PHNOM PENH: back to Cambodia

 

I headed to Cambodia over the weekend with some great friends.  

And made some new ones, who all happened to be the mothers of only boys. 

We were all there to race in the Kep Trio for Bridges Across Borders, a charity race for the Chamcar Bei village in Kep, Cambodia. 

Dave stayed with the boys back in Singapore. They had big plans for 'Daddy's Weekend' like breakfast at McDonalds and slurpee runs. 

 

We flew into the captial city, Phnom Penh. From the airport we drove 3 hours or so down a 'new' road past the skinny cows and the brown fields at dry season.  

To tell you the truth, I was bugged about my fold out aisle seat in a full van on a bumpy road. That is, until I saw 9 people sitting on top of a big bus because the inside was overflowing with elbows and knees. Then I remembered Cambodia and why we were there.

 

We drove past kids wearing school uniforms walking to school. Past small shacks, markets, temples, fruit stands, loaded motorcycles and of course the roadside petrol stands. 

 

 

We stayed in bungalows near the coast. We woke up to roosters crowing, "was that a cow?!" while taking a shower,

and enjoyed every minute of it. 

 

After the race we had dinner at the sailing club

and watched these awesome little breakdancers from Phnom Penh. TinyToones takes in street kids, gives them a home, food, teaches literacy, drug prevention, English, and I'm so glad breakdancing as well.

PHNOM PENH: race day in Kep

 The bike race started from the Keo Krosang Pagoda. With orange clad monks peeping through the windows we tested our brakes and loaded our baskets with water. 

 


We raced 10k on the rocky dirt paths past village homes, pepper plantations and mango trees.  Stopping to take pictures of course. All along the way people lined the road to watch us, "hello! hello!" and to point us out to their kids. They must of thought we were crazy to ride in the hot sun for fun.



The race ended at the Community Learning Center. A village school teaching kids and adults literacy, english, computer skills, run by Hand in Hand Cambodia  because this village of over 500 families was too far from the public school.

The students lined the way "hello! hello!" cheered for us and high 5ed us as we came in.

And they were gorgeous. 
 

We peeped in the school for a bit. And shopped the items made from recycled plastic bags. The shop made $400 that day - more than a year's salary.





The kids LOVED seeing their pictures on the camera's screen again and again and again.

At the very end the bikes were all lined up and a person from the village assigned to each one.

I gave my bike to her. 

It was a good day.

 

(not bad for an iphone huh? thanks malia!) 

The next morning was the 10k run.  Same course. Like a cherry on top to finish it all off. 

At the end they announced the winners of the races. They stood up on a podium and had their prizes read aloud:

one family well, a community pond, a new toilet, a cow, chickens, pigs for the community bank project, training course in food hygiene and packaging for tourists, training in fish raising, veterinary services, 4 family water filters, training course in leadership and management, a newly renovated home. 

Another good day.

PHNOM PENH: a day in the city

After the race we bussed it back to Phnom Penh for a day in the city.  

Phnom Penh was an unexpected, charming, surprise. 

 

We took tuk tuks to get around

 

shopped at the Central Market

 hungry? just a little snack?  

 

We visited the Royal Palace. The building in this picture is just the Pavilion where they stand to watch parades. There are about 10 other buildings just as gorgeous.   

 

 

 

The Throne Hall.  

My favorite was the Silver Pagoda with its floor made out of silver tiles and its collection of buddhas, including an emerald buddha and a big gold one with diamonds. We even saw the relic believed of being ashes of Buddha himself.

 Natalie, Malia and me outside the Library. These girls were so much fun to travel with! 

 

 

We also visited the Tuol Sleng genocide museum. They had exhibits explaining what happened in this prison (originally a primary school) in the 1970s when the Khmer Rouge were in power. Over 17,000 innocent people were tortured and killed. In the 4 years they were in power the Khmer Rouge killed over 2 million Cambodians with their extreme brand of communism, and the infamous Killing Fields. their own people.  

It was sobering to walk the halls and read the stories.  Why was I born to such an easy life?

When I got home I cuddled up my boys and read them this book.

 

We were told Street 240 was the place for shopping and great lunch spots. Perfect. We walked in and out of art and clothing boutiques, and stopped for lunch at a french cafe. Such yummy food! the one good thing I can think of about colonialism.

On Street 240 we popped into Open Book, a library run by a NGO. I won't forget this lady, so grateful, covering her mouth with her hands, when we bought a couple books to support her library.  Like we just gave her a diamond necklace.

Or the tuk tuk driver who wouldn't take our 50 cents when we didn't realize we were so close to our destination, calling us his friends. Or the driver with the big white smile who recognized us from the day before and came over just to say hi - while he was waiting for his fare. Big smiles and kind words everywhere we went.

The National Museum

 

Watching the hip hoppers bust a move at the night market. 

Great trip! Thanks Natalie and Malia!!

Haw Par Villa

Our playgroup met at Haw Par Villa this week. Owned by the Tiger Balm family.

We felt like we walked right into a water color painting. Statues and building about Chinese mythology were everywhere.

The kids ran around the pagodas and under the tunnels the entire time. They loved it. They didn't seem to notice the bizarre and crazy exhibits. I didn't point them out either.

There were too many other fun things to see.

Be Mine

 

Heart shaped brownies were made, love letters were written,

our Chinese New Year decorations were replaced with heart shaped ones

 

and Noah made these adorable valentines for his class. 

Happy Valentine's Day