Friday, July 30, 2010

SATURDAY TREK TO SIEM REAP

The mission home is in Phnom Penh (pronounced p-nom pen).
Phnom Penh is the largest city in Cambodia with 1.4 million people.
We started and ended our trip in Phnom Penh.


Saturday (after picking Trammell up on Friday night) our plan was to leave Phnom Penh for Siem Reap.
We decided on a 2 pm departure, so we had the morning to go to the tailor.


The tailors' stalls line several roads.
Trammell took us to the one he had worked with before.
Everyone sorted through piles and piles of fabric searching for the perfect material for shirts and pants.
You select the material, tell the tailor what you want, get measured, pay for the material and come back next week to pick up your items and pay the tailor $3 per item.





Those of us who are normal, chose normal fabrics for normal shirts we wouldn't die of embarrassment being seen in.

Some of us couldn't help ourselves and used this as an opportunity for creative expression.
Garrett's super attractive shirts, including the one that looks like something Grandma would use for a tablecloth were a whopping $5 a piece.


We then had some time to cruise the city and see some sites.
The Royal Palace


Independence Monument
For some crazy reason, we thought it would be "fun" to travel to Siem Reap the same way Trammell did - on the bus.


The fare was $4.50.
And the 175 mile trip takes a lovely SIX hours.
The bus ride includes entertaining Cambodian karaoke punctuated by the bus driver honking his horn every 30 seconds.
He has to honk.
The rule of the road to Siem Reap is "the bigger, the safer" as it is a two lane "highway" travelled by bicyclists, motos, cars, food carts, water buffalos, dogs and pedestrians.
Most of these travellers don't have rear view mirrors and a gentle tap on the horn is necessary to let people know that you are coming up behind them and passing.


7 comments:

Tricia said...

I kind of thought you were kidding about the water buffalo.....I guess I should have known better. :) You are a brave soul......! Can't wait to see the rest.

valerie said...

You are brave to be on the bus! Keep the stories coming!

Margaret aka: Fact Woman said...

Only Garrett would pick out that flowered fabric. The sad part is that the camera doesn't show just how sparkly and glittery the fabric is.

Raven said...

Those are quite the shirts! Rather colorful. hehehe Great pics!

Missty said...

Very fun!! And I have heard to have shirts and pants bought there before, can't beat the price!! Even Garrett's!! LOL

Captain Dumbass said...

Road travel in the third world, it's like an amusement park without safety guidelines.

Mama Badger said...

That road reminds me of driving in St. Lucia. Everyone shares a "road" and you'd best be the biggest and loudest or be prepared to get out of the way!

I want to see pictures of Garret in the flowered shirt!