On my way home

I'm at my second-favorite-most hotel in the world, the Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. (Of course my first-favorite-most is the Apsara Holiday Hotel in Siem Reap and third is Benner's in Dingle, Ireland.) Kate and I stayed here on the way home last August. The best word to describe it is opulent. More marble than the Chicago Public Library, and it even has people employed to push the elevator button for you. (Actually in Thailand they post lots of security people to see who is going where. They also use mirrors on poles to look underneath the cars that pull into the parking lot.) I'm looking forward to a warm shower. The hotel in Phnom Penh did not have such luxuries despite being one of the best in the city a few years ago.

This is the view from the desk. It is not as sunny now and I think there is a little rain coming, but I doubt as much as fell in the Midwest the last few days.

I did get a little TV viewing in over the last week. You may know that CNN and BBC are everywhere, but frequently different programs are aired. I wonder if CNN US aired the conversation between Fahreed Zakaria and Henry Kissinger. It was great! Talk about reasonable approaches to foreign relations! I was also quite scared today listening to a political analyst from Britain talk about President Bush and Iran. He as much as said that because the Congress would not pass a war powers act restricting the President's ability to go to war we might expect an attack on Iran just prior to the presidential elections to insure a victory for the Republicans. Like I said - scary!!! I think I really need to get home.

Up at about 3:30 a.m. tomorrow to catch the 6:00 to Tokyo, then home. I'll let you know if I encounter any airports worth sleeping in along the way.

Wrapping Up

Monday morning I went back to the library at the National Museum to do a quick assessment of the facility. The librarian met with me for a couple of hours to talk about how they are trying to improve conditions. She has been there for 24 years, talk about the greying of the profession. She started working there right after the end of the Pol Pot regime. Wow, interesting person! Spent most of the afternoon trying to put the pieces together, but it is something I will have to work on some more when I get home. Had dinner at the Friends restaurant. This organization works in many ways to train street children to find employment. They have a large gift shop, and the kids who work in the restaurant are all being trained in the service industry. Struck up a conversation with the gentleman at the table across from mine. He was from the U.S. and works with a land mine group. Very interesting to talk to about the issue.


Today I visited three more NGOs, the National Library, and the Post Office! The picture is of the National Library. The outside of the library is quite beautiful, but the inside is depressing for the most part. The Khmer Rouge emptied out the building either burning or trashing the books, although some of the palm leaf manuscripts survived. When the Vietnamese took over, they filled the building with books from their country. When they left the French donated most of the books that are found in its walls today. There is also a good deal of material in English, but very little in Khmer. The publishing world in Cambodia is slowly recovering, but is not exactly robust at this point in time. The young man in the picture is my interpreter. He is an English student at the Royal University in Phnom Penh.

Finally, to end the Cambodia adventure, a nice sunset picture. Had dinner at a great Khmer restaurant tonight (you know my family travels on its stomach) with a couple of phd students from the States. Totally different view of many things. Tomorrow its off to Bangkok and then home.

Playing Catch-up

Well, I think I must have been busy because I haven't posted anything for a couple of days. On Sunday I started out taking a walk down the road. I was supposed to meet someone for lunch and wanted to know if it was in walking distance. In any other climate it would not have been a problem, but noon in Phnom Penh is pretty hot. On the way I was stopped by at least two tuk-tuk drivers with the proverbial "Tuk-tuk madame?" call from the street. Struck up a brief conversation with one of the drivers. He was an English student and quite articulate, but I didn't really want a ride. At 9:00 on a Sunday morning there was a great deal of hustle and bustle going on already. The fruit stands were set up, as well as various stands outside of the back of the park leading to the Palace. The road I was walking on runs along the riverfront and is popular with tourists. Walked past the Foreign Correspondents Club made famous in the movie "The Killing Fields" but I had been there last August so had no driving need to go back on this trip. Stores and most businesses here open about 8:00 or 8:30 in the morning - nobody can truly handle the heat. By the time I had found the eatery and dragged myself back to the hotel I had decided the tuk-tuk would be the means of transportation for lunch.

My lunch companion was a student at a university in the States, and a truly delightful young man to talk to. Strangely(!) the conversation turned to development and libraries. The city of Phnom Penh was designed during the French colonial period. The plan envisioned a population of 50,000. Today's population was well over 1 million in 2003 according to the UN estimates. No wonder it floods when it rains and garbage is occasionally strewn about. The traffic reflects the huge growth in population as well. More and more cars are taking to the road, but there are still other means of transport that predominate including cyclos, motos, and tuk-tuks. Last year someone described traffic as a river flowing in a couple of different directions. One part of the stream flows along until it hits a rock and then flows around it. No one seems too concerned about getting quickly from point to point and there are more examples of extreme patience than road rage. Another item of note is that emergency vehicles don't get the same kind of right-of-way you see in the States. The roads are too packed to pull over to the side.

The discussion about libraries included observations about the importance of information in economic and political development. Very few libraries exist and most of the do not have the types of electronic access we enjoy in the States. It would be nice if the same kinds of deals that are available in other developing parts of the world for electronic, full-text databases were available here. Good, a new project for when I get back home!

Road Trips

Yesterday I took two road trips, one to the Russian Market or Psar Toul Tom Poung, and one to the Imperial Palace. I had been to the market with my daughter last summer, but had not been to the Palace before.

The market is really something else. I’m not sure how to describe it. Physically, it is quite large (therefore the word Tom in the name I think). It is reminiscent of a huge flea market in the States, only with a permanent roof. Little areas about 6 x 6 are divided up with people selling all manner of things. Primarily it is a souvenir market with multiple stalls of silks, wooden wares, and jewelry. Another area is a food market with various pieces of unknown meat (only the chickens hanging in the air were recognizable to me), fish, fruits and vegetables. They did have my favorite food in the world, the lovely mangosteen. I’m calling the accompanying picture Mangosteen Still Life.

Looks a little like a round eggplant just a little bigger than an egg. Peel off the skin and you find little white cloves of juicy goodness. Of all the fruits in the world that are imported and exported I don’t know why we don’t have these in the U.S. If anyone knows of a place in the Midwest that sells these let me know. So okay, I bought an entire liter of the little guys because the vendor couldn’t or wouldn’t understand what half a liter is, but no problem. I went on shopping with the fruit stuffed into my bag. I was looking for a couple of pillow covers and a bed runner and found them. While I was looking, a young boy came up and told me my bag was open so I gave him a few mangosteens for being helpful. Shopping here is not for the weak of stomach, accompanying food smells and flies, nor for the weak of heart, it gives new meaning to the word “hot.”

I followed up in the afternoon with a trip to the Imperial Palace. Impressive. The picture is of the palace library. Inside the library is a statue of a sacred bull and cases of palm leaf manuscripts of Buddhist teachings. The religion here is predominantly Theravada Buddhism and there is a strong mixture of Hindu and Buddhist teachings. Much of the influence comes from India, along with Nepal. Some individuals are a little upset with the new king. He is over 50 and unmarried. The residence is not open to the public, but most of the grounds are, including the Silver Pagoda. Inside that building is a knock your socks off floor tiled with silver, the Emerald Buddha, and a pure gold statue of Buddha that is life sized and studded with diamonds. In fact there was quite a bit of gold, silver, and gems to be seen which takes me to the next picture.

I love contrasts right. Outside the palace there were the usual tuk-tuk drivers hustling rides, a couple of beggars, and kids selling a variety of items. The picture is of a young lady who is about 12 years old. She sells cold bottled water to the thirsty visitor outside of the palace. Her English is impeccable. She has classes in the morning and then her father sends her to English school at 5:00 p.m. She sells water to help support her education. I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up and she said a teacher. Sure hopes she makes it. Also in the picture you can see a man in a wheelchair. He is a victim of a landmine explosion. No social safety-net here, so unless you are hooked up with an NGO that deals in this type of issue, it’s out on the street begging for spare change.
I did have a conversation last week with someone who was concerned about the rich-poor dichotomy in the country. The trip to the Palace sort of underlined this. Gold and diamonds inside and beggars outside. But, thinking about the water girl, I get the feeling that although it might be a small part of the population there is the beginning of a striving middle-class which is a phrase I remember from a sociology class and a concept that I believe is absolutely essential to improving life at all levels.

Friday Night Lights

In keeping with tradition, I’m taking Friday night off. Not enough psychic energy to face downtown Phnom Penh tonight. The hotel sits almost exactly at the confluence of the Tonle Sap River, the Bassac River, and the Mekong River. The picture is of one of the brightly lit boats that appear at dusk. There are birdlike animals flitting around that might be bats, but I’m not sure since no one here is familiar with the word. The restaurant looks out over a large open deck which is also used as a restaurant. Potted palms blowing in the breezes, lightening to the east, and sparkling little white lights that put the Magnificent Mile to shame – what a perfect setting.
Serves as quite a contrast to the NGO I visited today. This one was working with the disabled to help provide better lives for them. There is no such thing as ADA here and life is especially difficult for these individuals. They had a very robust program though and their director was delightful.

Okay, enough. Maybe there is something on TV. Last night I caught Happily Ever After with Chinese subtitles. Wonder what is on tonight? One of the wonders of the modern world and one of the strongest forces of globalization is the ubiquitous television. Of course one needs electricity to partake in the view. Languages heard on TV here include Korean, Japanese, Thai, Spanish, and French. One of the individuals I met spoke nearly perfect English having learned it solely by listening to the radio and watching television. He spoke the most colloquial English I have heard, including appropriate slang phrases. The Daily Show is on CNN at some time during the day. Wonder if the many “bleeps” happen here. That, at least, is some language I haven’t heard in English yet.

Standards of Living

Arrived in Phnom Penh this morning and I think I am doing this in the right order - Siem Reap first, then the capital city. It is much busier here, more people, more cars, more everything. The $3 lunch has become the $15 lunch. That has a lot to do with the fact that I am staying at a hotel that is pretty business oriented in the city of course, but I do think the price of most everything has gone up.

The change in the cost of living reminded me of the conversation I had with a young man in Siem Reap. To describe him, I would say we should all be happy he has regular employment. He was probably about 18 years old and a real hustler, full of energy and curious about everything. He indicated he made $50 per month at his job and wondered how much I made. I couldn't bring myself to tell him. But I did try to point out that there was a vast difference in the cost of living between Cambodia and the U.S. Then he told me that his rent was $30 per month. I think that is just a little steep.

The Global Food Summit is all over the news in the last couple of days. I am anxious to learn whether it has received any coverage back home. Apparently, there is a food crisis in many nations, especially the developing nations. Perhaps something to investigate when I get back.

Center for Khmer Studies

Just for the fun of it, today I finally went to a real library! The Center for Khmer Studies in Siem Reap sits inside Wat Damnak. Wat is the word for Buddhist temples/monasteries here. The grounds of Wat Damnak are beautiful and provide a perfect setting for contemplation. The Center is primarily supported by the Luce Foundation and is engaged in a variety of activities including fellowships, research and capacity-building. I don’t classify it as an NGO for the purposes of my research, but I’m sure others might think of it in that way. Anyway, it supports the largest public library outside of Phnom Penh. All things are relative of course. The Library holds between 3,500 and 5,000 items. It has two computer terminals available to the local community for research, including an online catalog that works quite nicely. The head librarian, Oum Daraneth, was quite surprised that both of our libraries use the Dewey Decimal system. Materials are in Khmer, English, and French, and I saw a few titles that we have in our own collection. The library was quite full of users when we were there.

The Center also supports a publishing program. They have recognized a huge lack of published material in Khmer (the Cambodian language). As a result, they have begun a peer-reviewed journal, Siksacakr (which translates to the Wheel of Knowledge) to help fill the void in this area. Articles are published in English, French, and Khmer, giving scholars the opportunity to publish in their own language. They also work to translate materials into Khmer that have been published in other languages in other countries. Recently they translated A History of Cambodia by David Chandler and Southeast Asia: An Introductory History by Milton Osborne is currently in progress.

CKS supports a fairly robust website if you want to read more about publications and activities.

Okay, I’ll stop carrying on about this place. Tomorrow, on to Phnom Penh. Incidentally, we had a super storm this afternoon - lots of wind followed by a lovely rain. I really don’t want to leave!

Frog in the Well and Leapfrogging

Despite all of the fun I am having, I actually am doing a great deal of work. The individuals I have spoken to at the various non-governmental associations have been incredibly helpful, and are to a person, quite impressive. I am coming back with some fantastic information and notes. I do have to share at least one quote from an individual about sharing information and learning about the world around us. He said the lack of information is like being a frog stuck in the bottom of a well – you can eat, sleep, and survive, but without an awareness of the world outside, you are not really living.

Most of the people interviewed have been Cambodian. In fact only one European was involved in any of our discussions. My interpreter has been absolutely fantastic and seems to easily be able to connect and explain the project.

Some really innovative things are happening here. There is, of course, a lot of emphasis on education. Schools are being set up all over the country, and everyone wants to include English and technology skills in the curriculum. Of course in a country with very little technological infrastructure – fiber optic networks for example – it is quite difficult to get this type of education to the countryside. But thanks to technological leapfrogging, some are figuring out some really unique approaches. First, in a tropical country where there is little wiring, solar panels are being used to produce the required energy for technology. And, like the cell phone leapfrog in developing nations, many are going directly to wireless internet access. This is a pretty flat country, so relay towers work quite well. It is the kind of thing that makes me hit myself in the forehead and say “OF COURSE!”

Coconut Shade and Artillery Shells

Today's theme is the Coconut Shade Restaurant and exploded armament. A friend invited me to lunch after my daily visit to the internet cafe. We went to the Coconut Shade - a restaurant unlike anything you will see in the States I think. Thatched roofs cover the individual eating areas. Ours was furnished with two hammocks and floor mats. Leave your shoes at the entry to the platform and prepare for a feast. Rice, salt with lemon, chilies, and a very special fish paste (with ants ground into it) along with a whole roasted chicken and morning glory with garlic, chicken livers and other chicken parts provided a delicious and filling lunch in the shade of the coconut trees. (I asked not to be told what was added to the very special fish paste until I decided whether I liked it or not. Since I did, I have decided that there finally is a type of ant I can appreciate.) It is hot, but as my friend and I agreed, when there is shade and a slight breeze, it is more than tolerable, maybe even pleasant. In addition, this is a meal not to be hurried, taking almost two hours to truly enjoy.

After lunch another friend took me to one of the schools her foundation supports. The Apsara Foundation works with benefactors to provide an education for some of the poorest children. This particular school is on the outskirts of Siem Reap and provides education for primary students. Students either take morning or afternoon classes. Teachers work with the students in Khmer, but also attempt to teach English since this is the language they will need to work effectively in a country greatly dependent upon tourism as an industry. They also recognize English as the language of economic development, so the "lingua franca" is English. Families who earn more than the equivalent of $100 per month can afford to send their children to public schools, but many parents don't make even that much per month and this school targets the children from these families. At one point the school provided a meal to the students as well, but the price of rice has become so high that the supporting agency for nutrition had to cancel this practice. Perhaps it will be reinstated next year! The exploded shell is experiencing a happier function of serving as the school bell.

A couple of groups of students from Singapore have been visiting, late junior high or early high school I think. They are very energetic! It seems that their schools send them for the experience. These kids come from schools that can afford to send them abroad for service learning experiences. By the way, they all have their own computers at the school in Singapore, and when the units are replaced (on a very regular basis) the students get to keep their school-provided computers and take them home. What a contrast with the Cambodian students!

Sustainability

Okay, let's talk subsistence. This picture is from the village at the end of the Tonle Sap. This is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia at the end of the rainy season. At the end of May the lake encompasses approximately 2500 square kilometers. The meltwater from the Himalayan mountains fills the Mekong River as it flows through the northwest and central parts of Cambodia. At about the same time the monsoon rains come, filling the lake so rapidly that the water pressure in the area of Phnom Penh causes the Tonle Sap river to reverse course and return the water into the lake. At the end of the rainy season, the Tonle Sap encompasses an area of over 10,000 square kilometers. The river and lake system is the lifeblood of much of the country providing water for the rice fields, fresh fish, a reservoir, and a channel for communication, transport, and providing tourists with some great pictures. This picture shows the catch of the day being unloaded, weighed, and sorted. The pink bags are the ones you will see in the market if you should go there. In addition to eating the fresh fish, the catch can be dried and some of it is made into fish paste, a staple of the Cambodian diet.

A friend who took me out to see this worked for a non-governmental organization that was interested in sustainable development. This group is interested in teaching farmers how to grow crops for their own consumption as well as for commercial profit. In the U.S. we often have large crop surpluses and would have even more if the U.S government didn't pay farmers not to plant a crop. Here, any surplus is sold, but this is not a common occurrence since most of the harvest is used by the farmer. Currently there is a crisis in the rice supply created by a number of factors.

A wired world

Yesterday was a work day. My translator/interpreter met with me at about 10:00 to help set up some interviews with various NGOs in the area. This is no easy work! My phone had to get up and running so I purchased a new calling card for it. A thing for U.S. citizens to be aware of - your cell phone probably won't work here. Even if you do have a phone that is sim card compatible, it might not work here. (The voice of experience speaking.)

It should be noted that even though most tourists are drawn to the old markets, there are actually small shopping centers scattered here and there. Today we ate lunch in one such building. Very modern, reminding me of the malls back home, but not nearly as expansive. Had lunch of noodle soup that was quite delicious. Just before we left to make more calls, it was apparent that school was out. One commonality between U.S. malls and Cambodian malls - they are school children magnets. In both cases the kids come to mostly window-shop and socialize. It made me think of a recent experience in Toronto. I was using an internet cafe there where a birthday party for pre-teen boys was in progress. About 5 or 6 boys were all logged in and playing the same game as part of the festivities. This puts good old Chuckie Cheese to shame!

Finally in Cambodia! On the topic of world airports, the international terminal in Siem Reap is one of the loveliest. It provides a calming, relaxed venue after a brief flight from bustling Bangkok. Lots of greenery, cool marble, and typical Khmer outside architecture. Even the visa officials are less intimidating than you would expect. Walking off the plane one expects to be hit in the face with heat and humidity. In my experience, however, it is less a hit in the face than a warm, moist blanket that wraps around you.

On to my lodgings, the Apsara Holiday Hotel, and meeting with friends. A quick trip to market to get mangosteens and rambutan and to pick up a phone to use during the trip. If you are looking for internet access, cafes abound that also provide relatively inexpensive international calling. Siem Reap has a traditional market where you can purchase the requisite souveniers as well a fish, meat, fruit, vegetables, tires, dangerous chemicals, etc.

After dinner with a friend, she invites me to visit Angkor Wat at night. On my last trip I had the opportunity to see this magnificent temple at sunrise. Quite an experience that pictures can't completely do justice to. A few months ago the temple was illuminated for nighttime enjoyment. My feeling about this was quite mixed when I first heard about it, but after visiting, I am definitely a fan. The illumination of the story panels of the third enclosure that surrounds the main temple building really is quite effective at night, showing detail that you might not notice during the day. The panel depicting the Churning of the Ocean of Milk was closed for restoration, so I'm glad I came through the Bangkok airport although it's not quite the same. The other advantage to the nightime visit is the lack of crowds. It appeared that except for security guards, we were the only two people there. A limitation is that only the third enclosure is available to visit, so much like the people who lived here 850 years ago, we were prevented from entering into the heart of the temple. Save that for daylight anyway!

Bangkok's a Suvarnabhumi Airport is slightly over one year old. Where else can you be met in an airport terminal by a life-size depiction of the Churning of the Ocean of Milk? This ancient tale, and it's juxtaposition in a gleaming modern airport, is very basic to the cultures of both Thailand and Cambodia. A look at the history and guide books on the area indicate a co-mingling of Hinduism and Buddhism that provides a kind of window to this area of the world. In addition to the symbolism of the ancient world and the roots of the culture, the airport provides a banquet of shopping. Bulgari, Gucci, and Parisian perfume shops compete with duty free shops and even a BurgerKing to capture the attention of the traveler with a few hours on his or her hands. Last year I had an overnight at the airport, waiting for a 6:00 a.m flight. The public lounges are quite safe and provide somewhat accommodating benches for a little sleep. As I remember, I dozed off to the sounds of traditional music and awoke to the strains of Sinatra and a little 1980's rock! On the Rudasill rating scale, Suvarnabhumi rates #1 for accommodating the tired traveler.

One Night in Bangkok (well maybe two)

After an amazingly easy 24 hour transit to Bangkok, I am on my way to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh tomorrow to do some research into the ways that non-governmental organizations use and collect information. This is the second time I have spent a day in this city and it is a place of fascination for me. I grew up in Chicago, where I learned to drive. Thought the traffic was bad there, but it doesn't hold a candle to Bangkok. If we are worried about gas prices, we should be.

A city of 10 million people, Bangkok is crowded, noisy and gritty, but the individuals you meet here are helpful and considerate. The sign at the airport refers to Thailand as a country of a thousand smiling faces and this is generally true. Like many cities in newly developed countries (I don't think of Thailand as a developing nation) there is always a sharp juxtaposition of glittering sites and less appealing aspects of the urban areas. Actually, not that different from Chicago!