Monday, December 18, 2006

Village, Volley Ball, and Grape Catching

Thursday 11/30/2006

Soon the awn breaks and we are up, on the motos and heading for the market. We grab a bottle of coke - which is filled with gasoline - and fill up on the way. The market is amazing. This is the central trading place for all good. Clothes and food - that's pretty much it. The noodles are the most delicious meals I have ever had. We all pound down a second serving - it is just amazing flavour.

We head out and grab a coffee at a local shop. We sit around and talk with about 15 locals. The eldest is in his mid fifties and speaks French. They are amazed at the video camera and the conversation is very cool. These people RARELY (as in once in a year maybe) see white people. They are all very nice and I have no fear of being attacked or anything like that. Our strengh of four very fit looking Americans helps with that.

We head off and soon we are at a monestary. We meet a monk and talk with him for an hour. I film and interview him about happiness and self actualization. He provides a very insightful Bhuddist perspective.

We travel up an enormous flight of stairs and check out a temple.

We have plans to head off when T suggest a volley ball game. Thus begins one of many volley ball games. T is very good - and very competitive. We play against the locals and lose every game. Apparantly this is what they do - every day.

After the first game - T makes John take a seat because he is not good enough. The games are heated and i give it my all - including many screams, dives and dancing celebrations when we score! There is a crowd of about 100 people watching us play. I am sure to give them a show...

Josh is in shock about the lack of team spirit that T has. He is WAY competetive.

We head out and John picks up his empty water bottle. "No. Leave Here" John won't leave his empty water bottle amidst all the other garbage laying around. We don't want to contribute to the continuation of all the trash. Cambodia is weird like that - there is no concept of garbage clean up or trash management. So we bring our garbage and move it somewhere else - where it probably will be thrown on the ground there.

We make it back for lunch and i am ready to sleep. We rest for 20 minutes and T offers to bring us "grape catching." I am looking forward to more of a nap. Ryan is motivated. "Come on Tim, when is the next time you will have a chance to go grape catching?"

I agree. i pull myself up and we all head off across the dirt road, behind some huts and toward the rice patties. We have our Kromars (Cambodian Head wraps) Cambodian Hats (the circular kind you see in pictures) and are ready to catch some grapes.

Soon we are walking through the patties and T shows us what we are looking for. CRABS

I walk into the rice pattie - the mud squishes in my toes as I step through 3 inches of mud water and squint my eyes looking for a crab. i am hoping I won't see a big snake. it is in the back of my mind, because I know there are snakes here. Big ones. We have talked abut it, but we have yet to see one. i am hoping that today won't be different.

It takes a while and I finally catch my crab. We all fill a big bucket half way with our contributions. Looks like dinner for the family. Josh takes some pretty incredible photos. We wrap up the afternoon looking at a giant bomb hole from the Viet Nam War, and snack on some potatoes made by the neighbor.

We say good bye to the family and head back to Ton Lope, where we will prepare for tomorrow - and finally - the climb.

What a rest day.

1 comment:

surfinbeatsworkin said...

walhpi!!!!!! benni benni benn benn here!!!!!!

and i am now 37 years old!!!!!! yahoooooo!

I would rather be there with you!!!!!

new wedding plan! the resort sold! holy shit is right! so now we are getting married at the westin puerto vallarta!!!! airpot code: PVR

see you soon!!!!! love yah, benak