Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Peeing In A Panty Girdle



We left Ho Chi Minh and their motorcycles to get into the Mekong Delta and browse the thousands of channels in all types of boats. We spent a few days in the area and used to cross the border between Vietnam and Cambodia by sea.

All this region of Vietnam lives overlooking the river, here comes 60% of rice from Vietnam which is the world's second largest exporter after Thailand. Ensenharon as we make the rice paper rolls used in all, some sweets and even popcorn (we, the lifelong crispies).



toured several floating markets, where boats, barges and small boat buy and sell almost anything, but rather we saw fruit and vegetables. Pequenho hang from a mast, as a claim, the product they sell (potatoes, watermelons, mangoes, pumpkins ...) so that the distance from potential buyers know that it is. To see it in boiling must get up very early, we to go with a group we arrived a little late and we missed the peak but it was very attractive marketing anyway.





the last section we did in a rowing boat pushed by a girl standing in the stern, just like a gondolier, but with two crossed oars. It was super-curious, use the full weight of the body charged against the oars to move, is quite effective but I think that requires a good dose of balance (I did not try in case).



In general, especially as we approached the border of Cambodia, the population Mekong we found it the most smiling and cheerful country, tens of Ninh made us a thousand and one tricks to demonstrate its ability to jump into the water and those who did not arrive on time or do not fervently longed to banhos greeted us from the shore with a smile " colgate "in the mouth.



The border crossing could not be more smooth and easy. Our guide, a woman super-resolved, took charge of getting the visa for a Pequenho commission. It Piro, with all our passports, motorcycle while we go sailing slower. At that point we were trying some illegal immigrants cross the border between two countries (I remember Manu Chao and "Clandestino" with a Pequenho between weak and nervous laughter). Everything went well. At

Cambodia trip around a little more chaotic. After three more hours of soporific boat trip upriver, apinharon us with our bags in a Pequenho bus that took us to Phnom Penh, all with 35 degrees in the shade and no air of course. It is also true that every time you think you can not get any worse, I advance three hundred guys in a van with people sitting on the roof and shut up.



To make matters worse, the guide accompaniment, we made an escape worthy of Houdini and left us in the middle of nowhere, with a driver and English potatoes, night and with vultures-taxis waiting to take "their" guesthouse. But so is the life of the traveler who does not understand anything in the local language, you torean a bit I will resign or will resign because the nerves just losing is losing, apart from the bad feeling that will generate. In Phnom Penh

not much and maybe we expected so we were pleasantly surprised to find some interesting places to visit, despite the traffic and noise around you in all major cities in Southeast Asia. The city's main attraction is the Royal Palace with more than obvious resemblance to that of Bangkok, the Cambodian perhaps, to be more empty it becomes more pleasant to visit even if not so spectacular. The roofs of the buildings bear the palm As for beauty, as reflected in the picture.



A visit was sad enough but we did an old school that was converted into a prison by the Khmer Rouge. With Pol Pot at the helm this regime ruled the country between 1975 and 1979. Under extreme ideology of agrarian communism imposed the exodus of millions of people into the fields to grow rice in near-slavery conditions.

In total it is estimated that killed nearly two million people "against" the regime. The prison we visited (the S21) was a detention center where they tortured and murderer to more than 60000 people. Ninh is shocking to think that now our age would have died por que su padre (detenian a familias enteras cuando un miembro era "sospechoso") despues de varios dias de torturas inhumanas, confesaba que estaba compinchado con la CIA o el KGB. Estos crimenes todavia no han sido juzgados.



Buscando historias mas alegres nos fuimos hacia Siem Reap, la afortunada ciudad dormitorio de los magnificos templos de Angkor. Estos templos fueron construidos por la civilizacion Khmer (nada que ver con los de Pol Pot) alla por el siglo X.

De Angkor podriamos estar hablando dias y dias y colgar infinitas fotos (los que conoceis a Marta sabeis que no exagero...) pero intentaremos hacer un resumen de lo principal y lo que mas nos ha gustado. We spent three days visiting temples and although we loved is to say just a bit saturated. The first day we rented a bike, but after almost thirty kilometers between the chest and we got back we decided that the tuktuk was a great option for the rest of the day.



Start with Angkor Wat which is the icon of the entire complex of temples. It is without doubt one of the most spectacular and best preserved, is said to be the largest religious building in the world. You can spend hours on finding places and wonderful details. Although we were here several times, one of the most beautiful moments to view the sunset, when not so hot (in one of the pictures you can see some Ninh from the temple and giving himself an enviable banho).





All these temples have elaborate bas-reliefs about collecting all sorts of scenes of the time (mostly epic battles and victories). We love the Apsaras, heavenly creatures appear dancing with attractive styling. During these days we practice a new sport that is persecuting Buddhist monks to be photographed. It is almost impossible to resist by watching their saffron robes as photogenic as opposed to the stones.



Another of our favorites is the Bayon temple is inside the walled city of Angkor Thom. Its more than 50 towers have plenty of giant Buddha faces carved in stone. Evil tongues say that the resemblance to the king who built the temple (Jayavarman VII) is more than evident. In fact each tower represented a province of the kingdom and the faces watching the four cardinal points.





you remember the "Tomb Raider"? For several of these temples is part of the movie rolled, mostly in the temple of Ta Prohm. The truth is that we fully understand the location, since it is a magical place. This place was abandoned to his fate and swallowed by the jungle, as evidenced by the huge roots that literally eat up part of the structure. This is his conviction and his blessing, deformed walls to collapse are those who give you precisely its charm.





Cambodian food is much like that of its neighbors, although a little more influenced by India. As a specialty we are left with the style pork Amok presented wrapped in banana leaves. It's like a curry coconut milk and spices but softer than the Indians. Dinner, attended a traditional Khmer dance show. The beauty of the costumes of the dancers is comparable to that of their forced movements.



these fantastic days after we left Cambodia, a task complicated by the poor condition of roads. We meet again in Thailand where we feel almost at home. Keep you informed.

A kiss. Juan and Marta

PS: It is true that we have exceeded the 300 days of travel but, despite not being a "wise men" of the euro, the South East Asia is certainly cheaper than we expected and that has allowed us to extend the trip a few weeks more. But do not worry we will return!

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