For those who don't read the New York Times, here is an article they published about Kep this weekend.
http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/travel/cambodia-in-and-around-kep-open-but-undeveloped.html
The author visited Kep last year so the information about Bokor is a bit outdated. You can read more of an update in my recent post.
http://about-cambodia.blogspot.com/2012/02/good-food-and-big-hassle.html
Although she mentioned the tranquility and the nice boutique hotels and at the same time warning that the crowds will eventually follow, she chose hotels in a price range that are exactly the precursor to mass tourism. $300 a night is definitely for wealthier people. The average individual tourist would be turned off by such hotel rates. Thankfully, there are sites like Trip Advisor that give a wider variety to choose from. But the tourism market tends to follow backpackers and, ironically, rich people. All inclusive package tour operators get cut-rate hotel rates for the promise of high occupancies.
One thing is clear though. If Kep would be turned into a mass tourism destination like Koh Samui (which it can't for lack of beaches) or Chiangmai in Thailand, this would most certainly spoil and ultimately destroy the rather unique character of this serene beach town. Let's hope it will stay the way it is now for a long time to come.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Saturday, March 3, 2012
What’s in a Title?
My wife reconnected with a long-time friend after about almost 10 years. They simply had lost sight of each other mainly because my wife went to live in the U. S. with me. Now that we settled here permanently as opposed to our previous in-and-out status they just chanced to meet at one of the many weddings taking place all over the country (see previous post). As it happens the friend’s husband had been promoted to 2-star general in the intervening years, and that entails the title ‘His Excellency’, and for his wife ‘Look Chumteauv’.
Excellency in Khmer is translated as Aek O Tom (pronounced Ayodom), which roughly translates into ‘person of high standing’. This title sort of automatically attaches itself to people who have reached a certain level in the government. To my information it starts with Under Secretary of State. Directors of ministerial departments to their chagrin are not beneficiaries of that important honorific.
However, as soon as an officer reaches the rank of one-star general or brigadier general he/she automatically becomes an ‘Excellency’. One has to remember that this title originally derives from a Latin word mean outstanding; the verb ‘excel’ says it succinctly. Now informed people know that there are more than 1,000 generals in the Cambodian Armed Forces. The actual size of the army is for some reason a somewhat mysterious figure but it is estimated to be around 120,000. Given the size of Cambodia and that there is no real threat to Cambodia’s security, this is a somewhat inordinate high number. Theoretically, that puts a general in charge of 1200 men and women. The actual number is higher since there are many generals in staff functions that do not command any soldiers (koan te hean). In comparison to Western armies this would be about the size of a large battalion, which is normally commanded by a colonel.
If relevant reports are to believed many a star was bought; the benefits are clear: better business connections. (So there goes the meaning ‘excellent’.) Military personnel seemingly have a hand in everything. One of the largest brokers of land concessions, for instance, is a major general. He almost exclusively deals in concessions for rubber plantations Vietnamese companies have acquired over the past years. Way back in the late eighties and early nineties, generals virtually controlled their own fiefdoms, which explained the brisk timber business they were conducting at that time. Obviously, this was also the foundation of much of their wealth.
However, many a general is just that – a commanding officer who worked his way up the ranks. Some of them were sent to Hanoi to attend a military academy there, others got promoted out of gratitude for loyal services rendered to the powers that be. The picture is gradually changing as we can see with the PM’s son, Hun Manet, who graduated from West Point and Sandhurst. Nevertheless, are generals ‘Excellencies’? Are they really on the same level as ministers, state secretaries, and ambassadors?
The pay for a regular general is low, the benefits are modest – free housing, driver, car. Sometimes the military units grow their own rice and raise some chickens or even cattle. The Look Chumteauv – the wives – are ferried around in their large SUVs with their own drivers. Of course, since they lead such a hazardous life they also need a body guard. If you look behind the façade though, you will often find a plain woman from the countryside, barely able to read and write. But they are all ‘Excellencies’. An added benefit is that when a general dies he gets awarded an additional star posthumously. Nice, isn’t it. At least the widow get a higher pension, which is around $250 a month for a 2-star general.
Besides the many military personnel you have a multitude of state secretaries that don’t even work in a ministry. These are the advisers to all those important government officials, usually ministers. Some of those officials have close to 200 advisers. Of course, these are all ‘Excellencies’ too; and their wives ‘chumteauvs’. I know one of those advisers to one of the three top officials in Cambodia. He is an adviser in legal matters - without being an attorney, mind you. Otherwise, he is just a very successful businessman who, as it happens, made his money quite legally. He is a nice and friendly guy too, but he needed that title, the award certificate of which is prominently and proudly displayed in his house.
Then, of course, you have the state secretaries who got the job because they switched allegiance or were otherwise deemed helpful for a worthy cause. During one of my recent business dealings I met a couple of those as well – husband and wife. They have no real authority but to the unsuspecting businessperson they act as if they sit at the levers of power and promise you the world – for a fee, as you might surmise. Rest assured, I didn’t fall for it. On the other hand, I also know another state secretary who fulfills his job to a fault; he is often seen on TV handing out food to rural people in distress or the poorer minorities, which in itself might not mean a lot, but I know he is downright honest.
Granted, the title ‘Excellency’ is definitely a stroke to their ego and sometimes valuable as a door-opener for business opportunities. But, by and large, you could just do away with it as with increasing numbers of theses titles they tend to become rather worthless.
A case in point is the proliferation of PhDs for all kinds of so-called ‘very important people’. Read this article the Cambodia Daily published last year. http://yebc.blogspot.com/2011/08/phd-latest-status-symbol-for-cambodias.html (The publisher of that newspaper is a crusty old dickhead who hasn’t realized that the age of the internet has arrived, so one needs to use other websites to find these articles.)
The psychology behind this is clear. Cambodia has no aristocracy to speak of, so in order to stand out you need something that differentiates you from the rest – a PhD is the title of choice as it signifies you might have money and power but you are a person of brains too, especially if it is so easily available. ( Not only in Cambodia, this goes for practically the rest of the world too.) A medical doctor has something to show for his title – his work as a doctor, so you know this man/woman really did go through the ordeal of obtaining an academic degree. But a PhD in history from some obscure institute that no one has ever heard of? Or even an honorary degree from similar institutions? Don’t these people see how laughable this is? As the article says, you got your big car, big house, now you need something to round off your personality.
A collector of PhDs is the PM. With a title of Samdech Akkak Moha Sena Padey Techo does he really need that? I have always wondered what this really means in translation. Here it is (as taken from the dictionary):
Samdech - nobleman, prince, lord (high honorific title that can be given to people of non-royal birth
usually in recognition of great service to the nation); his highness, his majesty
Akkah (Akkeak) - first, foremost, highest, illustrious, excellent, best; top, summit'
Moha (Maha) - Indicative word used only in compound words to mean 'grand,' 'big,' 'awesome,'
'superior,' 'numerous' etc.
Sena – servant
Padey – husband (?)
Decho (Deja) means power, authority, etc.
If you are not connected to the government you can always purchase one of the highest civilian titles in the land ‘Oknha’. Although this originally was a title bestowed by the king to high civil servants, this has now also become a manifestation of wealth. It is said that a cool $100,000 will get that title. Roads, schools, and other public institutions may be named after you. Never mind how you got that money. People who were in prison for fraud and later became prominent, successful businessmen got it. Of course, simple people bow deeply when an Oknha approaches them. I guess that’s the least you can expect for $100,000.
I remember a hit entitled: ‘You’re so vain’ I guess it all goes under this heading.
For an overview of royal titles visit: http://www.royalark.net/Cambodia/titles.htm
Excellency in Khmer is translated as Aek O Tom (pronounced Ayodom), which roughly translates into ‘person of high standing’. This title sort of automatically attaches itself to people who have reached a certain level in the government. To my information it starts with Under Secretary of State. Directors of ministerial departments to their chagrin are not beneficiaries of that important honorific.
However, as soon as an officer reaches the rank of one-star general or brigadier general he/she automatically becomes an ‘Excellency’. One has to remember that this title originally derives from a Latin word mean outstanding; the verb ‘excel’ says it succinctly. Now informed people know that there are more than 1,000 generals in the Cambodian Armed Forces. The actual size of the army is for some reason a somewhat mysterious figure but it is estimated to be around 120,000. Given the size of Cambodia and that there is no real threat to Cambodia’s security, this is a somewhat inordinate high number. Theoretically, that puts a general in charge of 1200 men and women. The actual number is higher since there are many generals in staff functions that do not command any soldiers (koan te hean). In comparison to Western armies this would be about the size of a large battalion, which is normally commanded by a colonel.
If relevant reports are to believed many a star was bought; the benefits are clear: better business connections. (So there goes the meaning ‘excellent’.) Military personnel seemingly have a hand in everything. One of the largest brokers of land concessions, for instance, is a major general. He almost exclusively deals in concessions for rubber plantations Vietnamese companies have acquired over the past years. Way back in the late eighties and early nineties, generals virtually controlled their own fiefdoms, which explained the brisk timber business they were conducting at that time. Obviously, this was also the foundation of much of their wealth.
However, many a general is just that – a commanding officer who worked his way up the ranks. Some of them were sent to Hanoi to attend a military academy there, others got promoted out of gratitude for loyal services rendered to the powers that be. The picture is gradually changing as we can see with the PM’s son, Hun Manet, who graduated from West Point and Sandhurst. Nevertheless, are generals ‘Excellencies’? Are they really on the same level as ministers, state secretaries, and ambassadors?
The pay for a regular general is low, the benefits are modest – free housing, driver, car. Sometimes the military units grow their own rice and raise some chickens or even cattle. The Look Chumteauv – the wives – are ferried around in their large SUVs with their own drivers. Of course, since they lead such a hazardous life they also need a body guard. If you look behind the façade though, you will often find a plain woman from the countryside, barely able to read and write. But they are all ‘Excellencies’. An added benefit is that when a general dies he gets awarded an additional star posthumously. Nice, isn’t it. At least the widow get a higher pension, which is around $250 a month for a 2-star general.
Besides the many military personnel you have a multitude of state secretaries that don’t even work in a ministry. These are the advisers to all those important government officials, usually ministers. Some of those officials have close to 200 advisers. Of course, these are all ‘Excellencies’ too; and their wives ‘chumteauvs’. I know one of those advisers to one of the three top officials in Cambodia. He is an adviser in legal matters - without being an attorney, mind you. Otherwise, he is just a very successful businessman who, as it happens, made his money quite legally. He is a nice and friendly guy too, but he needed that title, the award certificate of which is prominently and proudly displayed in his house.
Then, of course, you have the state secretaries who got the job because they switched allegiance or were otherwise deemed helpful for a worthy cause. During one of my recent business dealings I met a couple of those as well – husband and wife. They have no real authority but to the unsuspecting businessperson they act as if they sit at the levers of power and promise you the world – for a fee, as you might surmise. Rest assured, I didn’t fall for it. On the other hand, I also know another state secretary who fulfills his job to a fault; he is often seen on TV handing out food to rural people in distress or the poorer minorities, which in itself might not mean a lot, but I know he is downright honest.
Granted, the title ‘Excellency’ is definitely a stroke to their ego and sometimes valuable as a door-opener for business opportunities. But, by and large, you could just do away with it as with increasing numbers of theses titles they tend to become rather worthless.
A case in point is the proliferation of PhDs for all kinds of so-called ‘very important people’. Read this article the Cambodia Daily published last year. http://yebc.blogspot.com/2011/08/phd-latest-status-symbol-for-cambodias.html (The publisher of that newspaper is a crusty old dickhead who hasn’t realized that the age of the internet has arrived, so one needs to use other websites to find these articles.)
The psychology behind this is clear. Cambodia has no aristocracy to speak of, so in order to stand out you need something that differentiates you from the rest – a PhD is the title of choice as it signifies you might have money and power but you are a person of brains too, especially if it is so easily available. ( Not only in Cambodia, this goes for practically the rest of the world too.) A medical doctor has something to show for his title – his work as a doctor, so you know this man/woman really did go through the ordeal of obtaining an academic degree. But a PhD in history from some obscure institute that no one has ever heard of? Or even an honorary degree from similar institutions? Don’t these people see how laughable this is? As the article says, you got your big car, big house, now you need something to round off your personality.
A collector of PhDs is the PM. With a title of Samdech Akkak Moha Sena Padey Techo does he really need that? I have always wondered what this really means in translation. Here it is (as taken from the dictionary):
Samdech - nobleman, prince, lord (high honorific title that can be given to people of non-royal birth
usually in recognition of great service to the nation); his highness, his majesty
Akkah (Akkeak) - first, foremost, highest, illustrious, excellent, best; top, summit'
Moha (Maha) - Indicative word used only in compound words to mean 'grand,' 'big,' 'awesome,'
'superior,' 'numerous' etc.
Sena – servant
Padey – husband (?)
Decho (Deja) means power, authority, etc.
If you are not connected to the government you can always purchase one of the highest civilian titles in the land ‘Oknha’. Although this originally was a title bestowed by the king to high civil servants, this has now also become a manifestation of wealth. It is said that a cool $100,000 will get that title. Roads, schools, and other public institutions may be named after you. Never mind how you got that money. People who were in prison for fraud and later became prominent, successful businessmen got it. Of course, simple people bow deeply when an Oknha approaches them. I guess that’s the least you can expect for $100,000.
I remember a hit entitled: ‘You’re so vain’ I guess it all goes under this heading.
For an overview of royal titles visit: http://www.royalark.net/Cambodia/titles.htm
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
'Tis the Wedding Season
Actually it has been going on since the dry season started around mid-October. It seems like it started slowly but the farther we progress into the dry season the more weddings take place with a culmination shortly before the Khmer New Year in April. After that it sort of peters out again. But of course, it all depends on what the fortuneteller deems a propitious time and day. The reason it takes place early in the morning is that the bride and groom are supposed to receive the spiritual blessings (suesday somnaang) before sunrise. The strange thing is, though, that all fortunetellers seem to agree on that time of day. Possibly they don’t even address that issue any more as it has become such a fixture in Khmer tradition.
One can say it starts with a big bang. Just the other day, one of my neighbors married off one of his children. When we saw the tent being erected in our street we anticipated with dismay the next morning. Sure enough, at exactly 6 o’clock they started the generator which they had so considerately put right in front of our house and the tape started blaring wedding songs. But who am I to complain? I am the foreigner here – different folks, different strokes.
Normally, the religious ceremonies last until midday or 2 o’clock. The wedding reception for all the friends and people deemed worthy of being invited is held later in the day, usually starting at 6 o’clock, at a restaurant or venues that specialize in this, like the Mondial center on Mao Tse Tung Blvd. or the new center at Koh Pich. Depending on the status of the parents this can be a most lavish affair ranging from 10 tables to well over 100 tables. A table usually seats 8 or 10. The parents’ purse also determines how many dishes will be served. Anything less than three is absolutly impossible and three is already considered stingy. The upper class will serve up to 10 different dishes, including small crabs, beef with mango salad, duck, etc.
A big difference to Western weddings are the gifts. Of course, the bride and groom receive a more or less large present from their parents, and some smaller ones from the closest relatives. Normal guests, however, hand over money at the reception in an envelope that is included in the original invitation. No other gifts are given. The amount depends on the social standing of both the parents and the guests. Naturally, as can be expected, the higher the status the more money. Cambodia’s neighoring countries have the same customs in this respect, but the amounts are somewhat more moderate in Vietnam and in Thailand. The Nouveaux Riches in Cambodia know no bounds here either. A wealthy couple attending can easily hand over $500 or even $1,000. This generosity will be returned, however, when a child of that couple gets married. And there is no way around it. I attended a wedding in Vietnam once. The envelope there was neutral, that is, it had no name on it - not so in Cambodia. The preprinted envelope is clearly marked with your name, so the parents can clearly identify you for a miser if you give less than is usual and customary. The benefit of that system, of course, is that the parents might even make a profit as the guests practically pay for their own meals. And this is the exact reason why so man people can hold these wedding parties in such style, many a time well above their social or professional standing. Saving face and showing status is paramount in Cambodian, as in all Asian, societies.
Just imagine a Westerner holding a wedding reception for 1000 guests. Consequently, you don’t see too many of those in the West. If the Khmer parents were to pay for everything out of their own pockets they would easily have to shell out up to $25,000, and sometimes more, for morning ceremony and wedding reception, band, and other entertainers. A nice tent in Phnom Penh including the wedding singers, the musical and electronic equipment can cost around $2,000 - $3,000; more modest ones around $1,000; people in rural areas are luckier – it’s about $300 there. So, altogether, if they had to pay with their own money we would probably see a lot fewer weddings along the streets and roads.
It’s a hassle for the guests, especially the ladies, too. They need a new dress, or they rent one. Make-up and hair-style will take hours; everything for just 2 -3 hours as most receptions end at 8 or 9 o’clock. My wife was invited to the wedding of the son of an ‘Excellency’ just this week. The ladies (look chumteauv) try to outdo each other on these occasions. My normally rather Westernized wife fell back into her traditional Khmer attitude, and felt she needed to look particularly special, not she doesn’t look special every day. This is also the occasion where the ‘successful’ businesswomen, say wives of rich government officials and high-ranking military people, show off their jewelry. While Westerners like to enjoy travel first and head off to a honeymoon in far and exotic locations that can also cost a fortune, Cambodian women appreciate jewelry over everything else. (Sometimes it also serves as consolation for her husband’s infidelities.) Some people receive so many invitations they have to attend 2 or more in one day. Another government official whom I happen to know said he has wedding invitations for virtually every day of the week. Poor guy.
Thankfully, we have received only two invitations so far. I bowed out of the Ayadom’s (Excellency’s) invitation but attended the simpler one in the town where I have my ‘weekend’ house. This is a small town and I am the only foreigner there. I needed to show my face so as not to offend these good people, and good they all are. They are all very friendly and helpful.
One can say it starts with a big bang. Just the other day, one of my neighbors married off one of his children. When we saw the tent being erected in our street we anticipated with dismay the next morning. Sure enough, at exactly 6 o’clock they started the generator which they had so considerately put right in front of our house and the tape started blaring wedding songs. But who am I to complain? I am the foreigner here – different folks, different strokes.
 | |
| Roang Kaa - Wedding Tent for the morning ceremonies |
 |
| How refreshing - the generator a few meters from the tent - together with music, wedding chants - cacophony at its best. |
Normally, the religious ceremonies last until midday or 2 o’clock. The wedding reception for all the friends and people deemed worthy of being invited is held later in the day, usually starting at 6 o’clock, at a restaurant or venues that specialize in this, like the Mondial center on Mao Tse Tung Blvd. or the new center at Koh Pich. Depending on the status of the parents this can be a most lavish affair ranging from 10 tables to well over 100 tables. A table usually seats 8 or 10. The parents’ purse also determines how many dishes will be served. Anything less than three is absolutly impossible and three is already considered stingy. The upper class will serve up to 10 different dishes, including small crabs, beef with mango salad, duck, etc.
A big difference to Western weddings are the gifts. Of course, the bride and groom receive a more or less large present from their parents, and some smaller ones from the closest relatives. Normal guests, however, hand over money at the reception in an envelope that is included in the original invitation. No other gifts are given. The amount depends on the social standing of both the parents and the guests. Naturally, as can be expected, the higher the status the more money. Cambodia’s neighoring countries have the same customs in this respect, but the amounts are somewhat more moderate in Vietnam and in Thailand. The Nouveaux Riches in Cambodia know no bounds here either. A wealthy couple attending can easily hand over $500 or even $1,000. This generosity will be returned, however, when a child of that couple gets married. And there is no way around it. I attended a wedding in Vietnam once. The envelope there was neutral, that is, it had no name on it - not so in Cambodia. The preprinted envelope is clearly marked with your name, so the parents can clearly identify you for a miser if you give less than is usual and customary. The benefit of that system, of course, is that the parents might even make a profit as the guests practically pay for their own meals. And this is the exact reason why so man people can hold these wedding parties in such style, many a time well above their social or professional standing. Saving face and showing status is paramount in Cambodian, as in all Asian, societies.
Just imagine a Westerner holding a wedding reception for 1000 guests. Consequently, you don’t see too many of those in the West. If the Khmer parents were to pay for everything out of their own pockets they would easily have to shell out up to $25,000, and sometimes more, for morning ceremony and wedding reception, band, and other entertainers. A nice tent in Phnom Penh including the wedding singers, the musical and electronic equipment can cost around $2,000 - $3,000; more modest ones around $1,000; people in rural areas are luckier – it’s about $300 there. So, altogether, if they had to pay with their own money we would probably see a lot fewer weddings along the streets and roads.
It’s a hassle for the guests, especially the ladies, too. They need a new dress, or they rent one. Make-up and hair-style will take hours; everything for just 2 -3 hours as most receptions end at 8 or 9 o’clock. My wife was invited to the wedding of the son of an ‘Excellency’ just this week. The ladies (look chumteauv) try to outdo each other on these occasions. My normally rather Westernized wife fell back into her traditional Khmer attitude, and felt she needed to look particularly special, not she doesn’t look special every day. This is also the occasion where the ‘successful’ businesswomen, say wives of rich government officials and high-ranking military people, show off their jewelry. While Westerners like to enjoy travel first and head off to a honeymoon in far and exotic locations that can also cost a fortune, Cambodian women appreciate jewelry over everything else. (Sometimes it also serves as consolation for her husband’s infidelities.) Some people receive so many invitations they have to attend 2 or more in one day. Another government official whom I happen to know said he has wedding invitations for virtually every day of the week. Poor guy.
 |
| My wife and stepdaughter ready to compete. |
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| When will she get maried? |
Thankfully, we have received only two invitations so far. I bowed out of the Ayadom’s (Excellency’s) invitation but attended the simpler one in the town where I have my ‘weekend’ house. This is a small town and I am the only foreigner there. I needed to show my face so as not to offend these good people, and good they all are. They are all very friendly and helpful.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Good Food and a Big Hassle
I needed to go to Vietnam to check on my boat that I had ordered with a Vietnamese company. The deal in Sihanoukville (see post) hadn’t worked out as the partners there had a falling out and broke up. Anyway, we set out from Sihanoukville to Kep where we wanted to spend the night so we could cross into Vietnam at the Prek Chak/Xa Xia checkpoints in the morning and make the trip to An Bien on the coast all the way in the south, west of vast Mekong delta and back in one day.
Since we were passing Bokor we decided to make our way up on that new road. Here is what it looks like now up there.
Kep as always showed its charming side. There has been a lot of new developments in the area since I was there last about 18 months ago. As opposed to somewhat grungy Sihanoukville Kep looks really nice and clean. Too bad it doesn’t have a sandy beach. We found a new hotel/guesthouse, the Reaksmey KrongKep, at the western end of the beach road. It’s a typical Khmer guesthouse; still clean and right on the ocean. At $25 a good deal.
As everyone knows Kep is famous for its fresh crab and we definitely wanted to sample that. So at dinnertime we did just that. We had grilled fish and a stir-fried crab with different spices. I am not going into a food review here – I am not into that. Let it suffice to say it was excellent. The food came right out of the ocean onto our plate, so to speak. It can’t get any fresher than that.
The next morning we started on our way to the border via Kompong Trach. The road from there to the border is supposed to be paved now, but far from it. It’s still a packed dirt road. Actually the reason I am writing this post is to inform people about certain particularities when crossing into Vietnam. Cambodians don’t need a visa. The can enter Vietnam for one month with a valid passport. Now here comes the catch. That passport needs to be valid for another 6 months. This is a rule the Vietnamese immigration authorities introduced a while back. Sure enough, my wife’s passport expires in July 2012 and the Cambodian border police told her, ‘No go.’ So after some longish discussions the Cambodians let her pass to check with the Vietnamese whether they would let her in. She came back after 20 minutes and $10 lighter. So like always, virtually nothing is really impossible in this part of the world. The reasoning behind this rule remains a mystery to me, though. Why do you need a remaining validity of 6 months when are only allowed in for 1 month? Everywhere else, internationally, you need to have 3 months left on your passport – for unforeseen events. The problem, however, was that this haggling set us back more than an hour.
Right in the middle of the no-man’s land a Vietnamese company had built a huge hotel/casino - an ugly structure like you can find them all over Cambodia these days. We had hoped to hire a taxi there but none was around. So off we went on a motodup to Ta Hien. They dropped us off at the bus station. The bus to Rach Gia, near our destination and about 90 km away, was going to take 2 ½ hours. At $10 not exactly a steal when you compare it with the $7 for a ticket from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville in an air-conditioned coach. No air condition in that Vietnamese jalopy. We lost another half hour until we found a taxi. If you thought now that taxi ride was going to be much faster you are in for a disappointment. First, the driver kept saying he cannot go faster than the speed limit, which is 40 in towns and 80 on the highway. Additionally, this is one endless stretch of villages and towns with few cars on the road but even more motorcycles than in Cambodia. He did make it in one hour forty five minutes but we needed to use a ferry to cross one of rivers which took 20 minutes.
The trip back took even longer because when we left the boat yard it was 4 o’clock in the afternoon already. So we were right smack in the rush hour everywhere. At around 6 o’clock and about 50 km from the border our driver sort of in passing informed us that the border closes at 7. We got all jumpy after that piece of news and pushed the driver to step on it. Hey, this is Vietnam and not Cambodia. People seem to be somewhat more disciplined in traffic than here. He never went faster than 70. Also the van was a stick-shift and he shifted into 4th or even 5th at speeds of about 30. You can imagine what kind of acceleration you get this way.
But you won’t believe it. We made it to the border crossing at exactly 6 minutes before seven. The buildings looked suspiciously dark, though, and there was a long line of motorcycles and small trucks waiting. These were the local people that can cross without any documents. We walked up to the barrier and to our dismay found out that the border closes at 6, not at seven. We implored the border officers to just let us through, what’s the big deal. They said, ‘No stamp, no entry.’ Who needs a stamp? Well, the bureaucracy does. So, frustrated, here we were stuck in sight of our car but we couldn’t get across. To his credit, the officer phoned his superior asking whether he could let us pass. Fat chance. So off to a hotel, which surprisingly in this neck of the woods had high-speed internet.
As a former travel professional, of course, these things must happen to me, exactly like the one time when I had forgotten my passport when going on a trip abroad. But then, I was in the travel/hospitality business over 20 years ago.So traveler be informed, all smaller border crossings operate from 8 am to 6 pm. Only Bavet/Moc Bai is open until 8 pm. However, better check again before you go on your trip.
Since we were passing Bokor we decided to make our way up on that new road. Here is what it looks like now up there.
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| The old administration building |
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| Entrance to the old royal retreat |
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| The Royal Villa |
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| Old and new administration buildings |
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| Without barrier into the abyss? |
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| The old casino being renovated - no more spooky now |
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| What's this doing there? |
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| The new casino - sure fits into the scenery |
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| The top of Bokor mountain |
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| Kampot from above |
Kep as always showed its charming side. There has been a lot of new developments in the area since I was there last about 18 months ago. As opposed to somewhat grungy Sihanoukville Kep looks really nice and clean. Too bad it doesn’t have a sandy beach. We found a new hotel/guesthouse, the Reaksmey KrongKep, at the western end of the beach road. It’s a typical Khmer guesthouse; still clean and right on the ocean. At $25 a good deal.
 | |
| New Statue at the western end of the beach road |
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| New bungalow hotel - located towards the main market |
As everyone knows Kep is famous for its fresh crab and we definitely wanted to sample that. So at dinnertime we did just that. We had grilled fish and a stir-fried crab with different spices. I am not going into a food review here – I am not into that. Let it suffice to say it was excellent. The food came right out of the ocean onto our plate, so to speak. It can’t get any fresher than that.
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| Keeping the crabs fresh |
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| The crabbers come to your restaurant and sell it right out of their pod. |
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| Fishermen with their fresh catch - right onto your plate. |
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| Good sized squid. |
The next morning we started on our way to the border via Kompong Trach. The road from there to the border is supposed to be paved now, but far from it. It’s still a packed dirt road. Actually the reason I am writing this post is to inform people about certain particularities when crossing into Vietnam. Cambodians don’t need a visa. The can enter Vietnam for one month with a valid passport. Now here comes the catch. That passport needs to be valid for another 6 months. This is a rule the Vietnamese immigration authorities introduced a while back. Sure enough, my wife’s passport expires in July 2012 and the Cambodian border police told her, ‘No go.’ So after some longish discussions the Cambodians let her pass to check with the Vietnamese whether they would let her in. She came back after 20 minutes and $10 lighter. So like always, virtually nothing is really impossible in this part of the world. The reasoning behind this rule remains a mystery to me, though. Why do you need a remaining validity of 6 months when are only allowed in for 1 month? Everywhere else, internationally, you need to have 3 months left on your passport – for unforeseen events. The problem, however, was that this haggling set us back more than an hour.
Right in the middle of the no-man’s land a Vietnamese company had built a huge hotel/casino - an ugly structure like you can find them all over Cambodia these days. We had hoped to hire a taxi there but none was around. So off we went on a motodup to Ta Hien. They dropped us off at the bus station. The bus to Rach Gia, near our destination and about 90 km away, was going to take 2 ½ hours. At $10 not exactly a steal when you compare it with the $7 for a ticket from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville in an air-conditioned coach. No air condition in that Vietnamese jalopy. We lost another half hour until we found a taxi. If you thought now that taxi ride was going to be much faster you are in for a disappointment. First, the driver kept saying he cannot go faster than the speed limit, which is 40 in towns and 80 on the highway. Additionally, this is one endless stretch of villages and towns with few cars on the road but even more motorcycles than in Cambodia. He did make it in one hour forty five minutes but we needed to use a ferry to cross one of rivers which took 20 minutes.
The trip back took even longer because when we left the boat yard it was 4 o’clock in the afternoon already. So we were right smack in the rush hour everywhere. At around 6 o’clock and about 50 km from the border our driver sort of in passing informed us that the border closes at 7. We got all jumpy after that piece of news and pushed the driver to step on it. Hey, this is Vietnam and not Cambodia. People seem to be somewhat more disciplined in traffic than here. He never went faster than 70. Also the van was a stick-shift and he shifted into 4th or even 5th at speeds of about 30. You can imagine what kind of acceleration you get this way.
But you won’t believe it. We made it to the border crossing at exactly 6 minutes before seven. The buildings looked suspiciously dark, though, and there was a long line of motorcycles and small trucks waiting. These were the local people that can cross without any documents. We walked up to the barrier and to our dismay found out that the border closes at 6, not at seven. We implored the border officers to just let us through, what’s the big deal. They said, ‘No stamp, no entry.’ Who needs a stamp? Well, the bureaucracy does. So, frustrated, here we were stuck in sight of our car but we couldn’t get across. To his credit, the officer phoned his superior asking whether he could let us pass. Fat chance. So off to a hotel, which surprisingly in this neck of the woods had high-speed internet.
As a former travel professional, of course, these things must happen to me, exactly like the one time when I had forgotten my passport when going on a trip abroad. But then, I was in the travel/hospitality business over 20 years ago.So traveler be informed, all smaller border crossings operate from 8 am to 6 pm. Only Bavet/Moc Bai is open until 8 pm. However, better check again before you go on your trip.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Cambodians Rude?
I have been meaning to write this post for a while but for lack of time didn’t get around to it. Recently I saw a comment on another board on this subject which reminded me to finally hit the keyboard (funnily enough I wanted to write ‘put pen to paper’; but this is a thing of the past, now, isn’t it?).
Basically, what prompted me to ponder this subject was the traffic in Phnom Penh. Everybody who has ever ridden a motorbike, not to mention a bicycle, or driven a car around town knows what I am talking about. Despite the obvious chaos on the streets, it somehow seems to work nonetheless. People disregard red lights and just barrel across intersections, and make it across alive; cars turn willy-nilly without regard to anybody else on the street. Motorbikes regularly block lanes; cars change lanes never looking in their rear-view mirror, etc. etc. The list is endless. In the West, people would kill if they saw such traffic behavior. In Cambodia, people seem to shrug it off with typical Asian stoicism.
Of course, the whole traffic situation would not be so bad if motorbike riders just observed the most fundamental of traffic rules. I am not talking about the law on the rules of the road, and such, but rather about common sense. When I see these people on their motorbikes, I can’t help but think that many of them must have a death wish, or maybe, a large part of the population has a genetic defect. They can’t wait the additional 30 seconds for the light to change; they must hurry across as if they risked missing a very important appointment, at the same time risking their lives.
Let the other car cross ahead of you? No way, they just stare ahead ignoring everything around them and inch their way across the intersection. Now is this rude? In my mind, it is. I mean, it doesn’t make me mad; I only shake my head in wonderment.
This is the wedding season. Wedding ceremonies usually last three days. I don’t really envy the bride and groom because that ceremony is really hard on them. They start at 5 o’clock in the morning. And how they start. The keep the music blaring and the priest’s chants at high volume on the loudspeakers so nobody can really miss it. People also seem to enjoy shrieking sounds because in many cases the loudspeakers are of such poor quality that the sounds emanating from them make you cringe.
It might be a good wake-up call for people who have to get up early but what about the ones that can sleep to 7 or even 8 o’clock? Never mind, they should know that a daughter or a son in the neighborhood is getting married, right? What did they do before there were loudspeakers?
This does not just happen with weddings. If there is a death in the family, although the prayers are different, the set-up is the same. They put up a tent and the wailing sounds of the priests, mostly recorded, wake up the people at 5 o’clock. I mean you can’t mourn at 10 am, right? The relatives talk about the life of the deceased over those loudspeakers – their form of eulogies; I am sure the neighbors are all interested in that. And this also goes on for three days. But not enough, after 7 days there is another day of open mourning, starting at 5 o’clock in the morning. Thankfully, it is only for one day.
Ok, ok, I know this is the local custom. I also know people do things early in the morning because the day’s heat hasn’t arrived yet. But those loudspeakers, thanks to the invention of tapes, CDs, etc., blast their sounds into the neighborhood throughout the day.
The same applies to parties, whether it’s a house warming, a family-reunion, whatever. Everything has to be so loud so you can hear it miles away.
But there is a good side to all these parties and ceremonies. They usually stop at 10 o’clock at night. Hardly ever have I come across one that lasted longer than that, perhaps 11 o’clock once. Of course, people have to get up at 5 o’clock so they can attend one those ceremonies.
Another feature of modern Cambodian life is Karaoke (thank you Japan). As long as it’s in a KTV parlor, who cares? But many people keep one of those things at home and hold regular Karaoke parties. At full blast, that goes without saying, to make sure the neighbors can hear how they can’t hit the right notes.The more the evening advances the shriller the voices become. A pure joy to listen to.
Way back when I came to Cambodia first I didn’t live in a house but stayed at hotels in the city. The dogs I saw on the streets were all of the mangy stray-dog type. I got the impression that Cambodians don’t really care much for dogs since I also knew that a lot of people eat them.
But now with the newfound affluence of certain segments of Cambodian society they keep pet dogs, sometimes also guard dogs, which in the face of the high rate of burglaries and other crimes is understandable. It appears, though, as if many people just buy a dog, keep it fed, and then just leave the dog to its own devices. The dogs see someone walking by the property – well, that must be a potential burglar and they start barking away. It must be a signal for all the other dogs in the neighborhood because all of a sudden they all start barking and howling. During the day, it’s not so bad as there aren’t a lot of people walking around. But come evening, they engage in a virtual barking concert. In gated communities, the guards make their regular rounds during the night. You should just hear the racket that causes. And wait when there is a full moon!
People also seem to think it’s good to let their pets wander around the neighborhood scavenging from trash bins, knocking them over so the contents spill all across the street. Well, it makes it so much easier for the rats.
And lastly, as I mentioned before, people get up early to avoid the day’s heat for certain things. Some private schools keep really early hours, state schools start at 7. Most private schools run a shuttle service. Sometimes, this leaves the kids with some time while they are waiting for the van to pick them up. Kids being kids, they play a game of some sort, whether it’s kicking the ball, or engage in a running competition or whatever. They are just having fun. Needless to say, they don’t do this quietly. Hey, it’s 5:30, 6 o’clock already. Who’s still in bed at this time? It also seems to be the time when everybody, not only the kids, are in their most communicative mood; they way talk about (what? their dreams?) out on the streets.
Now don’t think it’s any quieter on weekends. Fathers use the early hours to spend some quality time with their little kids on the streets at 6 o’clock in the morning.
Now come 8 o’clock everything is quiet again. Exactly at a time when I usually get up. Sometimes I am thinking maybe I should change my routine and sleep during the day while it is quiet.
Now can all this be called rude? Well, it for sure is a high degree of inconsiderateness, if not outright rudeness. For people who put so much value on saving their face it certainly appears somewhat unbecoming to display this kind of behavior.
On the other hand, Cambodians are traditionally very friendly (to foreigners too), hospitable, helpful, and, yes, courteous. And this is not only to your face but it is part of their nature. So why this inconsiderateness and sometimes outright rudeness? I guess it has to do with their recent past. Culture and civility was eradicated during the Pol Pot years, and the ensuing Communists didn’t pay much heed to civility either. After all, they were a peasant and worker state. So civility which is usually also a sign of a better education still has to take hold in Cambodian society – by and large, at least. In the meantime, personally, I will just have to get away to my countryside retreat more often.
Basically, what prompted me to ponder this subject was the traffic in Phnom Penh. Everybody who has ever ridden a motorbike, not to mention a bicycle, or driven a car around town knows what I am talking about. Despite the obvious chaos on the streets, it somehow seems to work nonetheless. People disregard red lights and just barrel across intersections, and make it across alive; cars turn willy-nilly without regard to anybody else on the street. Motorbikes regularly block lanes; cars change lanes never looking in their rear-view mirror, etc. etc. The list is endless. In the West, people would kill if they saw such traffic behavior. In Cambodia, people seem to shrug it off with typical Asian stoicism.
Of course, the whole traffic situation would not be so bad if motorbike riders just observed the most fundamental of traffic rules. I am not talking about the law on the rules of the road, and such, but rather about common sense. When I see these people on their motorbikes, I can’t help but think that many of them must have a death wish, or maybe, a large part of the population has a genetic defect. They can’t wait the additional 30 seconds for the light to change; they must hurry across as if they risked missing a very important appointment, at the same time risking their lives.
Let the other car cross ahead of you? No way, they just stare ahead ignoring everything around them and inch their way across the intersection. Now is this rude? In my mind, it is. I mean, it doesn’t make me mad; I only shake my head in wonderment.
This is the wedding season. Wedding ceremonies usually last three days. I don’t really envy the bride and groom because that ceremony is really hard on them. They start at 5 o’clock in the morning. And how they start. The keep the music blaring and the priest’s chants at high volume on the loudspeakers so nobody can really miss it. People also seem to enjoy shrieking sounds because in many cases the loudspeakers are of such poor quality that the sounds emanating from them make you cringe.
It might be a good wake-up call for people who have to get up early but what about the ones that can sleep to 7 or even 8 o’clock? Never mind, they should know that a daughter or a son in the neighborhood is getting married, right? What did they do before there were loudspeakers?
This does not just happen with weddings. If there is a death in the family, although the prayers are different, the set-up is the same. They put up a tent and the wailing sounds of the priests, mostly recorded, wake up the people at 5 o’clock. I mean you can’t mourn at 10 am, right? The relatives talk about the life of the deceased over those loudspeakers – their form of eulogies; I am sure the neighbors are all interested in that. And this also goes on for three days. But not enough, after 7 days there is another day of open mourning, starting at 5 o’clock in the morning. Thankfully, it is only for one day.
Ok, ok, I know this is the local custom. I also know people do things early in the morning because the day’s heat hasn’t arrived yet. But those loudspeakers, thanks to the invention of tapes, CDs, etc., blast their sounds into the neighborhood throughout the day.
The same applies to parties, whether it’s a house warming, a family-reunion, whatever. Everything has to be so loud so you can hear it miles away.
But there is a good side to all these parties and ceremonies. They usually stop at 10 o’clock at night. Hardly ever have I come across one that lasted longer than that, perhaps 11 o’clock once. Of course, people have to get up at 5 o’clock so they can attend one those ceremonies.
Another feature of modern Cambodian life is Karaoke (thank you Japan). As long as it’s in a KTV parlor, who cares? But many people keep one of those things at home and hold regular Karaoke parties. At full blast, that goes without saying, to make sure the neighbors can hear how they can’t hit the right notes.The more the evening advances the shriller the voices become. A pure joy to listen to.
Way back when I came to Cambodia first I didn’t live in a house but stayed at hotels in the city. The dogs I saw on the streets were all of the mangy stray-dog type. I got the impression that Cambodians don’t really care much for dogs since I also knew that a lot of people eat them.
But now with the newfound affluence of certain segments of Cambodian society they keep pet dogs, sometimes also guard dogs, which in the face of the high rate of burglaries and other crimes is understandable. It appears, though, as if many people just buy a dog, keep it fed, and then just leave the dog to its own devices. The dogs see someone walking by the property – well, that must be a potential burglar and they start barking away. It must be a signal for all the other dogs in the neighborhood because all of a sudden they all start barking and howling. During the day, it’s not so bad as there aren’t a lot of people walking around. But come evening, they engage in a virtual barking concert. In gated communities, the guards make their regular rounds during the night. You should just hear the racket that causes. And wait when there is a full moon!
People also seem to think it’s good to let their pets wander around the neighborhood scavenging from trash bins, knocking them over so the contents spill all across the street. Well, it makes it so much easier for the rats.
And lastly, as I mentioned before, people get up early to avoid the day’s heat for certain things. Some private schools keep really early hours, state schools start at 7. Most private schools run a shuttle service. Sometimes, this leaves the kids with some time while they are waiting for the van to pick them up. Kids being kids, they play a game of some sort, whether it’s kicking the ball, or engage in a running competition or whatever. They are just having fun. Needless to say, they don’t do this quietly. Hey, it’s 5:30, 6 o’clock already. Who’s still in bed at this time? It also seems to be the time when everybody, not only the kids, are in their most communicative mood; they way talk about (what? their dreams?) out on the streets.
Now don’t think it’s any quieter on weekends. Fathers use the early hours to spend some quality time with their little kids on the streets at 6 o’clock in the morning.
Now come 8 o’clock everything is quiet again. Exactly at a time when I usually get up. Sometimes I am thinking maybe I should change my routine and sleep during the day while it is quiet.
Now can all this be called rude? Well, it for sure is a high degree of inconsiderateness, if not outright rudeness. For people who put so much value on saving their face it certainly appears somewhat unbecoming to display this kind of behavior.
On the other hand, Cambodians are traditionally very friendly (to foreigners too), hospitable, helpful, and, yes, courteous. And this is not only to your face but it is part of their nature. So why this inconsiderateness and sometimes outright rudeness? I guess it has to do with their recent past. Culture and civility was eradicated during the Pol Pot years, and the ensuing Communists didn’t pay much heed to civility either. After all, they were a peasant and worker state. So civility which is usually also a sign of a better education still has to take hold in Cambodian society – by and large, at least. In the meantime, personally, I will just have to get away to my countryside retreat more often.
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