Reflections on the trek back from Banteay Srey

Perhaps due to the lack of conversation (with Yoshimi gone) I was more observational on the trek to and from Banteay Srey and wrote down some of my thoughts that day in my journal, an amalgamation of scenes and images that impressed me that day and may perhaps give a sense of of what the feel was of my trip.

- Kids on impossibly large adult sized bikes with dusty bare feet slowly peddling down the road...




























- Old CDs used as reflector lights attached to mud flaps swaying to and fro on the bumpy road
- An old man on a moped with more than 30 lime green coconuts tied on the back in a peacock-feather like formation as he zig zags along the dusty road to avoid pot holes that could swallow his bike
- Cambodian People's Party political signs here and there, and the houses behind the signs always in better condition than those surrounding it, coincidence?
- Roaming groups of school kids, waving and greeting passersby
- Four adults and one child piled onto one heavily-laden motorcycle
- Kids and adults walking around town in their pajamas
- Babies walking around in the rural areas with no pants on, possibly because they have no diapers to wear

The Children
There are kids wandering all over the inside and outside of the temple complexes trying to sell bracelets, books, postcards, bags, and other trinkets to tourists. They are also very smart. When walking around with Yoshimi many of them began speaking Japanese and they all seem to speak some English. I wondered how can this language capacity be built upon so that these kids can have bright futures?

Here are short snippets of my exchanges with these dusty, barefoot, and persistant kids:
- The seven year old boy who counted to ten his package of postards to sell to me in English, Japanese, Spanish, German, Khmer, and French accompanying me throughout Ta Som temple. I said I already sent postcards, he said 'buy moore, sen to your frien." I gave him a few hundred riels instead, a very smart little boy .

- Groups of children lingering outside the temple complexes selling their wares like bracelets "3 for a dalla, 3 for a dalla, give to your frien, here, give to your frien...." as I say no thank you, no thank you they respond "here, give to your frien 5 for a dalla..." still trying to make the deal she finally says "all one dalla" as I am walking away referring to the 10 bracelets in the basket she is carrying.

- Kids selling postcards "10 poscard send to your frien, to your boyfrien...here" after I say no thank you on my way to sit down for lunch.. "after lunch you happy, buy poscard from me, I remember you...buy poscard from me.." and they really did remember us after lunch.

- Kids at Banteay Samre Temple "here take picture of me.." Smile I say, and snap this photo below and after they say "one dalla, one dalla." Smart kids, but I gave them some snacks instead...