Ok, commerce done. We’re off! We cycle more through paths and villages, this time with kids running out after us yelling “hello” and giving us high fives. The little ones are the cutest, they are not quite sure how to gauge the bikes so they end up with their hands stretched out, but not quite making it to the high five. So sweet! We’re going to hoarse by the end of the day!
Twenty minutes or so later, we arrive at our next ferry landing. After crawling down the dirt hill, we are all waiting around and a grasshopper lands on Joel’s shoe! Since we are on a Grasshopper bike tour, we take this as a good omen. And for good reason!
This next ferry is what we are euphemistically calling the “little” ferry.
OMG. I CANNOT believe we actually got on that thing. And then went inside, under the canopy. Really??? How dumb are these foreigners? This thing is put together with chewing gum and wood sap – n0 bailing wire around here!!!! The motor is this thing that is the noisiest sewing machine motor ever made and we're sitting right on it. Then a little kid comes and tells us to move to the other side – we look at him, what? We think he’s selling something. No, he’s telling us to move to the other side so we can balance out the weight on the ferry. Oh dear god! Let’s hope we survive!
Since I’m still writing, you know we survived, but let me tell you. It was one of those things you just tell yourself not to think about! And to top it all off, this is the way these people travel everyday. Argh. But when in Cambodia….
Now we are on Mekong island and we pedal along beautiful stretches of countryside and farmland. I stop taking biking pictures because it gets really bumpy here and it is far better to hang on to the bike handles then to try to snap pictures. It is beautiful and a little surreal that you can be this close to the burgeoning, growing, over the top development city of Phnom Penh, but be so surrounded with tranquility and the old, almost ancient life.
Our last stop is a Pagoda on the island where the monks come to train. It is lovely, and freshly painted just this year. We can’t go into the temple area because the monks are eating, but we walk around outside and take in the surroundings and peacefulness. Amom tells us how the Monks are completely taken care of by the community – they raise funds for the upkeep of the pagoda, and every day a different family comes and cooks for the monks. The monks go out into the community in the morning, and the family comes in to prepare the meal which will be ready for them when they return. The monks must eat their lunch before 1pm. They may not eat anything after 1pm until the next day.
Next we visit the Buddha tree – where Amom tells us about the flowers on the tree, how they look like the Buddha sitting on a lotus flower, thus the name.
Finally we cycle off to our last ferry, which fortunately is much larger, and less scabbed together. We’re running a little late, so we don’t have time for the promised coconut water and coconut pieces, but I don’t think anyone minds.
A quick 100 meter cycle – and we’re done with our biking for the day.
Intelligently, the tour doesn’t let us cycle back to town – not at this time of day, so we get to ride in the comfort of an A/C mini van, to our lunch destination. Whichis a great little local restaurant somewhere up north of the Night Market (I’m clueless as to where we are). The food is great, the camaderie even better. We feast on assorted Asian specialities, includign fried frog, stir fried beef and soup, and whole crispy fish, along with stir fried vegetables. It is all quite good!
And we learn more about our tour mates – the Boston trio just arrived last night from Singapore. They weren’t too keen on Singapore, “unless you like to shop,” not to mention the prices. They said they had dinners where they could barely afford one dish. Then they arrive here, and went to the hotel bar and thought “wow! This is almost free! Let’s buy a round for the bar!” Very cute.
As it turns out, the embassy couple is here for her job as a micro-biologist. He is as well, but not working currently. So this now explains why they wouldn’t pet the cow. As the girl (whose name I have completely blanked on) said – why do you think they wash them twice a day? Oh geez – we’re going to die!! LOL. They are delightful and tell humorous stories of their 2 months here. They love it and are getting used to all the oddities of Camdodian life. More power to them!
After lunch, we hop back in the van to be dropped off at the bike place where we started. We bid farewell to the Embassy couple, and walk back down to our section of town – ready for a nice cooling shower.
And boy, did that shower feel good! So good in fact, I took my capris and sandals in with me! I had completely forgotten about that darn red clay dust all over Cambodia, so my wardrobe choice of black cotton capris was not the most appropriate. When we got to the bike place and met everyone on the tour, I was initially worried because I was the only one wearing sandals. But as it turned out, that was a blessing in disguise. These walking sandals clean up great – and I would have ruined my black sneakers had I worn them. Ended up just the pants were a problem, but they came nicely clean in the shower. So – shower clean – both me and my clothes – we settled down to enjoy the cool room before or dinner cruise.
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