We got up at 6.15am once again, after a decent night’s sleep considering the constant chanting of the monks from the nearby temple. They were still going strong, and I briefly went out onto the balcony to listen. It was louder out here and there were two voices, rising and falling in cadence and, in a strange way, a perfect harmony. I actually found it to be quite soothing and hypnotic, but Trevor said he could soon get tired of listening to them! 🙂
As we were only spending one night here in Battambang, we had to pack up all our stuff once again and leave the cases outside our room for the bellboy to take them down to reception. There wasn’t a lot to pack, as we hadn’t really unpacked last night; just those things we would need such as toiletries and a change of clothes.
Down the large dining room we were met with the usual array of both local and Western dishes. We saw several locals tucking into savoury bowls of noodles with meat and fish, adeptly using their chopsticks while reading emails on their phones. To me, that meal is more suitable for lunch than breakfast, but chac’un a son goût. They would probably find it equally strange eating cereal or toast or bacon and eggs.
I had a plate of fruits and an almond croissant, washed down with orange juice, water and coffee, then we made our way to reception and watched as our luggage was taken out to the waiting coach. Moonie was already there, greeting us effusively, as we all boarded and took our seats. We placed our water bottles in the holders attached to the back of the seats in front of us; we had already filled them last night and kept them in the fridge overnight, so they were nice and chilled, not that it would last.
Once we were all in our seats and settled, Moonie asked us to check that we all had our “spectacles, testicles, wallets and watches” before we set off. There was a moment of silence while we digested this, then the bus erupted into loud laughter. This guy is a comedian. 😀
As it was only 7.30am, we set off through the brightly sunlit streets which were not too busy. The main mode of transport we had seen so far was the motorcycle or scooter, and there were hoards of them in the streets; very few of them contained lone riders, most of them had someone riding pillion and many had whole families of four on board, riding along in the traffic with complete sangfroid. Obviously, health and safety in Cambodia isn’t what it is in Britain! 🙂
Just after eight o’clock, we pulled up at a large wooden house which had been built in the traditional Khmer style. A smiling young man came out to greet us and, after a brief discussion with Moonie, said that his grandfather had built this house and this is where he lived with his family, and he would be delighted to show us around. The lad was only 16 but looked older, and said he was happy to practise his English.
We briefly went into each of the rooms, which were sparsely furnished with hand-carved dark wood furniture and lots of colourful decorations; flowers, ornaments, paintings, and many old black and white photos of family members. There was not much softness or comfort, as far as Western standards were concerned. No cushions or quilts, fabrics or curtains. Even the beds were just plain wooden boards without any sheets or pillows.
At some point during our tour of the house, I suddenly knew I needed the loo without delay! So far we had escaped having to use the Imodium and I hoped that this would continue. We had been very careful with hand-washing and sanitising and not drinking any tap water or eating any street food.
I descended the wooden staircase and started looking around for the WC, and an old lady saw me and pointed out where I had to go, guessing what I was looking for. The loo was reasonably clean and I had plenty of tissues with me, so all was well. I felt much better when I came out of there. 🙂
By now, it was time for us to make our way back to the coach for the next part of our itinerary; a visit to the Cambodia Peace Gallery. To quote from their own web site:
The Cambodia Peace Gallery, opened in 2018, serves as a space for reflection and learning on Cambodia’s journey from war towards peace and a positive future; presenting the long, complicated Cambodian history characterised by structural violence emerged from the past atrocities, while celebrating the work of Cambodian peacebuilders that have helped move the country past war.
When we arrived, we waited while Moonie went inside and purchased our tickets. He had given us all audio guides so we could all hear him as we walked around the museum. Particularly striking was a set of four stained-glass depictions featuring the four stages of war: Calm, Destruction, Chaos, Recovery. Those four little illustrations spoke volumes.
We continued through the museum, looking at the photos and the illustrated timeline of events, and soon we came to a room where visitors were encouraged to go and sign a large book. When I was my turn, I just wrote “Peace forever” and signed my name, added where I was from and today’s date. Others in our party did the same.
It was then time to return to the coach. Our next visit would take us to the Wat Ek Phnom, a pre-Angkor period temple situated on the banks of the Sandker River, so we had about an hour to make the most of the air-conditioned comfort of our coach. On the way, Moonie kept us informed and entertained with his endless chatter, and came around to refill our water bottles.
We arrived at the temple complex just before half-past ten, and the coach parked up while we all alighted into the heat and humidity, which was a shock after the coolness of the bus. We found ourselves at a magnificently ornate entrance, and we could still hear the monks chanting and addressing the people. As we walked towards the pagoda, we could smell the scent of jasmine and lime and the smoky smell of incence. Many people had taken off their shoes outside the temple and were on their knees praying, facing towards Buddha.
Moonie told us, through our “listening devices” (as he called them), that the unusual trees we could see were called Bodhi, a type of fig tree, and they were considered sacred because it was believed that it was under this type of tree that the spiritual teacher who became known as the Buddha, is said to have attained enlightenment, or buddhahood, circa 500 BC. The word ‘bodhi’ means ‘enlightenment’ or ‘awakening’.
We had a good look around the more modern Buddhist pagodas, before walking a bit further along, where there were the ruins of an 11th centure Hindu temple. Some people decided to climb up the precarious-looking steps to see what was inside the remaining towers, but I didn’t fancy making the attempt in the heat; instead, I sought the shade of a tree and sat down on a large, flat rock to rest, taking copious drinks of my now-lukewarm water.
After we’d spent about an hour at the temple, Moonie rounded everybody up and said he was taking us to a typical market, where the locals shop for meat, fish, eggs and other fresh produce. Many of them get together in their families and eat savoury dishes of meat and fish cooked with herbs, spices and fresh vegetables. Meal times are as much about socialising as they are about eating, and Moonie said it was not unusual for the groups to invite visitors to join them.
As we walked through the markets, our senses were assaulted with contrasting colours, textures and smells. Not all of the smells were pleasant; one stall clearly had the durian fruit among its bountiful display. This is the notorious Asian fruit that “tastes like heaven but smells like hell” and its no exaggeration. There was also a stall with fillets of strongly-smelling dried fish. Certainly a far cry from the type of produce markets we see at home!
Soon we came to the place where families were already sitting down to lunch, despite it only being just after 11.00am. Moonie explained that many people, especially rural workers, eat earlier due to a combination of practical needs related to the climate and daily work, historical norms, and the opportunity for a midday rest. As we walked through, several people smiled and called “Hello, hello!” and stopped to take our photo! Several chairs were pulled up at an empty table and a gentleman beckoned for us to sit down, and some people did. I was a bit hesitant here and we weren’t yet scheduled for a lunch stop, but steaming bowls containing several different dishes, as well as the ubiquitous rice, were brought out. John, one of the guys in our group, sat down and helped himself to a few spoonfuls of stuff and I followed suit, but when the other chairs at the table were filled with local Cambodian people, all staring at us expectantly, we started to feel as if we were ‘gatecrashing’ their lunch party, so we hurriedly got up and left. To be honest, I didn’t think it was all that nice, and we didn’t actually know what we were eating! 🙂
After a short interlude which allowed us to visit the WC, were were soon all back on the coach again. Moonie told us it would take about three hours before we arrived at our hotel, but we would have another loo stop before then, at a roadside rest stop. This would prove to be a massive eye opener !!
As we took our seats in the coach again, I wondered about the other couple who had decided just to stay in Siem Reap and omit Battambang out altogether. Had Battambang been worth the visit? Yes, of course it had. From the peace museum to the temples and even just a glimpse of everyday life for the Khmer people, Trevor and I were pleased that we’d done it, despite the hours spent on the bus. At least we had regular breaks. 🙂
As the coach continued on its way, Moonie explained that, in his experience as a tour guide, he found that many Westerners absolutely baulked at some of the food and dishes that the locals consumed. He told us that most Cambodians would eat just about anything: rats, frogs, spiders, insects, birds etc. He said it came about as a result of famine, when keeping hunger at bay was the number one aim, no matter how it was done.
It was just as well Moonie had told us all this, as the next stop did not come as too much of a shock. For there, on a roadside street-food stall, was a full size barbecue, with meat sizzling over glowing coals, the hot air tinged with blue smoke. But it wasn’t ordinary meat, oh no. There were whole char-grilled rats, complete with their tails, coiled up snakes, frogs, piles of crickets, spiders and large, black beetles. There were also long wooden sticks on which were threaded whole duck eggs. But these weren’t ordinary eggs; they each contained a fertlised embryo and were called pong teak kon, Cambodia’s version of the Philippines’ balut. It all looked disgusting, and Moonie looked on in amusement at the reactions of his British visitors. This lot is enough to turn anyone instantly vegan.
As we looked at the piles of insects, Brian tentatively paused. “Should I try one?” he asked us. Moonie confirmed that the stallholder would allow you to “try before you buy” so Brian picked up a large, black beetle. He held it up to his mouth in trepidation, and was just about to have second thoughts when he noticed that everyone was pointing their cameras at him, videoing him. So he had to go through with it! He hurriedly put it into his mouth, gave a couple of quick chews, then swallowed as soon as possible. “That wasn’t quite as bad as I’d thought”, he said. He did admit that the experience was more psychological, the sensation that the fibres stuck between his teeth were legs and that the nutty-flavoured centre was a beetle’s insides. Yeuch! At least he’d done it, which was more that I could ever have done!
It was about half-four when the coach pulled up at the Aviary Hotel, Siem Reap, which would be our base for the next three nights. Our first impressions of this hotel were very favourable. We walked into a large airy, foyer that contained lots of plants and wrought-iron wall features of many different types of birds. One of the two swimming pools was around the corner and we could see the balconies from the different rooms; they were designed to look a little like bird cages. We were each given a cool glass of juice and an iced towel to wipe our hands and faces. I knew that the first thing I was going to do would be to go to the pool!
Our room, on the second floor, was gorgeous. It was massive, almost like a suite. When you walked in, to the left was a large bathroom that contained both a bath and a shower cubicle as well as double sinks and a WC. In the main room, there was a large desk and a full sized sofa, as well as an open-fronted wardrobe. The king-size bed was flanked either side by a small night-stand, and more of the wrought iron bird sculptures adorned the walls. A 55″ TV screen was affixed to the wall, and the open-air balcony contained a small table and two chairs. It all looked lovely.
As soon as our cases were delivered, we delved in and extracted our cossies, quickly getting changed. Then we made our way up to the rooftop pool as we had heard that happy hour was from 5.00pm – 6.00pm and it was after five now. 🙂
Most of the people in our party must have had the same idea, as there were lots of people in the pool. Trevor and I procured a sun-lounger and large parasol each, before I removed my sarong and flip-flops and went down the steps into the gorgeously cool water. It was bliss to wash off the sweat and dust and grime of the day. The pool was one of those infinity styles, and was most pleasant. As we swam lazily along for a couple of lengths, we saw the gathering clouds in the sky suddenly light up with a flash of lightning. Well, rainshowers and thunderstorms were certainly forecast.
We therefore decided to come out of the pool and order a beer each, and we beckoned to the passing barman to bring us a couple of cans of the local beer. We enjoyed a cold “Cambodia” beer each; it came with the inevitable roasted peanuts and went down a treat. We were amused to see that many of the people in the pool just stayed there to enjoy their drinks; cocktails were lined up along the side of the pool, saving their owners having to get out to enjoy them. 🙂
Just before happy hour finished, we decided to try one of the Aviary’s signature cocktails. Mine was called “Bird of a Feather” and was served in a martini glass and contained gin, lychee nectar, whipped egg white and other things, while Trevor tried a rum-based one called “Night Owl” which was served in an old fashioned glass. I preferred Trevor’s to mine.
We enjoyed our cocktails and watched as the sky grew darker and the lightning continued to flash. Once we’d finished, we returned to our room, got dried off (we were more or less dry anyway, and I’d given up on my hair by now!) and had an hour’s power nap. It was just what we needed, and we were both raring to go out and explore once we awoke.
I got changed and put on some fresh makeup, and Trevor and I then went downstairs and out through the busy hotel foyer, into the sultry night. The hotel was much more centrally placed than the one we had in Battambang, and we decided to find a lively bar or pub to enjoy the night-life as well as a couple of drinks.
We walked through the streets, which were full of lively shops, cafés, bars, restaurants, pool halls and clubs. As with Bangkok, there were ‘working girls’ on every street corner, keeping their elaborately made-up eyes out for a likely prospect. 🙂
We passed a shoe shop that had a sale on (!!) and I went in and bought a little pair of strappy wedge shoes with a little sparkle to them. They were only $12.50, so an absolute bargain. 🙂
Presently we spotted a large, open sided sports bar called the Western Tribes Bar. It had large plasma screens showing sports as well as a couple of pool tables which were doing a roaring trade. Several ladies of the night had draped themselves over the high chairs at the corner; they smiled at us at we took our seats at a great vantage point for a spot of people watching. 🙂
We each ordered a large, freezing cold pint of Angkor beer, then sat and watched the action around us. Deafening rock music blared out of nearby ghetto blasters, competing with music coming from adjacent bars. We watched some of the local lasses playing pool with an older Western guy, one of the girls was very good indeed.
At one point, Trevor went to the loo and, unbeknown to me, my carrier bag containing my new shoes had fallen to the floor. One of the pool-playing lasses came over and picked it up for me, and I smiled and thanked her. So far, we had found the Cambodian people to be warm and friendly. Then, when Trevor returned, he ordered some more beers as I went to use the loo. 🙂
After our second drink, we decided to move on a bit and maybe find somewhere a little quieter, as you really couldn’t hear yourself think here. We walked around a corner and came across a bright, glowing neon phantasmagoria, called “Pub Street”. We’d never seen anything like it! As we walked along, our heads swivelling left and right, taking in all the sights and sounds, we were accosted by tuk tuk drivers. “Tuk tuk? I take your on tour of city!” “Tuk tuk, hey you come with me”. Offers from all sides, which we politely declined.
We came across another bar which contained low tables flanked by comfortable settees and armchairs, and advertised its beer at 50 cents for a 330ml glass. Fifty cents! It’s hard to believe you can find anything for 50 cents these days!
We stayed in the pub for a couple of beers, then decided we’d make our way back to the hotel and have a nightcap in the bar. When we got back just after 11.00pm, however, no-one was around, and only the night watchman was at the front desk. The bar was all in darkness; apparently it closes at 10.00pm each night. What?! Most of the pubs we’d just left behind in Pub Street didn’t close until 5.00am!
Despite it being much earlier than we usually go to bed at home, we couldn’t be bothered to go back out again, and we had to be up at 7.00am tomorrow, so we just settled down for the evening. I read my book for a while, then we put out the lights and slept well in our lovely bird-decorated room, looking forward to whatever tomorrow would bring.