Due to my frustration of
losing my original story, i decided that Google Blog is to be held
responsible. You cant ask them directly if there is a problem. They
think their preset questions available for bloggers to choose and to be
picked covered all questions in general. It is utter rubbish. If you
have other questions, you will not be able to ask them cos there are no
tab to choose to email or contact them. Now, my longest blog has
been lost and deleted without my understanding. I have lost the story on
Phnom Penh which i had compiled for ten days to write. Even when i
clicked 'Save', it didn't. Ceh. So now, i have to think again, write
again, recall again. The spontaneity of it all has gone. The moment has
gone. So here goes nothing.
The
hotel had booked for me a bus ticket on Mekong Express cos she said its
the best and the safest one. The trip to Phnom Penh was a pleasant one
actually, although not as scenic as i thought. It seemed like there was
only one long dirt road all the way to my destination. As it is the most
important road as business trades between the 2 cities have only
that particular road to use, the government decided to work on improving
it by expanding the road. Of course this had to happen on my trip. A
couple of trucks loaded with tonnes of building materials got stuck
trying to manouver around a tight bend, moving really slowly, they
literally put the whole world on hold, a standstill. Motorcycles moved
in inches, cars in centimeters, and buses, well buses didn't move. No
prize for guessing which vehicle i am in and what would usually take 6
hours, took me 7 to arrive in Phnom Penh.
The biggest problem with the Cambodians is communication. I wasn't told that we will be stopping for lunch and that there will be no atm or money changer along the way till PP city centre. With no money in my pocket (yes its my fault, i understand), i could not buy any food for lunch nor take a prepaid tuk tuk that was offered at the bus station. Hunger lurks.. Fortunately the bus serves a snack box comprised of a tuna puff and a bun. For USD12 a ticket, I thought that'll do. Then a lone tuk tuk approached me who by this time had became somewhat disgruntled. He offered to take me to an atm machine next to a restaurant where he would wait till i had taken my lunch and then take me to Mark and Pauline's apartment. HALLELUJAH!! I did just that.
The
tuk tuk ride from the restaurant to Mark's place encircled scores of
modern buildings, contemporary concrete structures, tall monuments, and
shopping malls. A far cry from the subtly rural and laid back Siem Reap.
Phnom Penh is a cosmopolitan city and it reeks the chaos that comes
with its nature. However, the visible existence of majestic temples,
ancient museums and royal palaces significantly soften and tone down its
ugly skyline.
When my Wizard came to visit and celebrate our 10th Anniversary together, he brought sunshine to my life as usual. Nothing goes wrong whenever he is around, except that this time he literally brought the Sun to Phnom Penh on the day he arrived. On Friday, 20 April 2012, Phnom Penh recorded a high of 38 degrees Celcius. The heat sent us clambering for cocktails by the river. One of the nicest places to have it is the Metro bar. Thats where Mark, Pauline, Richard and I chilled out for pre dinner drinks. And wonderfully now, due to the Wizard's triumph over cigarettes, we all could enjoy a smoke free environment. It was just surreal. I am still amazed. Hypnotherapy did the job he said, but I still believe one under-estimates the power of the mind.
A common sight in this bustling city by the river is the visible wrath of poverty. Slum dwellers inevitably taint the city with the heinous truth, which is impossible to ignore. It is the most despairing but also infuriating when a child is involved. Either sick and lifeless in the arms of a woman begging for food or being labored by selling postcards and what have you till past the time where other children would be fast asleep. I read somewhere that there are a few NGOs who came from all over the world trying to make Cambodia a better place. Where the FUCK are you? Whoops sorry, they need to sit and think of what do and plan wisely with their help while sipping coffee at the FCC. And the government? Or is there even one? Drug dealers are trading openly and tourists smoke marijuana freely.
On one sunset, i had a truly amazing observation of the paradox of life along the river. A kind of religious activity was taking place. Devotees came near a shrine by the river to give offerings of food and incense sticks amidst throngs of hungry beggars and raggety children. Young monks were sitting around during what seemed like their break time off buddha worshipping with lots of casual chatting and chilling out with other monks by the river. Everyone from the small to the adult, from rich to poor, from local to tourist, seemed oblivious to them. Sitting with these monks watching me watching the sunset, i saw a group of tourist on a luxurious boat sipping champagne completely ignorant of what was going on along the bank. As they cruised along the Mekong river with their dreadful house music, they disappear into the sunset just to return to continue with the reign of their hideous globalization in this part of the world.
When Pol Pot came into power, he brought with his wrath, nothing but hell. An atrocity in all its glory to rule and torture the very people he called my peasant heroes and fellow countrymen. Irregardless of his asinine belief, his loathsome acts of torture and genocide was too much for a person to bear. It was beyond comprehension of the things he could do to a human being, a child, a baby, a woman, a boy. The Khmer Rouge was ruthless in their demise, destroying everyone in their path.
All these were retold by a child survivor during the war from 1975-1979. 3 million people perished. Many were killed, most were tortured first. Tortured till it was too painful for even the breath to make a sound. Babies were smashed to a tree, mothers were slit at the throats, boys were lined up and shot at the back of their heads, and men were hung upside down till they lose consciousness just to drown them so they could be awakened to repeat the whole process, then starved and beaten to death with shackles still around their hands, legs and necks. The photos of all these evil left me frozen at the Cheong Ek genocide museum. Even with all the atrocities that has befallen the country, even with all the lives lost, even with the incredibly heart wrenching stories of missing relatives, the Cambodians never ever fail to show loyalty to the bootless king, compassion to each other and devotion to the Lord that is depicted as camp statues everywhere.
Besides
bearing the brunt of the Khmer Rouge, the Cambodians have also suffered
from bombs and landmines that were being slammed dunked from the sky by
the americans who with the lack of proper equipment and bombing
devices, accidentally dropped 10 million of them here in their war
against the Viets. And even with all these hardships, the world
still neglects this god's forsaken land. The Cambodian sufferings
continue till today. Babies starve, children get labored, women get
sold, men become a form of transportation and the rest beg for food. Now
here's the paradox, while all this is happening on the streets, a few
feet into the enclosed air-conditioning building, people having Coq A
Vin, sipping champagne, pulling out their Macs and dancing the night
away.
It so hard to describe Phnom Penh
per se, let alone categorizing it. With all the beggars, the kids on the
streets, the labored child, the drug dealers, the tuk tuk drivers, the
limelight of party goers, the city slum dwellers, the useless NGOs, ugly
tourists, the irresponsible tourists, the monks, the devotees, clever
raggety kids, hungry raggety kids, I am forlorn. Too forlorn in the city
that doesn't make any sense to me. The only sentiment i have is the
warm and friendly attitude these locals have despite whats been done to
them. No amount of money can change the lives of these people but maybe,
just maybe a return of a smile, a warm touch of care in buying food for
them, a friendly chat or a little education in a form of sharing may
give them the light of joy that they are so deserving of. Nonetheless, i
thank you Cambodians for showing me compassion even in the bitterness
of the darkened past.
Written by Azmi Samdjaga
Sunset Royal Palace
The
hotel had booked for me a bus ticket on Mekong Express cos she said its
the best and the safest one. The trip to Phnom Penh was a pleasant one
actually, although not as scenic as i thought. It seemed like there was
only one long dirt road all the way to my destination. As it is the most
important road as business trades between the 2 cities have only
that particular road to use, the government decided to work on improving
it by expanding the road. Of course this had to happen on my trip. A
couple of trucks loaded with tonnes of building materials got stuck
trying to manouver around a tight bend, moving really slowly, they
literally put the whole world on hold, a standstill. Motorcycles moved
in inches, cars in centimeters, and buses, well buses didn't move. No
prize for guessing which vehicle i am in and what would usually take 6
hours, took me 7 to arrive in Phnom Penh.The biggest problem with the Cambodians is communication. I wasn't told that we will be stopping for lunch and that there will be no atm or money changer along the way till PP city centre. With no money in my pocket (yes its my fault, i understand), i could not buy any food for lunch nor take a prepaid tuk tuk that was offered at the bus station. Hunger lurks.. Fortunately the bus serves a snack box comprised of a tuna puff and a bun. For USD12 a ticket, I thought that'll do. Then a lone tuk tuk approached me who by this time had became somewhat disgruntled. He offered to take me to an atm machine next to a restaurant where he would wait till i had taken my lunch and then take me to Mark and Pauline's apartment. HALLELUJAH!! I did just that.
Robin Sue and I with one of the families we delivered food to.
The
tuk tuk ride from the restaurant to Mark's place encircled scores of
modern buildings, contemporary concrete structures, tall monuments, and
shopping malls. A far cry from the subtly rural and laid back Siem Reap.
Phnom Penh is a cosmopolitan city and it reeks the chaos that comes
with its nature. However, the visible existence of majestic temples,
ancient museums and royal palaces significantly soften and tone down its
ugly skyline.When my Wizard came to visit and celebrate our 10th Anniversary together, he brought sunshine to my life as usual. Nothing goes wrong whenever he is around, except that this time he literally brought the Sun to Phnom Penh on the day he arrived. On Friday, 20 April 2012, Phnom Penh recorded a high of 38 degrees Celcius. The heat sent us clambering for cocktails by the river. One of the nicest places to have it is the Metro bar. Thats where Mark, Pauline, Richard and I chilled out for pre dinner drinks. And wonderfully now, due to the Wizard's triumph over cigarettes, we all could enjoy a smoke free environment. It was just surreal. I am still amazed. Hypnotherapy did the job he said, but I still believe one under-estimates the power of the mind.
A common sight in this bustling city by the river is the visible wrath of poverty. Slum dwellers inevitably taint the city with the heinous truth, which is impossible to ignore. It is the most despairing but also infuriating when a child is involved. Either sick and lifeless in the arms of a woman begging for food or being labored by selling postcards and what have you till past the time where other children would be fast asleep. I read somewhere that there are a few NGOs who came from all over the world trying to make Cambodia a better place. Where the FUCK are you? Whoops sorry, they need to sit and think of what do and plan wisely with their help while sipping coffee at the FCC. And the government? Or is there even one? Drug dealers are trading openly and tourists smoke marijuana freely.
On one sunset, i had a truly amazing observation of the paradox of life along the river. A kind of religious activity was taking place. Devotees came near a shrine by the river to give offerings of food and incense sticks amidst throngs of hungry beggars and raggety children. Young monks were sitting around during what seemed like their break time off buddha worshipping with lots of casual chatting and chilling out with other monks by the river. Everyone from the small to the adult, from rich to poor, from local to tourist, seemed oblivious to them. Sitting with these monks watching me watching the sunset, i saw a group of tourist on a luxurious boat sipping champagne completely ignorant of what was going on along the bank. As they cruised along the Mekong river with their dreadful house music, they disappear into the sunset just to return to continue with the reign of their hideous globalization in this part of the world.
When Pol Pot came into power, he brought with his wrath, nothing but hell. An atrocity in all its glory to rule and torture the very people he called my peasant heroes and fellow countrymen. Irregardless of his asinine belief, his loathsome acts of torture and genocide was too much for a person to bear. It was beyond comprehension of the things he could do to a human being, a child, a baby, a woman, a boy. The Khmer Rouge was ruthless in their demise, destroying everyone in their path.
All these were retold by a child survivor during the war from 1975-1979. 3 million people perished. Many were killed, most were tortured first. Tortured till it was too painful for even the breath to make a sound. Babies were smashed to a tree, mothers were slit at the throats, boys were lined up and shot at the back of their heads, and men were hung upside down till they lose consciousness just to drown them so they could be awakened to repeat the whole process, then starved and beaten to death with shackles still around their hands, legs and necks. The photos of all these evil left me frozen at the Cheong Ek genocide museum. Even with all the atrocities that has befallen the country, even with all the lives lost, even with the incredibly heart wrenching stories of missing relatives, the Cambodians never ever fail to show loyalty to the bootless king, compassion to each other and devotion to the Lord that is depicted as camp statues everywhere.
I choked when i see this. The box is for electrocuting. Shackles on the bed so they cant run. Handcuffs and bloodstains on the walls.
Besides
bearing the brunt of the Khmer Rouge, the Cambodians have also suffered
from bombs and landmines that were being slammed dunked from the sky by
the americans who with the lack of proper equipment and bombing
devices, accidentally dropped 10 million of them here in their war
against the Viets. And even with all these hardships, the world
still neglects this god's forsaken land. The Cambodian sufferings
continue till today. Babies starve, children get labored, women get
sold, men become a form of transportation and the rest beg for food. Now
here's the paradox, while all this is happening on the streets, a few
feet into the enclosed air-conditioning building, people having Coq A
Vin, sipping champagne, pulling out their Macs and dancing the night
away.
Robin
telling a woman "walking to the Pagoda under the scorching sun while
you're ill, WILL make you faint!". Kosal sorting out food. And auntie
smiling for the kodak moment. Yes she was smiling and later giggling
seeing her photo.
It so hard to describe Phnom Penh
per se, let alone categorizing it. With all the beggars, the kids on the
streets, the labored child, the drug dealers, the tuk tuk drivers, the
limelight of party goers, the city slum dwellers, the useless NGOs, ugly
tourists, the irresponsible tourists, the monks, the devotees, clever
raggety kids, hungry raggety kids, I am forlorn. Too forlorn in the city
that doesn't make any sense to me. The only sentiment i have is the
warm and friendly attitude these locals have despite whats been done to
them. No amount of money can change the lives of these people but maybe,
just maybe a return of a smile, a warm touch of care in buying food for
them, a friendly chat or a little education in a form of sharing may
give them the light of joy that they are so deserving of. Nonetheless, i
thank you Cambodians for showing me compassion even in the bitterness
of the darkened past.Written by Azmi Samdjaga
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