January 12 – 13, 2013

We had our usual set of chores to complete while in a city but we decided to leave those for the afternoon. First, we visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum referred to as S-21. In 1976, the Khmer Rouge converted a high school in the middle of Phnom Penh into a prison and interrogation center. Warning- this post is a bit depressing!

The people brought to S-21 were photographed and usually starved and tortured in order to extract to confessions of “crimes” they had committed against “Angka” which was an ominous term for the “organization” that controlled Cambodia during the dark period of the mid to late 1970’s.

The record keeping at the prison was meticulous and the confessions that people were forced to sign were elaborate but usually very obviously contrived. Of the few dozen example confessions on display, most prisoners admitted to being agents of the CIA or KGB and most “crimes” were associated with spreading counter revolutionary sentiments and burning rice fields or supplies. There was a confession from an American citizen who had been captured on a boat off the Cambodian coast while supposedly intercepting radio transmissions from inside Cambodia. It was not clear what his fate was. Some prisoners were photographed again if they died at the facility. Many were executed in killing fields outside the city. Of an estimated 20,000 prisoners there were only an estimated 200 survivors including 7 who were freed when the Khmer Rouge abandoned the prison as the Vietnamese invaded Cambodia in 1979.

The museum was very simple, with pretty limited interpretive information, but a number of relics from the original configuration were left untouched, such as makeshift cells and bedframes used for torture.

It was a very sobering experience and gave us an idea of what some of the Khmer people had to go through. I think one of the worst parts were the photos of the victims, especially the children.

After a couple hours at the museum, we were both pretty stunned and weren’t up for a tour of the killing fields. We decided to get our errands done. Chandler broke his Kindle e-reader when he accidentally dropped his bar bag and the Kindle got smashed inside, so he was in the market for a new one. Luckily, it wasn’t the tablet or one of the cameras.

We went all over town looking for one, managed to complete everything else on the list, but no Kindle. Chan is now relegated to photocopied books on local history or used Danielle Steele and other pulp classics. We dropped off our bikes for a cleaning and to have someone look at my bottom bracket to figure out why my bike clicks. After walking around for a hour in the heat, we decided to take our first tuk-tuk. Finally, we ended up at a mall and in an arcade. For some reason there was a ban on photography in the arcade, so no pictures, but we had a really good time playing video games and ended up with a pretty decent crowd gathered around us watching us play. $2 kept us busy for a hour or so.

We spent the next day relaxing and planning our route through the rest of Cambodia. We didn’t venture too far from the hotel.

January 11, 2013

The wind was working with us today and we plowed through the first 20 or so miles. We enjoyed smooth asphalt with a good shoulder and light traffic. Then we hit road construction. For the next 25 miles, we rode through red dust clouds and mud in a tangle of trucks, cars, tuk tuks and semis sporadically moving towards the city. Chandler’s sunglasses broke a few days before so he was having an especially difficult time seeing, which is obviously an unfortunate sense to have dulled while riding a bike in chaotic Cambodian traffic. He ended up wrapping a scarf around his face which improved things very slightly.

Chandler of Arabia

Density Test

We were both so happy to finally reach Phnom Penh and dust free asphalt with a massive shoulder. Chandler’s bike computer, which has logged most of our miles ridden, both loaded and unloaded around town, hit 1,000 miles, a milestone only with us Americans who still use the “English” system. (Chandler will note that the “megameter” (Mm) milestone was reached unceremoniously just west of Siem Reap) The guide book had a number of suggestions for lodging and we picked out an area at random. The hotel we picked was actually in a Muslim neighborhood with several falafel restaurants and a mosque under construction nearby.

Night time mosque construction

The hotel used to be situated adjacent to a lake which has since been drained. Along with the lake the tourist amenities in the area also dried up. We read a couple reviews online of the hotel and they were mostly bad. People complaining that there wasn’t enough happening and it was too far away from the bars. Sounded like the perfect place for us. The reviews were pretty accurate and the place was nearly deserted and slummy, but they had cheap rooms, good food and wifi, which are our chief concerns. We settled in and watched the sunset over the vacant lakebed before turning in.

January 10, 2013

This morning was full of false starts. We stopped into the restaurant attached to the big hotel in the center of town. They claimed that they did not have eggs, which seemed rather strange for such a bustling spot. The only two options for us was chicken soup or bread and jam. We ate bread and jam and decided that wasn’t enough fuel to get us too far so we stopped a few hundred feet down the roads and ordered omelettes. Unfortunately, they came with bacon, piled on top. Good for Chan, bad for me. So Chan got extra bacon and the half of my omelette smothered in the evil bacon grease. Not too big of a deal, but having to stop twice ate up a lot of time.

My flat tire returned once we finally started. I had checked the inside of the tire, but wasn’t able to find anything the first time I fixed it. While Chandler looked for the hole in my tube, I looked for the cause of the flat in the tire. While we did this, a group of about 8 young men began gathering around us. I was able to find a little metal sliver in my tire and Chandler patched my tube. I started to put everything back together when one of the dudes watching took over. He was not interested in my help and put everything back together for me. That was actually very nice. Then they traded turns pumping it up, and even insisted on tightening the axle nut once the wheel was back on.

The rest of the ride was hot and hard. The heat was blazing at 10am. I did the impossible and put on a long sleeve shirt because my arms were burning and sunscreen had stopped working. As usual, there was wind. The headwind has a way of zapping all of our energy. Riding against a steady wind for hours is way worse than climbing a big hill, because you get no sense of accomplishment when its over. The prevailing wind seems to come consistently from due east, so we have been quietly cursing our west to east route, which has made tiring days out of otherwise completely flat rides.

More stone masons

Long, flat road

The traffic here in Cambodia is pretty crazy, but manageable and fairly predictable. However, the constant honking is annoying and frustrating. Normally, people give a quick honk to let you know they are going to pass. However, some people, usually the dreaded taxi vans, see you in the distance and start honking manically, until you are no longer in their rearview mirror. The trucks like to blast their air horns when they are right along side. Some like to honk when they see you and they are going in the opposite direction. Our favorites are the hardwired honkers, ALWAYS a Lexus or a Landrover, traveling twice as fast as even the taxi vans, in their own special lane, which is the middle of the road, horn on ALL THE TIME. Another frequent Cambodian traffic maneuver is the “layered pass” ex: I am passing a slow tractor that is passing a child on foot while a semi full of bricks passes me while a tour bus was passes the semi. Is that really necessary?

I keep an eye out all day for sugar cane juice while we ride and was just not seeing anything today. Commercial offerings are decidedly heterogeneous in Cambodia. Towns seem to specialize in one thing or another. One village had 40 stands selling rice cooked in bamboo stalks, then we see only two more in the next 200km, the same with fried snakes, roasted and flattened rice, carved stone figures, I’m sure there are others. Anyways, finally, around 1pm, I found a sugar cane stand and quickly ordered two drinks. The woman just nods her head and tells me to sit in the shade. Chandler was a few minutes behind me and asked if I ordered when he arrived. I thought I had so we waited and waited. I tried to order again and nothing. I tried to buy some cookies, but she just nodded her head. We pulled out money and pointed, and that didn’t work. What kind of store won’t sell stuff? It was getting awkward so we just left.

We finally made it to Skuon around 230 sunburnt and tired. We took wonderfully cold showers and relaxed by watching a movie about surfing penguins. The Lonely Planet guide book says that Skuon is famous for their fried tarantula. Chandler extensively searched the market but where unable to find this delicacy. Bummer.

Used for catching bugs to eat, but not spiders

January 9, 2013

Another long day with the dreaded headwind, but the weather was cooperating by being cloudy and the road was flat as usual. We had a pretty typical day with lots of waves and hellos in tiny towns. Our arms become practically unhinged from waving when school let out for lunch, releasing a flood of kids on bikes.

School's just letting out

We saw a carnival, but for some reason weren’t interested in going on the rides. Chandler did make a good point that Khmer carnies are probably following the same safety procedures as any other carnies.

Cambodian carnival

We also purchased some flattened rice. The rice is first roasted then smashed by a giant human operated smasher thing. It was fascinating to watch. Now we have to figure out how to eat it.

video of rice smashing

While we were watching some people use said device a young woman approached me. She lifted her leg and showed me a large burn which looked like she had pressed her leg against the exhaust of a motorbike. She started touching it and then holding out her hand or making eating motions. Nope, sorry, no money. So, she tried again. Touching the nasty burn on her leg. No, don’t touch it, gross. Once she realized I wasn’t giving her anything she tried Chandler. She motioned for him to take a photo then asked for money, after showing off the burn. This was the first begging we have experienced outside of the cities. Even though it is clear that the people in the small towns are very poor, most seem to be offering some good or service in an attempt to make a living.

Begging girl

When the sun finally came out, it made up for lost time with its intensity. We had to take a break. We stumbled on a “rest area” a few miles from Kampong Thom. The place had a restaurant and souvenir shop. It seemed like the kind of place that tour buses dump off people to used the bathroom midway between Phnom Penh and Some Reap. We had a few iced coffees and surprisingly good local fish and chips.

Kampon Thom is a decent size town that is new to tourism, so there are menus with English but we couldn’t find anywhere with Internet. There are a number of temples outside of town that have been cleared of mines and are becoming more popular. We ended up at a nice hotel that allowed us to bring the bikes inside and store them in the lobby. The most apparent attractions in town were two parallel bridges, one old one that the French built and a newer steel bridge that the Australians financed right next to each other.

Sunset on the bridge

There wasn’t a whole lot to do, so we ended up watching some Australian cable and passed out.

January 8, 2012

We woke up feeling good and decided we could finally try to leave town. We had intended to stay three days, and were there a week. Half the hotel staff came out to say goodbye. They also gave us two beautiful scarves as presents! If you are ever in Siem Reap, stay at the Ta Som guesthouse right on the highway. Very friendly, helpful staff and free breakfast.

The owner of Ta Som told us there is a guesthouse in Kampon Kdei, so that was were we decided to go. Once we were out of town, a loud clicking noise started coming from my bike, consistent with each peddle stroke. I had heard it before Siem Reap, but it wasn’t especially noticeable then. Chandler took a turn riding my bike, checked the derailleur and tightened the crank, but nothing helped. Without a great place to dismantle the bike we pressed on.

What are they collecting?

The guesthouse in Kampong Kdei was easy to find and for $5, the price was right. Chandler went to get us something cold to drink and I tried to take a shower. The water was cold, so I washed all the sunscreen, sweat and dust off my arms when everything started to smell kind of funny. I put my face under the water and suddenly I could place the smell. Pee. The water smelled like pee. Awesome. Now I probably smelled like pee too. Guess that is enough shower for me. Chandler opted to just take one the next day.

Streetview

Caught him kicking his shoe off

Kampon Kdei is a one horse town. Didn’t seem like there was a lot going on besides a wedding and the old men playing chess in the restaurant were we ate lunch. The market wasn’t even bustling as they are in most towns. The weddings in Cambodia are very loud affairs. From what we can tell, a tent is set up beside the street and everything is broadcast over loudspeaker, the prayers, the music, everything. The wedding across the street was so loud, we couldn’t carry on a conversation during lunch.

After lunch, we set about fixing my bike. A little boy came to help. Chandler took apart my crank and cleaned the bottom bracket bearings while I finally patched my tire. Luckily for me, I didn’t have to pump the tire back up. Our new friend insisted upon doing it himself.

My helper

Once he realized we were willing to socialize with him, he wanted to entertain us. Chandler got a tour of the fruit trees across the street, in english, twice! He got a praying mantis for us to take photograph. That poor bug got tortured by the kid. He spread out its wings and arms for us to see. He killed ants and tried to force feed them to the bug, which it actually did participate in, occasionally also biting the kids finger. The worst moment was when he stuck bug’s head in a bottle cap full of water so the bug could have a drink.

Praying for help Mantis

He was forced to leave the mantis when it began raining. This was the first real rain we have seen since arriving in Asia. Puddles formed quickly and the dusty road was soon very muddy. We retreated to our room to read and play several rounds a rummy. After a while we got hungry and walked over to a restaurant. The town didn’t have any streetlights, so it was very dark. The wedding was still going on, with the knob on the amplifier welded at 11. We had a nice meal and Chan had a few beers, while we peered out into the dark with the torrent continuing, blasting away on the tin roof. At this point we awarded Kampong Kdei with the award as the “Loudest Town of All (so far)”.

Rainy day