Cambodia: Day 6: Ox-carts and music
A great thanks to Liya Liang's uncle, Randy, for a 5 star breakfast at his hotel. We then made a longish, but well worthwhile, journey to Banteay Srei! The only temple made with red sandstone. The incredibly intricate relief work indicate so much time and effort. New research shows that a polity existed in the Angkor area that may have been home to up to one million people in the 12th century, which may have made it the largest city in the world at that time. For comparison, Paris would not reach one quarter of a million inhabitants until the 16th century! Banteay Srei was only available to the public after 1998 as this area was one of the last holdouts of the Khmer Rouge. A band of musicians at the gate maimed by land mines is a testament to the horrors of war. There are still an estimated three million land mines in Cambodia, which cost a dollar to make, and fifty dollars to disarm.
We then headed for an Ox cart ride through a farming village and fields. An eye opening experience. Siem Reap is a bustling, growing, urban center that is safe and friendly, hosting close to six million tourists a year. Our fantastic guide, Visal, is one of many who have helped raise money to dig wells for each household. We saw many children at home as it was the time of the school break, where the morning students go home and before the afternoon students go to classes. Children only get to attend school for a half day due to lack of classrooms and qualified teachers. Some do not get to attend at all as they can not afford the $65 dollars a year for school supplies.
After an incredible lunch at Bongthom, we came back to the hotel to journal and process what we had experienced so far. Then back to Wat Bo for a performance and workshop by the CLA troupe. Again, we were able to try our hands at the various instruments and everyone had a smile on their faces. We brought along a ukulele and a guitar. One of the troupe members tried the guitar and it was incredible how quickly he figured it out. As they don't really use a western note system, they learn by earn. Quickly he was in the pentatonic scale and playing some tradional Cambodian songs, while the rest of the troupe began to sing along. Additionally, Olivia Garip-Davies, Sam Becca and others played a couple of songs and sang for the group. We ended up gifting the guitar and case. As I couldn't find spare strings, that will be a high priority when I return. Just an absolutely fantastic cultural exchange! A great meal in the night market of Siem Reap finished a remarkable day.
We then headed for an Ox cart ride through a farming village and fields. An eye opening experience. Siem Reap is a bustling, growing, urban center that is safe and friendly, hosting close to six million tourists a year. Our fantastic guide, Visal, is one of many who have helped raise money to dig wells for each household. We saw many children at home as it was the time of the school break, where the morning students go home and before the afternoon students go to classes. Children only get to attend school for a half day due to lack of classrooms and qualified teachers. Some do not get to attend at all as they can not afford the $65 dollars a year for school supplies.
After an incredible lunch at Bongthom, we came back to the hotel to journal and process what we had experienced so far. Then back to Wat Bo for a performance and workshop by the CLA troupe. Again, we were able to try our hands at the various instruments and everyone had a smile on their faces. We brought along a ukulele and a guitar. One of the troupe members tried the guitar and it was incredible how quickly he figured it out. As they don't really use a western note system, they learn by earn. Quickly he was in the pentatonic scale and playing some tradional Cambodian songs, while the rest of the troupe began to sing along. Additionally, Olivia Garip-Davies, Sam Becca and others played a couple of songs and sang for the group. We ended up gifting the guitar and case. As I couldn't find spare strings, that will be a high priority when I return. Just an absolutely fantastic cultural exchange! A great meal in the night market of Siem Reap finished a remarkable day.
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