Sunday, August 3, 2008

Cambodian - PoiPet & Battambung

I managed to travel to some part of Cambodai some years back. Together with some friends, we took a flight to Bangkok, make our way to Aranyaprathet, boarder town in Thailand, by bus, took tuktuk to Poipet, border of Cambodia. From there, we travel by truck to Battambung over in Cambodia. I must says, this is still the most adventurous journey we ever took and the whole journey took us 16 hours.
This is when we were waiting for the bus to depart from Bangkok
The next morning, we make our way to a local coffee shop to have our breakfast. I remember, i tried to order Milo for breakfast, but they don't have it. They only have 'ovelnine'...and I thought, heck...just take it la. When I was leaving the shop, I realise it's Ovaltine!
These two towns that we went, we found a lot of children who run around and lack of love. Everywhere we go, we catched the attentions of the children. Not because that we are foreigners, (mind you, they love foreigners because they bagged and steal from them) but because, we are there to offer them loves.
We are there just to play with them. We are they to hug them. That's all they need. Back at home, they don't feel the love because, they will be punished by their parents or caretakers, if they don't take home money! Young children are left with their elder siblings, and together, they go out to bagged. If they didn't returned home with enough money, they will be burned with cigarattes and caned too!

Besides that, we are there to help them to built school. It's really about hardwork of about a week, just building school from scratch! Yes, man will do the job. But the ladies who went with us, helps around too. We spend some time with the children! We play with them and teach them some stories too.
I took some pictures of them, here take a look!
He was having some insecurities and unlike other children, he will always be crying if he can't locate his sister! But he definately capture our attention.

I remember this boy who simply love to pose for me to capture his picture and take a look at his picture in the camera. He is so thin but he is simply happy that we are there to play with him.

By now, you should realise that their hair is brownish in colour! No, that's not their original colour and they don't die their hair!


Their hair is this colour because, they lack of nutrients and food! this girl lost so much hair and because they have not wash their hair for so long, that's is all harden and thus makes her hair stand.
Some ladies who lost thier husband during the civil war and during PolPot regime, continues to make ends meet by sewing. This is a community project runs by a local NGO.

I visited their villages too, and I find that their houses are just simply built from the leaves they collected and tree trunks they can find. FYI, in Cambodia, there are not many trees, because they have chopped it down to clear off the land mines. Many children and adults we met, are handicapped because they stepped on landmines.

Most places we visited, are just plain dusty and by the time we get back to our hotel, we are all cover in dirt and our clothes are reddish. Well, even our 'goldmines' are not gold, but red!Cars are commonly seen in the city and bigger towns, but in the village, carts pulled by donkey and horses are common sight. Everywhere we go, we can see them.
Definately, when we were there, we samples their local food.I tried the 'balut' but I forgot to take any pictures. Some of this, we saw and tasted there.
This is their local burger. I simply love this fishes. I love how it tasted, at least before I see how this is prepared! I shall not indulged you with the details though!
We still find this in Cambodia. this is an ancient iron which we have to filled with charcoals before ironing. I remember my Ah Ma (grandma) used to have one.
Before heading back home after this short exposure trip, we went around the town and market area. What can be a better area to understand the local economy and lifestyle of the people than the market. Here we can the local food and costume too.