Tour Busses, Thousands of Them

All filled with 30 or 40 tourists that are asking each other "Where are you from?  We are from xxxxxxx.  We DID xxxxx today.  Tomorrow, we are going to DO xxxxxxx.  We are staying at xxxxxx.  It is fabulous.  Where are you staying?"

And they all stop at the same places, and they all have a guide wearing a microphone connected to the bus PA system  "On your right is a rice field.  During the monsoon the entire area is flooded......"  

Then the guide says "The bus will stop here for 30 minutes so you can purchase some refreshments.  Then we will go to xxxxx.  If you have any questions, please feel free to ask....."

Thank God I am not on one of those busses.  

It would ruin my walkabout.

My private tuktuk driver met me promptly the the hotel entrance at 9:00 AM.  I told him I needed some cash at an ATM and we were off.  All the ATMs I have tried attempted to spit out US $, not Cambodian Riel.  I asked my guide and he said most people, stores, businesses, restaurants, etc. use US$.  So I got some more $, although I still have plenty that I have carried from PDX.

Off to a Pagoda/Wat to watch the Monks receive alms.   

Pol Pot served as Democratic Kampuchea's Defense and Security Chief from 1975 to 1979.  On April 14, 1976, Pol Pot was named the new Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea.

In the first few days after Cambodia became Democratic Kampuchea, all cities were evacuated, hospitals cleared, schools closed, factories emptied, money abolished, monasteries shut, and libraries were destroyed. For nearly 4 years freedom of the press, freedom of movement, freedom of worship, freedom of organization, the freedom of association and discussion all completely disappeared. So did every day family life. And entire nation was kidnapped and then beseiged from within. 

By 1977 parents ate breakfast in sittings; if they were lucky their sons and daughters waited their turn outside the mess hall. Human communication almost disappeared.  Democratic Kampuchea was a prison camp state and the 8 million prisoners served most of their time in solitary confinement. And 1.5 million of the inmates were worked to death, starved and beaten to death.

Cambodia was sealed off. The borders were closed, foreign embassies and press agencies expelled, newspapers and television stations were shut down, radios were confiscated, mail and telephone use were suppressed. The speaking of foreign languages was punished. Even worse, Cambodians could say little to each other. They quickly learned that any display of knowledge or skill especially if "contaminated" by foreign influence was folly in Democratic Kampuchea.

Then I was off to the Artisan Craft place, where they employed locals and tought them to make laquer boxes, wood carvings, stone carvings and other handcrafts so they could earn a living.

Then off to the market where I wandered for an hour or two while Mr. Sarann waited patiently for me in the tuktuk.  

"How about a beer and some lunch?"  And just like that we were off in the tuktuk to have a cold one and a bite to eat.

Stop here, I want to take a picture.....

Then off to the silk worm farm and the beautiful but over priced silk goods that were absolutely georgeous.  I wish I carried a purse, because I have seen some beautiful ones.

Silk worm cocoons.

Then an 18 kilometer ride out of town to the village where Mr Sarann lived.  Met his son and daughter, visited his house.  

Went across the street to a friend's house and guess what??

It was a party!!  3 South Africans that were on vacation from their jobs teaching English in South Korea and about 1/2 dozen Cambodians.  Immediately,  before I could say hello.....sit....have a beer......

Deja vu of Phonsavan and the boys.  Most of the Cambodians spoke good English...there was a tub of beer and blocks of ice...all kinds of food...

Then it got serious.  You take a pie pan and put a lighter in, then put a skillet lid on top.  Shake the pan and place it on the table.  Point to someone. They can either turn the pie pan and remove the lid or just take the lid off. When the lid comes off, the head of the lighter points to....the person that must drink 4 oz of beer.  Traditionally, the game is played with a chicken head and the beak points to the person that must down the beer.....

Kind of like spin the bottle.  

Gave them $5.00 and within 10 minutes they had added another 12 pack and a block of ice to the tub.

We played this game for an hour then I said to all "I am much older than all of you and cannot do this anymore."

Back in the tuktuk and down the street to the alligator farm.  Hundreds and hundreds of them, being raised for shoes, belts, purses, wallets.  Some were 10 feet long.

Then off again for an 18 km, 45 minute ride back to my hotel.  The weather was fantastic...sunny and about 80F.

Alone, in my private tuktuk, all over Siem Reap today. Probably drove over 50 km. 

We passed hundreds and hundreds of big, crammed, tour busses all with with the guy wearing the microphone and he was saying "On your right...."  And charging all aboard about $75.00.

I safely arrived at my hotel about 5:30, 45 minutes before sunset.  I gave Mr. Sarann a crisp $20.00 bill and gave thanks that I am a solo traveler.

Tonight is the Chinese New Year.  Should be lots of fireworks and partying going on.

Will leave at 8:00 tomorrow in my private tuktuk for Angkor Wat and the other non guided sights and experiences that the day will offer up.....

On Walkabout......

Byron

Siem Reap

My Lonely Planet guidebook calls Siem Reap one of the most popular travel destinations in the world today.  

Spent half an hour attempting to call the hotel about the "free" ride from the airport, but was a waste of time.  Found a tuktuk that offered to take me to my hotel for $6.00, so took the offer.  After a long day, and a four hour flight delay leaving Vientiane, it was great to be in Cambodia.  It was much warmer...the first place in the last 6 weeks where it is not cold at night.  

Riding alone in a tuktuk, after dark, in a large and strange city - with the wind blowing in my face - and a prayer that the tuktuk driver knew where the hotel was and was not taking me into a dark alley......  

Some of the streets were actually pretty dark and lonely looking....but we finally safely arrived.

Siem Reap is a big place...lots of tour busses, hundreds of expensive hotels, thousands and thousands of tourists, shops and tourist venues everywhere.  Bright neon lights like Reno or Vegas in places....fountains......tuktuks everywhere and lots of non-Asian travelers.  Looks at first glance to be a great place to spend the last 7 days of my walkabout.

The main Angkor ruins are 6 miles out of town.  Many other sites are 10-20-30 or more miles out of town.

A friendly driver of the tuktuk....speaks a little English but we could communicate.....I was afraid I had put myself in peril, but turned out to be just nighttime traveler's paranoia.

Everyone is so poor.....I asked the tuktuk driver the charge for a full day of taking me around town in his tuktuk.  He said $20.00 US.  Sounded so reasonable...what is $20.00 when the US stock market is retreating by 5%??  I did not even counter offer, but I know it is above what I could be paying.  I have found that paying a little more will get me more than the excess $ in personal service.  

Will get a city map, have him take me around town all day, visit a musuem, some Wats, markets, shop, eat and he will wait for me all day at each stop and return me to my hotel at end of the day.  And then he will ask if he can do it again tomorrow.  What a bargain, even if I am overpaying.  Call it my donation to the local economy.

Have 7 days here - will use the first day as an orientation and getting a feel for what to buy, where to buy, what to see, where things are, etc.

Siem Reap looks at first impression to be a very enjoyable place.

Flat, lots of water, even in the dry season.

All good.  The last leg of the travel.  Drat.  

It has been a hassle free walkabout, even if I caught pneumonia.

The Not So Easy Flight to Siem Reap

Several days ago booked the flight to Siem Reap.  There was a direct flight, but it departed at 6:20 AM, and I did not feel like waking at 3:30 AM and taking a tuktuk 5 miles in the dark at 4:30 AM.

So I opted for a 2 leg flight - first leg to Pakse, Lao, (in the southern panhandle....near the Ho Chi Minh trail and another bombed to death place) at 11:20 AM and the second leg from Pakse to Siem Reap. 

Awoke early - about 5 AM - showered, packed and departed the Guest House around 9,AM.  At the airport they said to wait 20 minutes for check in, so had an egg and potato omlet, served over white rice, and a soda for $3.50.  The cheapest airport meal I have ever eaten.  Usually, you can barely get a bottled water for that price.

Made it through the passport/immigration station to the waiting room.  

It was hot, crowded, stuffy and crammed with about 200 people.   Almost every seat was taken.  Minutes passed, a planefull of people boarded - off to Louang Prabang - and it began to look as though my flight was running late.  

At 11:30, 10 minutes past departure time I asked about the flight and was told 12 noon.  Around 12:15 they made an announcement in Lao which I clearly could not comprehend.  Went to a service agent and was told that new departure time was 3:20 PM, and that the second leg flight to Siem Reap would wait for us.  

Mostly Frenchies - about 20 of them - were scheduled on same flight.  One lady started asking over and over.........3:20??  3:20??? 3:20 PM???    What will we be given to eat?  

I thought, "Good grief, you can eat like a pig for 3 Euros here and you are asking about a free meal just because the flight is delayed?"   Sure enough, they all complained and they got a free chicken and rice lunch.  Frenchies.  Go figure.  

I declined a free lunch,  as I am strictly following Dr's orders (Dr. D. Coulter) and focused on my liquid intake.

Resigned myself to an afternoon of sitting alone in the departing passenger restaurant of the Vientiane Airport.  Went to the snack bar, ordered a BeerLao, put on the headphones and started burning time and reading.  Worst part of the wait is there is no wifi.  But the BeerLao was cold.

In Vientiane I picked up (for only $8.00 US), a copy of Christopher Robbins's "The Ravens - Pilots of the Secret War in Laos."  A really good read about the 30 or so guys who had the brass balls to be a FAC - a Forward Air Controller - in the Steve Canyon Program of the Secret War.  They did the low flying, identified the targets and took lots of small arms fire......... and the odds of a Raven making it through a 1 year voluntary assignment were about 50%.

My father was piloting an Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center (ABCCC) that was the radio relay between the Ravens, the the CIA in Vientiene and the fighter/bombers that were dropping all the ordinance.  The ABCCC also coordinated Search and Rescue of downed USAF pilots by Air America, the CIA's air force.

Most of the Ravens were based in Long Tieng, also,known as The Most Secret Place In The World.  See my earlier posts with the map for more on Long Tieng.

Sunset on the Mekong in Vientiane

More Pics From Vientiane

P

Go Sox!  

I wondered if she knew where Boston was or who the Sox are......

Night Market

Tham Piu Cave or Tame Piew Cave

Last week while in Phonsavan, on my second day tour of the Plain of Jars area, we went to the Tham Piu Cave.

During the "Secret War" thousands of local residents often took shelter in caves.  It was the only place to escape the incessant bombing.  They set up hospitals and schools in the caves.  The Pathet Lao used the caves as well to store weapons and medical supplies. 

Tham Piu Cave is located 6 km north of Muang Kham. In November 1969 a single rocket fired from an aircraft caused the death of an estimated 374 people who had taken refuge in the cave. Their bones are still buried in the rubble. 

I have not been able to find information about the attack, but doubtlessly, a Raven (the spotters that flew the single engine Cessna aircraft (low and slow) and ID'd ground targets for the fighter bombers) saw people coming and going from the cave, and they were ID'd as "bad guys".  The coordinates of the cave were radioed to the ABCCC (Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center) aircraft (what my father flew) and fighter bombers were called and given the coordinates.  The Raven them came in low and marked the target with white phosperous rockets (Willie Petes).  Then the fighters came down and dropped their ordinance on the Willie Pete smoke markers.  

I have read that two fighters shot rockets at the cave.  The first fighter missed with both rockets.  The second fighter missed with the first rocket but the second rocket went directly into the cave.  374 people were killed, almost all from falling rock debris from the ceiling.

Standing in the mouth of the cave and looking south over the surrounding countryside, I could visualize the inbound fighters, screaming in at hundreds of miles an hour, firing their rockets at the spot where I stood........

Airplanes and bombs turned into spoons....