Pardon the Delay
First off, I apologize for the long delay between postings. Mainly it would be because all I've been doing lately is working and wandering around Bangkok on my free weekends. As it is the end of July I have one week left in my internship before I head to Singapore, but a busy week it will be.
I got back from a work trip to Phnom Penh Friday night after spending 3 days running around meeting with national NGOs and UN offices. In all it was very interesting to hear about what people have to say about the Khmer Rouge Tribunals, formally known as the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), as well as ongoing human rights abuse and corruption in Cambodia. For those who don't know anything about the tribunals, they are finally in process after 30 years. There has been about a 10 year delay as the Cambodian government and the UN have been negotiating how they'll work since the early 1990s. In any case, they're set up as an extension of the Cambodian judicial system with some foreign judges and lawyers involved. The problem? The Cambodian judicial system is heavily tied with the present problematic government in power. Also, they're only meant to prosecute the leadership, leaving 3 people left to try as the others have passed away. In any case, we'll see how it goes. It is sad that the only attention given to Cambodia is through the tribunals even as corruption and power consolidation abound and people are evicted, tortured and suffer daily.
I had watched "The Killing Fields" about two nights before leaving for Phnom Penh (great movie, those who haven't seen it, should.) Upon arrival in Phnom Penh I had two images juxtaposed, the one with tide of people all marching out of Phnom Penh as the KM emptied the city and the PP of today. I realized I was actively looking to see the destruction, assessing what are still scars from the bloody past and what could be a hopeful present and future. We spent a lot of time sitting on the verandah of a classic French house with the deep lounge chairs and wooden blinds overlooking the main square in Phnom Penh talking to individuals. In between meetings, my colleague/supervisor and I would sit around and talk about the Cambodian people and how much Cambodia has changed since the first time she was in PP in 2001. Below us, around 5 PM, a hodgepodge of Cambodians are out, including groups of monks in saffron robes walking through the square, children playing badminton, government officials with their bodyguards exercising, the elderly sitting and chatting, and taxi and motorcycle taxi drivers leaning idly against their cars waiting for the occasional individual in need of a drive during this low tourist season.
So far, I've been to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hanoi, and now Phnom Penh. Thailand is just so far far more developed than the others, although Vietnam is catching up very very quickly. The energy levels in the cities are just so incredibly different. Even on weekends, Hanoi seemed to have a need to pull ahead, to prove itself while preserving the still beautiful architecture and elegance of its past. Phnom Penh was different, many roads remain unpaved, buildings are heavily scarrred, the construction that is going on is nowhere near the hyper constructiction in Bangkok or vietnam. The sounds of hammering nails of sawing wood were not for commercial buildings but were generally for lower quality houses. PP does have a character and a charm to it that I cannot describe, but it is a bit like a chip on its shoulder and a bit of a weariness. In any case, it deserves a longer sojourn there that does not involve meetings after meetings. I was disappointed that I did not get to visit the eviction and relocation sites around PP as there was not enough time. The evictions, of course, are reasoned by the need for "development" --- indeed Cambodia needs much help, but not through processes that fatten the pockets of the businessmen and their allied government officials.
Sorry, no new photos this time.
To the North We Go
I've noticed that when I'm in large cities I get a bit claustrophobic after about 4 weeks. This is a bit problematic as it means I have to find various excursions to regain a bit of sanity.
On the latest excursion I headed up to Northern Thailand to the city of Chiang Mai. I must say it was a lot of fun. Highlights of the trips include: walking through the jungle to get to a waterfall where one could actually swim, white river rafting, riding an elephant, visiting some hill tribes, eating a Khantoke dinner at the Old Thai Cultural Center, and seeing Doi Suthep.
Now as you all like to know my thoughts on certain subjects I'll provide you with a bit of detail. On river rafting: Each time I got I swear it only makes it more addicting. The first time was in Austria, the second in Central California, and this time in Northern Thailand. Upon arrival at the rafting site in Thailand (by site I mean a little shack) I had slight misgivings about the legitimacy of the whole operation as it seemed semi sketchy, and I was wondering about one's safety seeing as they allowed David to go even though he did not know how to swim. On top of that, seeing as he did not know how to swim they were about to make him sit at the front of the raft. (Now that's pretty standard because they usually put heavier people at the front as to avoid the raft from flipping over --- however you should not put someone who has not gone ever and cannot swim at the front of the raft). So, he and I switched places and I got to be in front which is what I wanted anyhow seeing as it is A LOT more fun in front because you get all the splashes. We made it down the river safely after a good couple of rapids -- I'd say it's almost a level 3, if the water was higher and flowing faster it could be a level 4.
Elephants: Love elephants, I really wanted to just hug a couple of them and feed them. Motherly instinct you think? (I have no idea, it's not to the point of pandas, koalas, or dolphins, but I'm a bit crazy about those.) I did feel bad about riding the elephants as they were prodded by pointy objects and I'd assume don't really like following the same path everyday carrying people on their backs. Also, not very comfortable either, I believe I have two large bruises on my back from my back hitting the wooded cart every ... single... plod ... plod... plod.. of the elephant.
Doi Sathep, like other temples in Thailand, is amazing. I'm still awestruck with the architecture. Perched on top of a hill (one climbs steps to get to the top - i'm not sure how many steps take you to the top) it provides a beautiful view of Chiang Mai below and has a serenity about it that is amazing.
Trekking through the jungle is actually a lot of fun. I told Jenny I'm not a big fan of hikes, but shorter ones, say hour to 2 hour hikes are pretty fun if it takes you to an amazing end point. We walked to a waterfall which wasn't spectacular but it was nice enough and hey, I could splash around in the pond it created which was great.
So to hilltribes. I have quite mixed feelings about them. For one thing I don't like taking photos with the people or taking photos of the people as it makes it seem like they are animals at a zoo with groups and groups of tourists parading through. I did however take one photo with the long neck people, which you can view in the photo album. It really is like a trade or a business with the tour companies and the people. It's just stalls and stalls of handicrafts (which were gorgeous) but somehow felt like, "hey it's Disneyland, go on down, give the children some candy, take some photos, you have 30 minutes.. now off you go." Can you really understand them, get to know their culture in 30 minutes? Of course not, till you actually get to know them I think it's a bit premature to start snapping photos of them, so won't be doing that again.
That concludes the trip to Chiang Mai. In all I like Chiang Mai more than I do Bangkok, it's got the city and city activities, but it's just less chaotic than BKK.
For photo photo click
here (For those who made it through this.. you can view the photo of me in Thai dress, the photographer thought I was Thai, moreso than Michelle who is Thai, you can decide)
Finally a Tourist in BKK
So, after being extremely lazy and avoiding the tourist zones of Bangkok, I decided, ummmm after 5 weeks, perhaps you should go see the Wats and Royal Palace.
Off I went, 30 minutes, and 40 baht later I arrived at the Royal Palace and Wat Phra Kaew. Note to Asian people who might be able to pass for Thai: avoid the line selling tickets and go to the line in Thai with the sign: Thai entrance, Free. Greet the guards there with a polite nod and a sawatdeekha (or sawatdeekhrap for men) and mosey through, it'll save you 250 baht (about 7 bucks). So passing through, I wandered about the grounds. This is what I have to say about it, breathtaking, all the churches and castles in Europe are nothing compared to the golden, jewelled Wats. They beckon somehow with their awe and peaks reaching to the sky. Walking about, the Westerners conversations (mainly European, few if any Americans) were, "I feel like this is a movie set, it can't possibly be real." Oh boy, but it is.
For some information/history read this:
Wat Phra Kaew and the Royal PalaceDownsides: large tourist groups following their guide with the flag was a bit/large annoyance and the crowds in general were not nice turning it into an amusement park of sorts. True, me being there myself did not help the crowd effect.
After the wandering around the grounds, I ventured off to Wat Po for a massage and to see the Giant reclining Buddha. Not as glittery as the previous grounds, but much less crowded and wonderful architecture as well. There was a much more peaceful atmosphere (yes yes, I know, due to the lack of crowds).
Wat PoAnd so friends, that's how to spend a weekend.
For my personal photos click
here .
Another reason to move to Asia, the health care is oh so much better than in the United States. I decided to get a check up to see about all the raving about Thailand's health care. Keep in mind, I went to a private hospital and paid for services in cash without insurance. For a complete physical and annual check of everything (including gynecology and all that good stuff), the bill came out to be about a hundred bucks. Compared Columbia's overly expensive insurance plan where one pays close to 2000 bucks for insurance, plus 10 dollar office visits, and everything else, I'd say this is a bargain. PLUS, after contacting them on Friday, they called on Saturday to set up an appointment for Sunday according to my own schedule. One actually gets to see a real doctor, as opposed to Nurse practitioners (columbia's favorite people to treat students) who were quite nice. (most people know, I hate doctors, hospitals, and all that ish, but this dispelled a good number of my harboring dislike, perhaps I should stay in Asia merely for the health care. BTW, Singapore health care insurance - covers all emergencies and the like is 35 dollars a semester)
So pluses for Thailand: Architecture, food, prices, healthcare, housing, beaches, transpo (as in public transpo)
Cons: Um.. people yelling at me because they think I'm a prostitute (that still ranks pretty high up there) along with the blatant sex tourism and pollution (I think my lungs are coated black), transpo (taxis and roadways are continuously clogged- traffic yam heaven - this coming from someone who lived in LA), and no sidewalks on the small sois
