Tragedy - but we're ok!!
on So Now It's Cambodia (Cambodia), 23/Nov/2010 06:38, 34 days ago
You might have been concerned by the recent tragic events in Phnom Penh at the end of the annual Water Festival. I'm very glad we were not involved!We've been to the coast for three nights with Ollie and his friend Claire. It was nice to get away but the bungalows were at the top of a steep hill with "millions" of steps!!! It was quite strenuous in every way so my ankle's well and truly had a work out - not to mention sloping sand etc.! The water was warm and the view form the resort deck was fabulous - right on the water. It was a bit like Cornwall as it was rocky (but warmer!!!!!). We could even watch fish jumping and crabs walking over the rocks.The traffic in Phnom Penh (PNH) was horrendous when we arrived from the coast yesterday afternoon and the taxi driver struggled to find a way in. After the chaos of last year's gridlock they closed some of the roads to the river but that meant we couldn't get to the hotel. The police wouldn't even accept a bribe! Whatever next!!! We did make it in the end. So we went off on a tuk tuk on a few errands and then got stopped by the police again as he seemed to have gone down a restricted road. It was strange - a lecture was given - the driver looked sad and worried - I asked if he needed money (not that I'm colluding with bribery - I just wanted to help him!). We thought we were stuck but after a wait of a few minutes we just set off again......That evening we decided to eat round the corner from the Pavilion to avoid the crowds. Wise decision I think! I managed the short walk back - which is progress - but there were loads of people going both ways on what is usually a very quiet road. In England large groups of young men swaggering through the streets would cause alarm but that would be unusual here. There were many family groups as well so there's a good mix. Were they going to something, coming back or just promenading? Who knows! They seemed happy enough.The whole atmosphere is like a giant fair! There's loud music everywhere (typical Cambodia!) with people on microphones and groups of people dancing or watching. It all seems very exciting - then you get closer and you see they're just advertising shampoo or cellcards!! Generally, the people from the country or provinces come in for the fun and the people from Phnom Penh get out to places like the coast as everything shuts down and the roads are chaos.By chance we've got a suite room this time which I didn't even know existed!! It has a separate living room and huge balcony. Fortunately, the balcony was in a brilliant position for us to watch the fireworks, which were beautiful. So it was our November the 5th.! - and nice to share with Ollie and Claire. Ollie went down to the river front after dinner but we went to bed early. He said it was very busy but he was back before the tragedy. I'm glad we knew he was back before we heard the news. The bridge is quite a way along the river to the right as we normally face it from our hotel or riverside restaurants. It leads to Diamond Island which is where Alison and I went for the concert that turned out to be a singing competition! There are huge halls there - probably the biggest I've seen anywhere. They're mainly for weddings and big functions. It's really hard to imagine just how many people might have been there last night.....My first reaction was to think why did they allow people to over go to the island when so many were coming out from the concert. However, other reports I've read say about 10 people fainted or collapsed after touching loose electric cables and this led to panic. We may never know, but a tragedy it is on a scale it's hard to imagine and probably the biggest since the Khmer Rouge days.I asked staff at the hotel about it and they too had come away earlier. Ironically, the Khmer waitress who usually serves my breakfast didn't know about it either until she received a worried e mail from her friend in England!!! It's a funny old world!On lighter matters! l hope you liked the videos if you got round to watching them. I'm happy for you to share them with anyone and if they want to follow the blog that's fine too. It's been really frustrating being away from the piano as I had been working hard at improving my technique after years of neglect due to work. It occurred to me that I have no "permanent" record of my playing, yet I have spent hours practising, composing and improvising over the years which only I (and maybe neighbours!) have heard. Most of my performances have been at school. There may also come a time when I can't do it anymore so it would be nice for me have as well. So when I get a chance I will do some more but I will try to record different styles and well known songs.I don't have any classical music to practise and keep meaning to buy some online if I can. We recently bumped into a couple of Australians who were out here donating money left right and centre. He offered to send me anything I wanted - so maybe I should take him up on it!!I've had a dose of bacterial gastroentitis over the last week, which hasn't been much fun. I've had antibiotics from our GP in PNH and I've nearly finished those so hopefully I've turned the corner. I suspect I got it at a new fish restaurant on the river front called "fish". The food (cod and chips with squid starterand salad) was delicious but there are so many possibilities as to how I got the bug. It might have been lasgne at the hotel at lunch but not likely as my first "attack" was late at night. Alison was delighted!!!Best finish now - I see the weather's about to turn nasty in England (or beautiful according to your perspective!). Which reminds me of a "joke" in the youth section of the Phnom Penh Post last week. It was entitled "The Optimist". It went something like this: a man fell from the top floor of a skyscaper - as he passed each floor he called to waving friends and colleagues: "I'm alright so far"!!!!!Hope that's not offensive but maybe that's taking optimism a bit too far!! I'm going to see the doc about my ankle on Thursday which is why I've stayed in PNH yet again and Alison has gone back to Mongkul Borei with Ollie and Claire. They're going back to do more teaching at the orphanage which they seem to be really enjoying. It's a normal working week for Alison  this week (she hopes) - Monday was a national Holiday of course and we'll meet up in Siem Reap on Saturday though I'll probably travel on Friday. Maybe there will be another holiday this week if there's a national day of mourning.....Best wishes to all in England and good luck with coping with the cold and snow that I've seen forecast!Finished your Christmas shopping yet??? Not even started???!!!