Off to explore, taking a ‘moto’ taxi ( alas, one who needless to say had no idea where he was going so I got a scenic ride around the entire city for my one dollar) to the central riverfront area. The tuk tuks who ply the hotel entrance overcharge, so I hot footed it to the street corner to find the cheaper option. Then I used the three dollars I saved to buy two delicious iced frappes and a hot pineapple tart with ice cream for lunch!
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| Lunch |
Tis as hot here as in Vientiane, by noon there is no way to be outside. Yesterday was a long long day so I lingered over breakfast –the buffet was a treat too after the coffee/banana repast at Laos-by the time I had bartered my way into the city centre it was already 11am and by midday I needed to seek sanctuary. The museums and Palaces did not appeal, but a massage did, especially the unique experience of a massage parlour run by trained blind therapists, the Cambodian ‘thing’. As the masseurs were men, I opted for a back neck and shoulder hour. Clothed in simple tunic and trousers it was genuinely touching to feel hands sensing my position; very different/very good. Odd to find no mirrors in the bathroom, no lights until I asked for one when the young sighted girl on reception found a switch…
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| Western influences |
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| Cambodian Massage |
The Mekong here is wide and high again as in Vietnam, there is a striking similarity to Hanoi/Saigon not least in the high degree of poverty. Beggars and street children are everywhere-advice is not to stop as most are run by gangs, it is heartbreaking to see toddlers playing naked in dirty puddles.
I am constantly amazed at how quickly the mind and body adjusts-last night I was exhausted/scared but this evening, post recuperative swim, I was happy to wander the local streets after dark without (too much) fear. An early night beckons though….
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