Tranquille at the Dam Lake, total adventure to Sisopohon
The days in Battangbang passed very fast. After some shopping and readings we went for a local dish called Pot Stall. Fortunately we did no knew what we are going to eat the moment we ordered the plate. It was a kind of Fondue with bouillon and plenty of not identifiable ingrediants (kind of seafood, mushrooms, vegetable and some strange meatballs). They showed us how to prepare, and finally it was a tasty meal, but only for once! Always curious to discover new and unknown things, there were some strange smells.... The day after we were told that the meatballs were testicles from the beef!
Yesterday, Jan and I decided to visit the Dam on the way to Sisopohon. The day started early, turned tranquille and proved to be a crazy and real challenging adventure.
The Dam was originally built by the Khmer in order of the Khmer rouge to increse the productivity of rice fields. Many people died under the forced labour. In the meantime it got finished by a commen project financed by Germany and Japan. The lake behind the dam is now a lovely scenery. We hired a man that took us on his boat and for an hour or so we were in plane nature. Flowers surrounded the boat, trees came out of the water, other boats passed by, all without any noise of any engine, it was so relaxing. At the end we passed through a Lotus-flower field and the man we hired picked me one out of the water. Wow, such a nice flower just for me... I was impressed.
After an icecream-in-the-bread we started our tour up to Sispophon, we knew it will take us a while. At the beginning we could drive quickly, we had a good speed and we did not make any pause. Suddenly the road turned worse, more big road holes, some water turned the road muddy at the beginning than crazy through the end. It was so slippery, sometimes it was really difficult to control the bike. Then we came at the point we were in front of a completely inundated road. What shall we do? We decided to go through. The water came up and up... feets very already dirty before and now who cares... wet inside. The engine roaring under the waters resistence... the balance shaking under the unknown ground, just keep on going and not falling. After "some passages difficiles"we hoped to arrive in Sisophon, but at 6 o clock the dailight was over and only our lights and some indigenous that do not speak a word English showed us the way. Without saying I was already thinking of looking for a place to sleep in the middle of nowhere. The situation of knowing that soon it will be finished, moments of being tired, moments of being at the end of physical capacity, of patience made me think about my expierences a made in the Alpes and in South America. Climbing a mountain of more than 6000muM, taking the mountainbike on the top of the Pilatus to ride it down, spending hours and hours with climbing a mountain to walk it down on a glacier afterwards helped me to stay patient, to concentrate on the road, to do anything that would not lead to the arrival and just continue and continue.....
Finally we saw some slight buring wood on the road, a little village was in front of us with people talking lively in khmer. We did not understand a word, but they looked surprised to see us, and I think I would have been so, too. Ich war erleichtert...
At seven o clock we arrived in Sisophon and Simon was happy to see us again. We were telling him about the road, the people etc.
It was so fun riding the bike under these particular circumstances and I have never seen a region completely inundated like this, with so friendly people living there during the wet season. The bike ride was total adventure and so much fun, even if we were at the time limit and the limit of possibilities to manage the distance. Very important to add: I never felt in danger or insecure. I was riding my bike, and not the bike me. I knew we will arrive and I never felt alone.
The days in Battangbang passed very fast. After some shopping and readings we went for a local dish called Pot Stall. Fortunately we did no knew what we are going to eat the moment we ordered the plate. It was a kind of Fondue with bouillon and plenty of not identifiable ingrediants (kind of seafood, mushrooms, vegetable and some strange meatballs). They showed us how to prepare, and finally it was a tasty meal, but only for once! Always curious to discover new and unknown things, there were some strange smells.... The day after we were told that the meatballs were testicles from the beef!
Yesterday, Jan and I decided to visit the Dam on the way to Sisopohon. The day started early, turned tranquille and proved to be a crazy and real challenging adventure.
The Dam was originally built by the Khmer in order of the Khmer rouge to increse the productivity of rice fields. Many people died under the forced labour. In the meantime it got finished by a commen project financed by Germany and Japan. The lake behind the dam is now a lovely scenery. We hired a man that took us on his boat and for an hour or so we were in plane nature. Flowers surrounded the boat, trees came out of the water, other boats passed by, all without any noise of any engine, it was so relaxing. At the end we passed through a Lotus-flower field and the man we hired picked me one out of the water. Wow, such a nice flower just for me... I was impressed.
After an icecream-in-the-bread we started our tour up to Sispophon, we knew it will take us a while. At the beginning we could drive quickly, we had a good speed and we did not make any pause. Suddenly the road turned worse, more big road holes, some water turned the road muddy at the beginning than crazy through the end. It was so slippery, sometimes it was really difficult to control the bike. Then we came at the point we were in front of a completely inundated road. What shall we do? We decided to go through. The water came up and up... feets very already dirty before and now who cares... wet inside. The engine roaring under the waters resistence... the balance shaking under the unknown ground, just keep on going and not falling. After "some passages difficiles"we hoped to arrive in Sisophon, but at 6 o clock the dailight was over and only our lights and some indigenous that do not speak a word English showed us the way. Without saying I was already thinking of looking for a place to sleep in the middle of nowhere. The situation of knowing that soon it will be finished, moments of being tired, moments of being at the end of physical capacity, of patience made me think about my expierences a made in the Alpes and in South America. Climbing a mountain of more than 6000muM, taking the mountainbike on the top of the Pilatus to ride it down, spending hours and hours with climbing a mountain to walk it down on a glacier afterwards helped me to stay patient, to concentrate on the road, to do anything that would not lead to the arrival and just continue and continue.....
Finally we saw some slight buring wood on the road, a little village was in front of us with people talking lively in khmer. We did not understand a word, but they looked surprised to see us, and I think I would have been so, too. Ich war erleichtert...
At seven o clock we arrived in Sisophon and Simon was happy to see us again. We were telling him about the road, the people etc.
It was so fun riding the bike under these particular circumstances and I have never seen a region completely inundated like this, with so friendly people living there during the wet season. The bike ride was total adventure and so much fun, even if we were at the time limit and the limit of possibilities to manage the distance. Very important to add: I never felt in danger or insecure. I was riding my bike, and not the bike me. I knew we will arrive and I never felt alone.
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