cambodia 2

Greetings from Siem Reap, Cambodia.As I said in my first blog this is our fifth visit here (the last only 8 months ago) and third to the Plas Prai project so we find many things very familiar now. Perhaps there are less surprises but the experience is definitely no less pleasurable.Some things are changing though. I'm sure it's hotter (or are we just getting less tolerant with age!?!?) And we notice more building and signs of more money generally (not sure where it's coming from though). Our time at the project and with the girls was just wonderful. They are delightful and cultural boundaries melt as we share laughs over language food and dancing! For us it was an absolute delight to meet our sponsor child,spend time with her and also visit her home in the village and meet her family.We went shopping with the girls at their markets to buy food each day (no fridges so have to buy fresh daily) We taught them how to make pizza (some ingredients brought from home!) - the hostel had just acquired its first ever oven! They taught us to make sour fish soup, right from buying the live fish in the market - it was delicious. And we taught them to crochet, did some other crafts, a short bible study, went to church with them, and gave them plenty of conversational English practice. The two men on the team did some painting. One morning we visited the local World Vision team and David led a short bible study with them. Saturday night we held a graduation party for the year 12 girls. We brought 14 girls to Siem Reap Monday (equivalent of a school excursion) and took them to the temples yesterday. We were supposed to be looking after them but I think it was more the other way around as they affectionately helped us "older women" up and down many tricky flights of stone steps, fanned us to keep us cool and held umbrellas to protect us from the scorching sun!! Had loads of fun playing ball games with them in the pool at the hotel afterwards.The girls headed back home this morning so we've had the day to ourselves. Visited the war museum and tonight went to an acrobatic performance which was simply brilliant.We've been getting plenty of exercise (which is good as we are eating plenty - including frogs legs and silk worm grubs, but I do draw the line at those fried crickets and tarantulas!) Started off with a 20km bike ride at Phnom Penh of which the first 2km was right in the heart of the city traffic (Eeek!!!) Then we crossed the river on a somewhat dubious ferry and cycled through rural areas and an island in the Mekong (2 more dubious ferry crossings) but I must confess I piked out after 17 km and got a lift in a tuk-tuk!! David of course did the full 20. In Preah Vihear we also did plenty of cycling to get to and from the markets and restaurants plus sightseeing. And of course we've walked miles at the temples. The ones here near Angkor Wat we've seen before but new to us was the Preah Vihear temple. It's located on the northern border where Cambodia meets Thailand. It's a bit over an hour from where we were staying with the project. The trip there was relatively ordinary (although I suppose 4 people squeezed into the back seat of a Lexus -with no seat belts of course - is not exactly ordinary!!) The temple is perched on a mountain top and the trip UP the mountain was anything but ordinary. We change to a 4WD Ute fitted with bench seats in the back and zoomed up this road with hairpin bends and 40 degree inclines in places. At the same time the guide was explaining we are entering a military zone. We pass armed soldiers and bunkers (NO PHOTO! NO PHOTO!) We can see across to Thailand and see soldiers on their side too. There is an ongoing border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand!!! Apparently no gunfire fire for last three years though so "no problem"!!  Aaaahh Cambodia - I do love this place.Tomorrow morning (Thursday) we fly to China to be tourists for the next 19 days. Hopefully I'll be able to send you updates from there.Jenny (and David!)