Thursday, August 12, 2010
Cambodia RSP trip (part 4)
7:21 AM
Cambodia RSP trip (part 3)
7:21 AM
Cambodia RSP trip (part 2)
7:21 AM
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Cambodia RSP trip (part 1)
Well, it's been a while since my trip to Cambodia and I must say, my memory isn't currently in the best state. Nevertheless, I feel the need to write about Cambodia because it was this trip which invoked numerous emotions within me.
if I touch
near the fire
the impalpable ash
or the wrinkled body of the log,
everything carries me to you,
as if everything that exists,
aromas, light, metals,
were little boats
that sail
toward those isles of yours that wait for me.
~~If you forget me by Pablo Neruda~~
Cambodia in my eyes is a rather fragile country, partly due to the fact that its haunting past still leaves remnants and debris in both the physical infrastructure of the country, but most importantly, in the hearts of the people. After all, the ones who make up a country are its countrymen.
Upon arrival at the airport of Cambodia (we did not land in Phnom Penh on the first day) and I was rather surprised that we actually had to alight the plane at the airbase, unlike the situation at the Singapore Changi Airport where airtight airconditioned tunnels form a seamless passageway to guide you all the way from the cabin of the plane to the welcoming airport building.
The first thought which came mind was not that Singapore had much better facilities but the fact that this unique feature in itself made alighting of planes, well, more interesting. Waiting in the hot sun to enter the customs whilst being greeted by a building with a somewhat Minangkabau architecture (sorry but I am not exactly sure what term I should use ^^) is definitely not what Singaporeans see everyday.
So I shall pass talking about the bus ride and how all of us drifted away into dreamland, and start on the first stop of our itinerary: the silkworm factory.
Everything seemed peaceful, calm and inviting when we first entered the premises of the factory and tourist shop, as being a wood-lover, I felt rather at home amidst the wooden stilt structures within the area. However, as we made our way further to the first exhibit, we were greeted by a not so pleasant bunch. I'm not talking about the people of course, they were hospitable and friendly towards us foreigners, but rather I am referring to the baskets teeming with silkworms.
Welll.. moving on :) This was the first time I have actually seen how silk is manufactured. One would expect machinery of advanced technology, considering how Singapore is all for technology, but instead we entered a very humble labour intensive "industrial building" - if I may call it that. While we students and teachers were complaining about the intense heat during this dry season, the workers happily went about their daily work routines is long sleeved shirts and long pants, not showing a single sign of unhappiness. In Singapore, these kind of jobs which demand intensive labour and effort are often unwanted or frowned upon, but what many of us fail to see is that we should not look at this in the perspective of "This is a tiring job, let someone else do it" but rather it is an opportunity to learn a new skill. I can surely say, compared to our businessmen and women adorned with power suits, these diligents workers and surely more agile and productive than we are.
The following photos below show just a few of the many intriguing machinery used in the factory:
Since shopping at the night markets is not exactly the main point of the trip, but i would like to share this interesting thing I saw at the markets ^^:
how CUTE! :))
and last but not least!! OUR VIEW FROM OUR HOTEL ROOM!
6:29 AM
