The Heart of Cambodia

We met so many gracious and wonderful people in our short stay in Cambodia. Visiting with hotel staff (the boys, again, were a big hit with their blonde hair and smiling faces), and spending three days with our driver, Pich, who became part of our family, we could not express our gratitude for how we were treated. It was overwhelming.

Pich and Ethan – a common site

Little peanut selling flutes…

A stop that was most important to us was to go to the Cambodia Landmine Museum and school, (http://www.cambodialandminemuseum.org), set up by a Cambodian citizen Aki Ra. His story is one of pain, perseverance, commitment, and compassion.

 

Entry to the Museum (note the Canadian flag)

Many of the land mines, bombs, unearthed by Aki Ra

His work and life is difficult to comprehend for those of us who have grown up in peace and security. Walking through the museum with our boys, safe and secure, was in stark contrast to the history of Cambodia as a nation and the stories of individuals. With tears in my eyes, I read the stories posted containing indescribable acts of violence, abandonment, and hopelessness. Nonetheless, it has been people like Aki Ra who have continued to see possibilities of what can occur with healing and support in this beautiful country. Words cannot do justice to all we saw here – I would encourage you to take some time to review their website, educate yourself on the ongoing need to support children and families impacted by all types of violence around the world, and finally celebrate with joy, the gifts you have right now. As a mother, an educator, a Canadian citizen, I am thankful for what we have, but continue to ask, what can we give?

We had an opportunity on our last day to drive out to a floating village which during the rainy season is entirely enveloped by water; however, at the time of our visit, the water was significantly lower and only those houses and stores on Tonle Sap Lake were floating. This was an eye opening experience for our family. Pulling up to see a what can only be described as a cacophony of boats lining the river banks, we were brought to our skipper’s pride and joy and after a few eye opening moments of seeing how he manoeuvred us out of the rather narrow parking space, we were on our way. It felt as though we were on the African Queen heading into unknown territory…

You’ll notice the water is rather brown – everyone is in it! Fishermen lined the river, casting their nets in hopes of catching some of the many small fish. As we came to the village, it was shocking to consider daily life in this environment. First of all, it is hot – debilitatingly so. Many people are laying hammocks in shade from the rays of the hot sun. As we went down stream we were all surprised at the amount of trash floating in the water and sitting along the banks. Making our way out to Tonle Sap, we stopped at a floating restaurant and ordered a small snack – they had alligators next to the restaurant and also on the menu – a highlight for the boys.

On our way back to our car, we stopped off at the local school to drop off some school supplies. It was fascinating to climb the tall ladder to the entrance of the school (which would have had about 50 Health and Safety guidelines back in Canada), to greet the students in their one room classroom. Students were fascinated with the boys as they deposited the supplies at the front of the room and we visited with the young teacher who was despite the heat dressed in full professional wear. Again – difference certainly sharpens appreciation for all that we have for our children. However, it could also be suggested that we need to maintain our focus on what is important in the context of the whole world rather than get caught up in some of the minute details which can distract from our overall goal of educating our children to become global citizens.

As much as we were thankful not to contend with the challenges one would face living in a floating village, we were also struck by the beauty of the sights, the care for families, and again the gracious treatment of visitors to their homes.

Temple Run

Angkor Wat

Originally our SE Asia plans were meant to include Cambodia, Thailand and possibly Vietnam. However, for numerous reasons, we had to simplify travel plans and ended up booking flights from KL to Siem Reap, Cambodia. We flew Air Asia which boasts as being Asia’s top low cost airline. Like other low cost airlines, EasyJet, Ryan Air, and Jet Star, they post incredible flight deals, but truly make their money off of additional fees for luggage, method of payment, etc. Nonetheless, our flights after the currency conversion still ended up being a reasonable price tag (just significantly more than the originally advertised rate). We were impressed with the service on Air Asia – efficient and even more shocking for North American air travellers, not only on time, but over 40 minutes early!

We had booked 5 days staying at the Lotus Blanc Resort. Having spent only a handful of nights at a hotel during this entire trip, this spot was a highlight. We were greeted with cool coconut water and cool towelettes (I don’t want to say we were sweating in the +45 degree heat, but there may have been a glow on our faces). The manager sat down with us and within 15 minutes, she had set us up for the remainder of our stay. It was lovely not have to sort everything out ourselves and the prices for booking travel etc., were no different than those who booked tuk tuks or drivers privately. As we had arrived early in the morning, the hotel was flexible and allowed us to check in first thing, giving us the whole day to enjoy some down time, swimming in the pool, and excellent food!

The title of this entry is reflective of what can certainly become a visit to Siem Reap. With it being the site of many ancient temples, the most famous being Angkor Wat, days and days could be spent exploring temple after temple. Given the heat, the age of the boys, and our desire to ensure we didn’t experience what many term “temple exhaustion”, we had an ideal schedule:

Day 1 – toured by tuk tuk, Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom along with some smaller areas: Terrace of the Leper Kings and Terrace of the Elephants
Day 2 – with a driver, drove out to Kuleen Mountain, went to the night market
Day 3 – toured with a driver, Bayon, Cambodia Landmine Museum, Preah Khan, Bantay Srei, rode elephants to the top of Phnom Bakeng to watch the sunset
Day 4 – with a driver, went out to the floating village

A few tips if you’re considering to venture out this way:

Decide when you want to drive and when you want to go in a tuk tuk which is a must. We were pleased to be riding the tuk tuk on a day where the areas were relatively close. Our driver was incredible and we absolutely loved having him join us during our exploration.
Have photocopies of your passports – these were especially important for the boys as they were both free to enter all the temples; however, we had to show our passes and the copies of their passports every time.
Be sure to follow the dress code (covered shoulders and knees for both men and women). Although we didn’t have one, an umbrella would not go amiss to shade from the heat.
Don’t sleep in – start early in the morning!
Know your limits! We really kept a close eye on how we were all doing, as one can feel compelled to ‘see it all’ but in doing so, actually miss a fair amount. It then becomes more about the finish line of “I saw 5 temples today” as opposed to exploring and appreciating the marvel and wonder around you.

In thinking of how to describe this experience, I find that words fail me. This entry will either be 50 pages in length, or it will end with a summary list. To avoid both, I’m going to highlight a few of our impressions and experiences and of course include some of the spectacular images we were able to capture.

Most people know about Angkor Wat which is understandable simply due to its sheer size and grandeur. However, while we most definitely needed to explore the area, we much preferred Angkor Thom (the temple in the jungle) to the austerity of Angkor Wat. The bloody history (and not to long ago I might add), of Cambodia is in stark contrast to the beauty of the Khmer culture and creation of long ago. Also striking is the strength of nature as we had many opportunities to observe gigantic tree roots wrapping around and seemingly through rock faces to grow strong and tall despite any obstacles.

Entry from the East gate of Angkor Wat

The central square area

And up we go…

Angkor from the West gate

The heat was another force of nature with which to contend – it felt like +45 degrees. We had to closely monitor our water levels and ran to shade whenever possible. While I haven’t caught the Asian fascination with avoiding the sun at all costs, I now understand why they have umbrellas out especially on sunny days!

Riding the Tuk Tuk

Thank goodness for shade!

Having enjoyed outstanding food in our first few days, I may have consumed one too many coconut based dishes and on the day we were scheduled to head out to Kulen Mountain, needed to be in close proximity of ‘facilities’. Kelly and the boys took a 45 minute drive up to Kulen Mountain, a beautiful area in the jungle with tall waterfalls, a river filled with ‘la linga’ and a gigantic Bhudda laying on its side. They had a great time in the water…until the boys noticed fish and became convinced they were going to attack. This after standing in surf with baby Blacktip Reef sharks in Fiji! Regardless, Anderson eventually overcame his concerns and enjoyed jumping off the rocks with the locals. Ethan, well, he enjoyed watching Anderson!

The gigantic Bhudda was situated at the top of the largest rock ever seen. People begging line the stairway, and it was quite an awakening for the boys to see such poverty up close. Again, an opportunity to learn much about how people are impacted by country and life circumstances and usually through no fault of their own.

Our third day, was our biggest day yet, and was also the most spectacular! Our family’s most preferred two temples were explored: Bayon and Preah Khan. Bayon is famously known for the gigantic faces – they were mesmerizing to look at. Preah Khan was intriguing as it housed the royal library and when entering from the ‘public’ entrance, the doorways begin at regular height, but as you draw nearer to the center where one would greet the king, the doorways shrink in height forcing one to bow. Due, most likely, to the greater distance from Siem Reap, Preah Khan had very few visitors making our exploration of the temple that much more fascinating.

Bayon

Bayon

Causeway outside of Angkor Thom

Preah Khan

Preah Khan

To finish off our third day which we all have declared ‘epic!’, we took an elephant ride up to the top of the large hill where the Phnom Bakeng temple is located. This temple is quite precarious in certain spots; but is popular with tourists as a spot to watch the sunset. Honestly, do take the opportunity to go to the top of the hill; however, avoid the throngs of people going up to the temple and rather turn right. We caught some beautiful views of Angkor Wat in total solitude and the sunset was also spectacular (minus what felt like every tour group in the region).

Honestly, this post feels as though it is merely skimming the surface of the sights, smells, sounds, and feel of this incredible part of the world. Our recommendation: travel here!

Singing the Praises of Singapore

Our first foray into SouthEast Asia as a family was a week long stay in Singapore. Kelly and I had travelled to Singapore 13 years earlier and as one of our cab drivers indicated – much has changed and much has stayed the same. First off, Singapore is a wonderful city to come to as a family. Thanks to the recommendation of friend and colleague, Jeanie Ross who taught at the Canadian International School in Singapore for two years, we booked in at the Albert Court Hotel using the website www.stayfareast.com. We would recommend both this website and the hotel to anyone looking for excellent accommodation and pricing in what can otherwise be an expensive stay.

Singapore knows how to move people around – efficiency at it’s best. We wonder if our Canadian municipal, provincial, and federal leaders and planners look closely at systems in place in these large cities. The West certainly has some catching up to do in that regard! This time around however, we utilized cabs for getting around as with four people, it was more cost-effective than using the MRT.

Can’t say enough about staying at the Albert Court Hotel – the staff were incredibly welcoming! Of note was the manager taking time to introduce a traditional game called Capteh to the boys. The premise is the same as juggling a soccer ball; however, it’s a feather attached to a small weight. Quite a challenge actually, and perfect for confined spaces with no fear of breaking things! It also seemed that each time the boys passed through the foyer they were entertained by various ‘magic’ tricks courtesy of the doorman, Jamal. With the boys dipping their toes into Asian style breakfasts, we loved the buffet every day and it was great to see them trying food such as various noodle and curry dishes for breakfast.

 

Boys learning to play Capteh – notice the small yellow feather to the left of the photo.

Singapore is a great first introduction to Asian culture as there is enough ‘western familiarity’ that for our young boys, they were not completely overwhelmed. We made sure to listen to the recommendations of our cab drivers and one thing they all had in common: a love for great hawker stall food. Aside from our breakfasts and two meals on Sentosa Island, we ate solely at hawker food markets. Our hands down favourite was Maxwell Market where we all enjoyed Tian Tian Chicken Rice and Kelly also loved the Laksa – a sour and spicy soup. All four of us could have a full meal and drinks for under $14 CAD total and the food was outstanding! Seriously, I could complete a rather large blog post talking about all the food alone!

In line to order

Chicken Rice!!!

Good food surrounded by chaos!

We purchased a series of passes through an agent at our hotel and planned the itinerary for the week. Aside from wandering the streets of downtown, the Botanical Gardens and ensuring we stopped by the Raffles, we were unsure of our exact plans when we first arrived. It was a whirlwind week of fun as Kelly and I made a conscious choice to feed the entertainment side of our kids. Universal Studios, Night Safari, Singapore Zoo, Singapore Flyer, Adventure Cove, and the S.E.A. Aquarium! Normally, our family avoids theme parks like the plague (some terrible childhood memory probably impacted this), but given the reasonable prices and the guarantees of no crowds, we decided to jump in and boy are we glad we did!

First of all, the S.E.A. Aquarium of all the aquariums we’ve been to in major cities, was by far and away the most superior (beating out London, Melbourne, Sydney, and Monaco). They have the world record for the largest tank and one could spend hours sitting in front of this tank alone. Also of note was how incredibly clean the glass on all the tanks were allowing for great viewing – this was not always the case in other aquariums, especially Sydney. Able to make many connections to fish we have seen both in the ocean and in aquariums, it was wonderful to see the boys come alive with joy in being able to observe all of the great fresh and saltwater fish!

Following the aquarium, we ventured to Adventure Cove, the waterpark next door. Again, with no crowds, we were able to thoroughly enjoy the many slides with little to no wait. The only ride requiring a wait was most definitely worth it! The Riptide Rocket…combination roller coaster and waterslide, this one brought out more than a few shrieks of joy and gigantic wipeouts at the end.

Our next day involved the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari. Kelly and I had been on the Night Safari in 2001 and really enjoyed the experience, but never went to the zoo. Again, Singapore wins as far as most well organized and set up zoos of all the ones we have visited during our travels. A highlight was the elephant show where we were able to observe how well trained these incredible animals can be as well as how strong they are. The boys were able to spend some time following, feeding the elephants. Their trunks while so strong are also delicate and graceful. Seeing the many different animal species was wonderful, but as we all talked following the day, it always leads to questions about animals in captivity. We know that education and awareness is key to ensuring that humans and economics don’t further deplete species and habitat; however, it is also difficult to reconcile the “caged” animal no matter how well looked after.

We headed over to the Night Safari which is always a full attraction – we remembered feeling overwhelmed by the number of people 13 years ago, and this was again the case leading up to entry into the park. However, once we had completed the train tour of the safari, our walking tour was comfortable and at our own pace. We loved seeing the smallest deer – a mouse deer and walking through the area with the gigantic fruit bats were highlights. These bats are flying free and the look on the boys faces once they realized that they were surrounded by the massive creatures was priceless! One thing we all found interesting was that people were obsessed with taking photographs on the night safari; however, no flashes are allowed and it is dark hence the quality of photographs are poor. This experience is not one that is meant to be recorded on any device other than your mind. Listening to the animals move around and be active in the night, is a whole other experience than leisurely wandering the zoo during the day while many are sleeping.

Singapore is an incredible city in many ways. The number of shopping malls along Orchard Street alone is entirely overwhelming and every possible high end and mid range shop in the world seems to be available here. Looking out over downtown, the high rises and architecture is incredible combined with the humming port absolutely stuffed with huge shipping vessels. Going up the Singapore Flyer (30 metres higher than the London Eye), allowed us to gain further perspective on the incredible engineering feats of man looking at all of the buildings and infrastructure surrounding us. With most people living in apartments, it was yet another learning experience for the boys in recognizing the impact large populations in small spaces has on the style of living and daily life.

Merlion Park

Merlion Park at night

Marina Bay Sands

Temple near China Town

View over the harbour

Wandering the Botanical Gardens

Catfish feeding time at the Botanical Gardens

Our final major attraction was Universal Studios. Having never been to any of the Disney theme parks and our only frame of reference, brief visits to Galaxyland in West Edmonton Mall, we were unsure of what to expect. Our number one descriptor of our day was FUN! We had an absolute blast as a family going on every ride, posing with theme characters, and enjoying the general atmosphere of the place. Our longest wait time was approximately 10 minutes and that happened only once. We didn’t have to wait at all for most rides and it was slick! The boys favourite ride was the 3D Transformers ride which may have made their mother rather ill due to the realistic effects and feelings of flying through a city being chased and hammered by the bad robots (no I’ve never watched Transformers). The special effects on this ride were outstanding! I preferred the Mummy Returns roller coaster which is in the dark and certainly packs its fair share of G-forces and unexpected turns. We were so relaxed and never had to rush (with the exception of when the Minions appeared for photo opportunities – that may have been a little bit of Asian line up craziness!). Kelly and I may have to rethink our avoidance of this type of attraction – with the right mindset and the right timing, this was a blessed day for our family together in a totally different way than we had expected.

Good times!

Our Minions

Notice their watches…

Muscular Men

Drying off in the “pod” after a ride

Considering a different destination city? Consider Singapore – safe, clean, affordable, fun, and an opportunity to introduce yourself to cultural difference with enough familiar to help you take a risk.